Zaugg, Simone

A STILL LIFE FOR PUBLIC SPACE
Artistic Statement versus Illustration
in: Kunststadt Stadtkunst 67, 2020, Hrsg.: Kulturwerk des BBK Berlin GmbH

Excerpt from the protocol of the jury meeting:

... Apart from the historical and architectural context and the clear specification of a permanent artwork to be realized, there was no prescribed theme for the competition "Artistic Design Nöldnerplatz in Lichtenberg". ...

... The invited artists have chosen very different strategies in their approaches: playful, documentary, irritating, illustrative, abstract...

(About the design by Christian Hasucha)
... Almost as if it were real, but still made of aluminum, Christian Hasucha's house tent stands at a corner of the middle lawn on Nöldnerplatz. This still life for public space combines the complexity of both this specific location and general, current issues and thoughts that go beyond Berlin with one image. An image that addresses and reflects on difficult topics such as migration, precarious housing situations, homelessness, but also questions about the role and function of art in public space. "Himmel über Nöldnerplatz" also addresses political, personal and poetic sides with a clear artistic language. ...

Inspired by the factual presentation of the individual designs and the preferences and votes of the citizen participation, an intensive discussion took place in the jury, which was supplemented by information from the experts and guests. After all submissions were discussed controversially but always very constructively, the artistic ideas of Petra Spielhagen, Gloria Zein and Christian Hasucha crystallized in the first evaluation round as works with a multi-layered potential that convincingly explored the competition situation. ...

In the course of the lively discussions on the remaining three designs, the jury's common goal of not choosing an illustrative artistic statement, but rather to realize an artistic intervention on Nöldnerplatz that also means irritation, friction with the place and its people, and the taking up of existential themes, developed more and more strongly. After this highly engaged round of discussion, the jury decided with a clear vote in favor of a multi-layered art project that, in the sense of an artistic commentary, also has potential beyond the borders of Berlin and context-specific aspects. The work of Christian Hasucha was able to stand up to these demands with a large majority. It convinced the jury as a daring, courageous statement that will probably not only irritate, but in a positive sense also raises and provokes the most diverse questions about the way we deal with our living environment, with our fellow human beings, our local, social and global commitment. The jury agreed that the place will endure the also formally very successful intervention of Hasucha's work "Himmel über Nöldnerplatz". The ensemble, which is composed of a non-walkable house tent made of aluminum with a non-functional street lamp next to it - a three-dimensional silver-grey drawing in public space, so to speak - superficially does not need interaction and participation, because it is clearly aimed at a deeper and more uncomfortable confrontation conducted on the emotional and intellectual level. Also precisely because the desire for an artistic intervention for this square came from the population, the reactions to the "Still Life" in public space recommended for realization are eagerly and curiously awaited.

Cf. Project documentation Nr. 76 Sky over Nöldnerplatz