IM GROSSEN SCHIFF DER GEFÜHLE

In the big ship of emotions

The first time, when I entered the art and project house Torstrasse 111 for a casual inspection, I immediately thought of two things: it is like a freighter, a big ship, in whose belly I still seem to hear the machine sounds of a lost time.

It is a place that knows how to tell our own transience in an enchanting way. One immediately thinks: oh man, this is how it used to be in Berlin! And in the next moment one realises that meanwhile, all around in the ocean of the city’s center, completely different waves beat: Lifestyle, startups, internationality ...

This leads to the second thought: this building is also like a gateway into our own world, one of emotions, of associations that appear with the physical confrontation with a place. Because all of the exhibiting artists have suggested works that they can imagine here, like performers on a stage.

Of course, it's not very cool to talk about feelings these days. Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence, the new media, the urge for innovation and aspirations and optimization. Otherwise we will miss out and left behind. But why? Has not art always been an antipole or a disturber or an accelerator or even just a question?

The association, our association VdBK1867 has existed for over 150 years. In 2017 we have honored and celebrated this with four large, diverse and versatile exhibitions. Now we present a catalog that pictures a small selection of our individual artistic worlds and shows a part of a special strength: to be independent of the zeitgeist and at the same time confront it as a special partner with chutzpah and feeling.

Susanne Schirdewahn (German text under >www.torstrasse111.de<)