They say do as the Romans do. And because I haven’t been a Roman since I moved to Berlin which is over 4 years now ?!! I decided to change that. This year is the year. We joined a private tour in an old church. It was nice and a great soft-start into what awaits me on Sunday. What did we see?

“German-Dutch gallery network “I Amsterdam You Berlin” presents BEYOND, an examination of the lively contemporary art scene in two cities with long artistic traditions. BEYOND refers to another world past a limit or threshold — a fantasyland, a new reality or paradise. For Gallery Weekend Berlin, galleries from Amsterdam and Berlin will exhibit together. Berlin curator Tina Sauerländer will select one artist from each of the participating partners who will dedicate a solo presentation on the topic BEYOND.”

Upside down … 

The city is super busy and as you can see there are as many if not even more restaurants listed on the weekend guide 😏

SOHO HOUSE BERLIN posted:  Berlin’s 12th annual Gallery Weekend

A highlight of the city’s art calendar, the three-day event, which runs 1-4 May, sees over 50 galleries open their doors in the art districts of Potsdamerstrasse, Auguststrasse and northern Kreuzberg.As ever, the exhibitions are a mix of established names and up-and-coming artists. Here, our programme highlights – and check out Soho House Berlin’s events below.

Names in contemporary art don’t come much more familiar than Wolfgang Tillmans, whose exhibition, Studio, opens this weekend at Galerie Buchholz. The show explores Tillmans’ studio as a source of inspiration. Look out for our favourite images: rubber gloves catching the sunlight and black-and-white prints of cracked and peeling paint. Despite a recent arrest with Australian border security, Oscar Murillo will be exhibiting at Galerie Isabella Bortolozzi. Murillo’s work is polarising, even when he’s not flushing his passport down an airplane toilet, but his show Land with Lost Olive Trees, will be one of the most eagerly anticipated of the week. Spruth-Magers has a presentation of solo exhibitions by Alexandre Singh, Thea, Djordjadze and Craig Kauffman. Originally shown as part of a larger exhibition entitled Dreaming Mirrors | Dreaming Screens, it promises to be one of the most ambitious events of Gallery Weekend in terms of challenging boundaries between artistic forms and media. Expect drawings, collages, sculptures and futuristic fashion.

Meganrooney

Canadian artist, Megan Rooney is new name this year – her show at Croy-Nielsen will include large canvas-based pieces. Rooney is known for combining elements of video, literature, painting and performance in her work. This exhibition combines the narrative elements of her text-based practice with a stunning, subtle colour palate.

Ed Fornieles’s exhibition, Der Geist: Flesh Feast, at Arratia Beer examines the role that diet plays in the modern world. The show is an uncharacteristically personal exhibition for those familiar with Fornieles’ sometimes distanced and neutral approach. The audience will be invited to participate directly in the work by adopting diets of their own and documenting their experience.

In addition to these openings, a number of special events and performances will take place during the festival. Make space in your diary for Sriwhana Spong’s performance at Wintergarten, presented by DAAD Galerie, and grab a seat at the Berlinische Galerie for its all-night screening of video works as part of Videoart at Midnight. Martin-Gropius-Bau has an exhibition from legendary German conceptualist, performer and sculptor Iza Genzken, while The Composing Rooms in Savignyplatz will show an exhibition of genre-defying works by artist collective, Estrid Lutz Emile Mold.

– Written by William Kherbek