NEW YORKER / Diversity United - Art Guide Berlin (english)

ART
FASHION

— Christian Boltanski
90 artists.
34 countries.
1 continent in dialogue.
That is Diversity United!
Diversity United is an artistic atmospheric image of contemporary
Europe. The cross-border exhibition brings together painting, sculpture,
video and new media, photography, installation, drawing and
object art by around 90 artists from 34 countries representing different
generations, genders and regions. With their works, they represent
the enormous diversity and vitality of Europe‘s contemporary art
scene, from Portugal to Russia, from Norway to Turkey. The exhibition
sheds light on themes such as freedom and democracy, migration and
territory, political and personal identity, utopias and fears; which also
revolve around the current pandemic.
Diversity United reflects the complexity of the European mindset and
its social realities in a globalised world.
With its commitment, NEW YORKER once again demonstrates its
close ties to the field of art, building off its established successful collaborations
with the artist Jim Avignon and the art collective KLUB7.

elcome!
Diversity United
Exhibition Facts
Address:
Tempelhof Airport, Hangar 2+3 / Access via Hangar 2.
Columbiadamm 10, 12101 Berlin; Underground: Platz der Luftbrücke
Opening hours:
Mon 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Closed Tues | Wed-Sun 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tickets:
Only with time slot, bookable at www.diversity-united.com
Admission prices:
Regular: 10,- € standard | Family: 16,- € | Children up to 16 years: free
Reduced: 5,- € (for: groups of 10 persons or more, students, people with
disabilities and their companion, ID required)
Audio guide: 3,- €
Compulsory testing / hygiene regulations:
Masks are compulsory (FFP2 or OP mask) and a distance of 1.50 m must
be maintained.
Admission restrictions (persons per square metre) depending on current
regulations / please allow for waiting time.
Imprint:
NEW YORKER Marketing & Media International GmbH
Hansestrasse 48
38112 Braunschweig
Germany
Editorial department: Diversity United (art contributions),
NEW YORKER Music & Media (Interview, Berlin-Facts, Tempelhof Facts, Gastro and Music)
Graphics: NEW YORKER, Andreas Bohn

© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2021 for the works depicted;
Photo installation view: Silke Briel

Prof. Walter Smerling is the founding
director of the MKM Museum
Küppersmühle für Moderne Kunst
in Duisburg and chairman of the
Stiftung für Kunst und Kultur Bonn,
which is responsible for the overall
organisation of „Diversity United“ at
all three exhibition venues.
Prof. Walter Smerling
in conversation about
Diversity United:
When did you get the idea for „Diversity
United“ and what is it about
the three locations Berlin, Moscow
and Paris?
With the Foundation for Art and
Culture, we had just held the exhibition
„Germany 8 - German Art in
China“ in the Forbidden City in the
center of Beijing. At that moment,
the thought came to me: these works
should surely be available in Europe?
We showed the German face of art
in China, at a time when there were
numerous cultural difficulties. And
we have seen: Art can build bridges
here.
At once, the idea of unity and diversity
was born; „Diversity United“.
With Moscow, Berlin and Paris, three
locations were chosen that are both
relevant today and important
historically.
The exhibition themes seem very
complex: freedom and dignity,
dialogue and conflict, political and
personal identity, democracy and
its erosion, (fear of) the future,
solidarity and division, the consequences
of the current pandemic.
To what extent are these themes
reflected in the selection of artists?
In our selection process, we carefully
analysed the artists‘ works and found
that those we included in the exhibition
were in line with our themes. For
example, how Gilbert & George deal
with everyday life with the theme of
democracy. The Greek artist Angeli
Dakis, for example, creates a space
that the audience or the visitor can
build themselves. It consists of large
blocks that look like stone blocks,
but made of plastic. This can be used
to build an amphitheatre, for example
(as was common for the ancient
Greeks). And questions arise: How
does democracy work? Is it the best
form of government we have? What
is the current situation in Europe
Photo: David Ausserhofer

with its particular interests? Aren‘t
there a lot of vanities right now? How
do we deal with digitalization? Some
artists create works that the public
can find digitally on the wall. Or the
juxtaposition of analogue and digital
photography. The digital world also
creates many fears and many communication
problems, and the issues
of our society are reflected in art,
whether in Western, Eastern, Northern,
Central or Southern Europe.
being asked. Is art relevant
to the system?
Obviously, opinions differ on this:
for me, art and culture are among
the most relevant elements of our
lives. Art holds the mirror in front of
our eyes, we have to be alert, and
our minds active. To a healthy body
belongs a healthy mind. Imagine if
the entire car industry, or fashion
industry, for example, would not have
developed the way it did without
How do you explain what art is to
those who are not part of the typical
gallery audience?
Art is a form of expression that
brings together intellect and emotion,
that creates something that
takes hold of you and from which you
cannot defend yourself emotionally
or mentally. Everyone has creativity
within them. A good example to
explain art is the smile of the Mona
Lisa. Why? Because we will never
know if it expresses laughter or irony.
Especially now in the crisis, the
question of the status of art and
culture in society is increasingly
artistic influence. Art is essential for
our everyday life.
What comes to mind spontaneously
about fashion and art?
There is a close relationship. As
early as the 1970s, fashion designer
Yves Saint Laurent was inspired by
art for his designs, specifically by
Piet Mondrian and his constructive
color elements. Before a structure is
created, the drawing usually comes
first. This is where artists and fashion
designers have a lot in common in
creating a piece of art or a dress. The
most direct route from the head to
the paper is via the arm.

City of canals and bridges.
Berlin has more canals than Venice
or Amsterdam and over 960 bridges.
The oldest surviving bridge is
the Jungfernbrücke in Mitte, built
in 1798. One of the most striking
is the Oberbaumbrücke, once a
border crossing between East and
West.
Hardly a mountain in sight.
Berlin is very flat, having once
been a lake thousands of years
ago. The highest natural mountain
is the Müggelberg at 114.7
metres. Somewhat higher is the
Teufelsberg, but this was created
from a rubble dump.
Currywurst, Döner & Co.
In Berlin, 70 million curry sausages
are consumed every year; a
separate museum has even been
dedicated to the love of this dish.
But doner kebab is also a tradition:
there are around 1,600 doner
kebab stands in Berlin - more
than in Istanbul! But you can also
eat without meat: with 10% of
vegetarians and vegans; Berlin
has one of the highest rates in
Europe!
Well-travelled.
Every day, Berlin‘s public
transport system circles the
globe 8.7 times.
Concised culture.
Berlin has 175 museums. Besides
the most famous ones
like the Pergamon Museum
or the New National Gallery,
there are also some more unusual
ones like the Hemp Museum,
the Museum of Illusions
or the Museum of Forgotten
Objects.

The exhibition location:
The former Berlin-Tempelhof
Airport
Like hardly any other place in
Europe, Berlin-Tempelhof stands
for an eventful and multi-layered
past.
As early as the beginning of the
20th century, famous aviation pioneers
such as Count Ferdinand
von Zeppelin or Orville Wright
conducted their first flight tests
on the Tempelhof field; in 1923,
Tempelhof Airport was opened
there and grew rapidly. In 1936,
construction began on today‘s
airport building, which for a short
time was even the largest building
in the world in terms of area.
But Tempelhof is more than a
landmark of engineering: the
airport also became a symbol
of freedom through the Airlift
of 1948/49. For almost an entire
year, the Allies supplied the
population of West Berlin, which
had been closed to land transport
by the Soviet occupation, with
essential goods by air. The sculpture
at Platz der Luftbrücke still
reminds us of this today.
Civil air traffic officially began at
Tempelhof in 1951; in the 1950s,
the airport was one of the largest
in Europe in terms of passenger
volume, along with London and
Paris. After German reunification,
plans for Berlin‘s new major airport
led to the decision to close
Tempelhof, and on 30 October
2008 one of the last planes landed
there.
Today Tempelhof is regarded
as a stage for cosmopolitanism
and international exchange. The
Tempelhof field is used for recreation,
innovative companies have
settled in the listed and iconic
buildings and the aircraft hangars
are used for exhibitions, among
other things.

Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Andreas Angelidakis, Michael Armitage, Yael Bartana,
Georg Baselitz, Bluesoup, Christian Boltanski, Monica Bonvicini, Sonia
Boyce, Pavel Brăila, Maurizio Cattelan, Olga Chernysheva, Tacita Dean,
Rineke Dijkstra, Aleksandra Domanović, Constant Dullaart, Olafur
Eliasson, Kristaps Epners, Valérie Favre, Pia Fries, Adrian Ghenie,
Gilbert & George, Antony Gormley, Manuel Graf, Ane Graff,
Petrit Halilaj, Mona Hatoum, Sheila Hicks, Sanja Iveković, Isaac Julien,
Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, Patricia Kaersenhout, Šejla Kamerić, Anselm
Kiefer, Kapwani Kiwanga, Peter Kogler, Irina Korina, Eva Kot’átková,
Alicja Kwade, Kris Lemsalu, Cristina Lucas, Goshka Macuga,
Kris Martin, Dóra Maurer, Annette Messager, Marzia Migliora,
Boris Mikhailov, Richard Mosse, Ekaterina Muromtseva, Henrike
Naumann, Mariele Neudecker, Katja Novitskova, Ahmet Öğüt,
Roman Ondak, Lucy + Jorge Orta, Dan Perjovschi, Grayson Perry,
Anders Petersen, Agnieszka Polska, Tal R, Paula Rego, Gerhard Richter,
Ugo Rondinone, Adam Saks, Anri Sala, Fernando Sánchez Castillo,
Tristan Schulze, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Katharina Sieverding, Slavs
and Tatars, Nedko Solakov, Jan Svenungsson, Wolfgang Tillmans,
Rosemarie Trockel, Tatiana Trouvé, Luc Tuymans, Martina Vacheva,
Ulla von Brandenburg, Marko Vuokola, Rachel Whiteread, Per
Wizén, Erwin Wurm, Cerith Wyn Evans, Nil Yalter, Yan Pei-Ming

We introduce some of the
participating artists:
© Lucy + Jorge Orta and VG Bild-Kunst Bonn, Photo: Thierry Bal
Lucy and Jorge Orta: Antarctic Village
The artist duo Lucy and Jorge Orta have been working with sculpture
and photography as well as interventions in public space for
many years. Antarctica is characterised by its natural, well-preserved
landscape and its political neutrality - thanks to the Antarctic Treaty,
which came into force in 1961 to regulate international relations for
the protection of the Antarctic environment. For Lucy and Jorge Orta,
Antarctica is a utopia for which they have made several pieces such
as tents, passports and a passport office. They have created an imaginary
community from all over the world, without national borders.
To become a citizen of Antarctica, one must support social progress,
protect the environment and human dignity, and fight for freedom,
justice and peace.

Gilbert & George
They present themselves as British gentlemen and do
not shy away from difficult topics: Gilbert & George
take up socially subversive themes. Although the
artists find their content on their own doorstep, they
have a global impact. Double standards and nationalism,
greed and corruption, religious conflicts and terrorism
are as relevant to the artists‘ neighbourhood
in East London as they are to Europe and the global
community. For Diversity United, the artists have conceived
a self-contained „gallery“ within the exhibition,
where as always they stage themselves as part of
their art. With their kaleidoscopic collages of photographs,
slogans, symbols and the publicly accessible
pool of media images, they dissect the nervous
system of a multicultural, fun-loving, technologically
advanced society and act as vigilant, silent admonishers.
In doing so, they use the means of masquerade to
expose social and political bigotry.
Courtesy of Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, London • Paris Salzburg, © Gilbert & George

Photo: Yael Bartana
Yael Bartana
With her works, Yael Bartana undermines reality and questions the
completeness of each individual statement.
With her neon sculpture, Bartana plays with the term ‚crisis‘ and
vividly demonstrates the meaning and content of this phenomenon of
our time. By exchanging and rearranging some letters, she gains new
words like ‚cry‘. Although Bartana‘s message is very clear, it fits all the
more into our crisis-ridden world, where the word ‚crisis‘ seems to be
the only important thing.

Gerhard Richter
Gerhard Richter takes us on a personal journey through Europe,
to places and people that he assembles into an encyclopedia of
fleeting moments. He stages the dialogue between painting and
photography like no other, commenting on the central questions
of image and likeness, and creation and reproduction since the
1960s. “Photography,“ Richter argues, „has almost no reality, it is
almost 100 per cent image. And painting always has reality: you
can touch the paint - it has presence; but it always makes a picture.“
For Diversity United, he has chosen a small-format series
of his famous overpaintings: personal photographs that he has
subsequently reworked with paint. The original subject remains
allusive and recognisable, but the applied paint has its own reality.
Richter shows us the world and withdraws it from us again in
the same moment. The painting conceals parts of the image and
at the same time draws the eye to new perspectives.
Private Collection, © Gerhard Richter

Courtesy of Galerie Tanja Wagner, Berlin, © ŠejlaKamerić. Photo: Hadiye Cangökçe
Šejla Kamerić
The starting point of Šejla Kamerić‘s works are her own experiences,
memories and dreams. With a view of the past that is as impressive
as it is intimate, she introduces the viewer to fundamental and critical
themes and thus allows them to remain present.
In Behind the Scenes (2019), Kamerić presents herself as a teenage
model posing in the streets of Sarajevo during the Bosnian war. She
had spontaneously borrowed the machine gun, which lies alienated
on the floor as a fashion accessory, from a soldier. In the floor sculpture
Liberty (2015), the word glows in white neon letters and symbolises
the hope for freedom. The spikes protruding from the top, reminiscent
of a bird repellent, form a strong contrast to this hope. This
shows on the one hand the fragility of freedom and on the other hand
the importance of protecting freedom as a common good.

Linos BBQ
Malplaquetstraße 43
13347 Berlin
NEW YORKER
Schultheiss Quartier
Stromstraße 11-17
10559 Berlin
Magic John’s
Oranienburger Str. 48
10117 Berlin
Further NEW YORKER stores:
Tempelhof Hafen, Tempelhofer Damm 227-235, 12099 Berlin
Frankfurter Allee 111, 10247 Berlin
Marzahner Promenade 1, 12679 Berlin
Prerower Platz 1, 13051 Berlin-Hohenschönhausen
Schlossstraße 34-36, 12163 Berlin
Badstraße 4, 13357 Berlin
Brunsbütteler Damm 40, 13581 Berlin
Am Borsigturm 2, 13507 Berlin
Berlin Forum K+, Bahnhofstr. 33-38, 12555 Berlin
Diversity United
Tempelhof Airport
Hangar 2+3
Access via Hangar 2
Columbiadamm 10
12101 Berlin

Konnopke‘s Imbiss
Schönhauser Allee 44b
10435 Berlin
Chimneys
Brunnenstr. 173
10119 Berlin
Yafo
Auguststraße 43
10119 Berlin
NEW YORKER
Alexanderplatz 3
10178 Berlin
Crazy Kims
Muskauer Str. 12
10999 Berlin
Krass Böser Wolf
Markgrafendamm 36
10245 Berlin
Birgit&Bier
Schleusenufer 3
10997 Berlin
The Muted Horn
Flughafenstraße 49
12053 Berlin
NEW YORKER
Neukölln Arcaden
and Klunkerkranich
Karl-Marx-Straße 66
12043 Berlin

Berlin is known for its diversity of cultural
influences. And this is also reflected in the
cuisine: whether Asian-vegan or an original
barbecue straight from the smoker - the capital
simply has more to offer than currywurst and
doner kebabs.
We‘re happy to report that many things are open again.
All restaurant tips and opening hours are of course subject to
the current Coronavirus rules. Please inform yourself about
these before your visit.
Linos BBQ
One of the best locations for
authentic American barbecues
in the capital is Linos BBQ in
Berlin-Wedding. The owner is a
native Texan and celebrates the
traditional barbecue culture from
his homeland: only the best meat
is served, which is cooked in a
specially made smoker for up
to twelve hours in hot oak wood
smoke.
Linos BBQ
Malplaquetstrasse 43
13347 Berlin
www.linosbbq.com
Friday - Sunday from 5 p.m.
Photos: Per Meurling

Handmade cakes in the Chimneys
In Eastern Europe you can find them on every corner, in Germany
they are seldom found: Chimney Cakes aka Baumstriezel. The café of
the same name on Brunnenstrasse offers these delicacies in different
variations and fillings, including vegan. There are still coffee specialties
on the menu.
Chimneys
Brunnenstrasse 173
10119 Berlin
www. chimneys-cafe.com
Monday - Thursday: 12:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday - Sunday: 12:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Photos: Chimneys, Crazy Kims, Boaz Arad

Tradition meets modernity at
Crazy Kims
In her restaurant, Hae-Jung
shows Kim just how much Korean
cuisine has to offer. Traditional
dishes are combined here
with new culinary trends from
Seoul. Definitely try: „Dödjigogi
Bulgogi“, delicious, spicy marinated
pork belly from the lava
stone grill. And of course, there
is also a large selection of meatfree
dishes for vegetarians and
vegans.
Crazy Kims
Muskauer Str. 12
10999 Berlin – Kreuzberg
www.crazykims.de
Tuesday - Saturday: 5 p.m. -
midnight
Sunday: 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Yafo: Israel in Berlin
Typical Israeli dishes are served
in Yafo, such as hummus, various
mezze, and roasted cauliflower.
There is also relaxed lounge
music.
Yafo in the Hotel AMANO
Auguststrasse 43
10119 Berlin
www.yafoberlin.com
Monday - Sunday: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.

For a craft beer at
The Muted Horn
In Canada, the home of Jenia
and Corbin, craft beer has long
played a role. Reason enough
to surprise Berliners with the
variety of craft beer. The two bar
operators have now created a
piece of their old home in Berlin
in an urban ambience and wood
and stone decor.
The Muted Horn
Flughafenstrasse 49
12053 Berlin
Monday - Friday: from 5 p.m.,
Saturday / Sunday: from 2 p.m.
shop.themutedhorn.com
Currywurst at Konnopke’s
snack bar
Berlin without currywurst?
Unthinkable! Konnopke’s snack
bar is a classic: from 1930, Max
Konnopke initially provided night
owls and workers with a mobile
sausage stand; In 1960 he and his
family built a snack bar on Schönhauser
Allee, where one of the
most delicious curry sausages in
town is still served today.
Konnopke‘s snack Schönhauser
Allee 44b (under the elevated
railway)
10435 Berlin
Monday - Friday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.,
Saturday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.,
Closed on Sundays and public
holidays
Photos: Lyle Hastie, Peter Kuley, The Muted Horn

Nice view in the Klunkerkranich
The Klunkerkranich offers a little improvisation, a lot of greenery and
a lot of charm. The garden on the roof terrace of the Neukölln Arcaden
is a café, restaurant, bar or club, depending on the time of day.
Klunkerkranich on the roof of the Neukölln Arcaden
Karl-Marx-Strasse 66
12043 Berlin
www.klunkerkranich.org
Thursday - Saturday: 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Pizza like in New York: Magic John’s
Jonathan, the owner and namesake,
moved from New York to Berlin in
2004, where he was missing one thing
in particular - New York Style Pizza.
At Magic John‘s there is available: the
delicious, thin pizza, which is offered in
„slices“, in different varieties and with
different toppings: both as a classic
margherita, but also as a truffle pizza
or vegan butternut pumpkin pizza.
Delicious!
Magic John‘s
Oranienburger Strasse 48
10117 Berlin
www. magicjohns.com
Tuesday - Sunday: 12 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Cocktail classics & own creations:
Krass Böser Wolf
Behind the unusual name is a cozy
cocktail bar in Berlin-Friedrichshain.
Cocktail classics are also offered
alongside creations such as CocoNuts
with tequila, coconut pistachios and
cashews. Bottled cocktails to drink are
also on the menu.
Krass Böser Wolf
Markgrafendamm 36
10245 Berlin
www.krassboeserwolf.com
Tuesday & Thursday:
5 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Wednesday & Friday-Sunday:
5pm - 11pm
Photos: Birgit&Bier; Krass Böser Wolf, Magic Joh‘s

Enjoy the summer at Birgit&Bier
Birgit&Bier is where beer garden meets club, indoor meets outdoor,
creativity meets imagination. Located directly on the banks of the
locks in hip Kreuzberg, you can enjoy a freshly tapped beer or a
grilled bratwurst during the day before the location becomes an
open-air club with three dance floors in the evening. The fairground
flair with table tennis tables, rocking horses or old carnival stalls give
Birgit&Bier its very own charm.
Birgit&Beer
Schleusenufer 3
10997 Berlin
http://birgit.berlin
Monday - Thursday: from 2pm
Friday - Sunday: from 12 o‘clock

Berlin‘s music scene is unique. Whether it‘s
Rammstein, Die Ärzte, Seeed or Ton Steine
Scherben - all these legendary bands have
their roots in the capital. And the list is getting
longer and longer with the next generation of
promising musicians.
Such as:
Tim Bendzko
Tim Bendzko was born in Berlin in 1985
and grew up in the district of Köpenick.
He became famous in 2011 with „Nur
noch kurz die Welt retten“ and as the
winner of the Bundesvision Song Contest.
Ten years ago he wanted to save
the world, now he prefers to live in his
own. In his new single „Kein Problem“
(No Problem), the singer tells of a situation
in which he is stuck but wishes
himself away from. For a year now, we
cannot escape from the one dominant
topic - the pandemic that has paralysed
the world since March 2020. However,
one does not want to and cannot pull
oneself out of it.
Bendzko also feels the confusion. If only
it were as easy as in his song. In „Kein
Problem“ he escapes without further
ado with his soulmate, who also has no
desire for the same phrases over and
over again.
Photo: André Josselin

Von Wegen Lisbeth
In their early days, Von Wegen Lisbeth supported the
Cologne-based band AnnenMayKantereit or played as
opening act for music greats such as Sven Regener‘s Element
of Crime, until suddenly they exploded: In 2016, the
band went on their own tour across Germany, Austria and
Switzerland with their debut album „GRANDE“, attending
pretty much every available festival stage in the following
years and quickly gained a considerable fan base.
With the new tracks „Podcast“ and „L.Ost“, the Berliners
show once again that they know how to constantly reinvent
themselves lyrically and musically while remaining
true to their own style.
Photos: Nils Lucas; Juju

Juju
Berlin-based Judith Wessendorf aka Juju is one of Germany‘s most
successful rap acts. She became known with the hip-hop duo SXTN.
Her first solo album „Bling Bling“ rose to No. 3 in the German album
charts and the singles „Melodien (feat. Capital Bra)“ and „Vermissen
(feat. Henning May)“ became No. 1 hits. It is not only her direct manner
that comes across in her rap songs. With „Vermissen“ she also shows
her melancholic side; by now she has an eclectic fanbase with over
230 million Spotify streams and almost 9 million followers. At the end
of 2019, she was awarded Best German Act at the MTV Europe Music
Awards, with various other awards following. In addition to her music,
the power woman also runs her own fashion label „VierVier“. In January
2020, she released the single „Kein Wort“ together with Loredana,
which reached number 1 in Germany and Austria. The following July,
her single „Vertrau mir“ was released, followed by „2012“ together
with Bausa. What‘s next? We are curious.

LEEPA
LEEPA, a 22-year-old from Berlin, has a plan. She wants to change
things. And not, like some who rise to success overnight gaining
10,000 followers per second, but slowly. Organically. „I want a group
to come together step by step that really understands what I mean. I
want people who identify with me and then start working together.“
Her current single is called „switch places“ - and it has an incredibly
important message: in it, she deals in a positive, almost hopeful way
with her everyday life as a female singer - as a woman in the mirror of
our society. Instead of frustration, she approaches the subject with
lightness and a strength that should make her audience sing along
and think.
Photo: Sony Music