Favorite Spots

I've been a bit quite lately. Enjoy a late night view on the pantheon and the Friedericianum. I'll be back ;-)

Dear friends, come to Kassel! Now!

If you ever thought of visiting me, this is the time to do it. This is the city I want to show you: artistic, enthusiastic, vibrant and welcoming!

Everything is prepared, I'm well informed and looking very much forward to share and spend the following days with you.

And when it get's to much, we can relax, all together, under the sunny sky.

So? What do you say? 98 days left.

10 years later

The former underground main station in Kassel is open and it's hosting several sound and visual installations. At the same time it's telling a story itself: it opened in 1968, the year of documenta4 (the last documenta of inventor Arnold Bode) connecting the city to the region. It closed in 2005 (2 years before I arrived in Kassel). Since then regional teains are no more entering the city.

The view is quite desolate, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Getting back to the day light, I was in a totally new place for a while. I haven't been here before... until I walked few steps further. And suddenly it get's to me: it's Ottostraße! The building ahead of me is the house that accommodated me during my first 6 months in Kassel. Puji and Phuong, I hope you're reading this and remember our wonderful time here. I can't believe I walked in and out that house and never turned this way... well, it looked quite creepy. Luckily 10 years later documenta took me here. I'll come back.

The first of 100 days

It's official now: documenta14 has started. The press, politicians, protesters, art enthusiasts and the people of Kassel gathered for the first day of the most important 100 days since september 2012. I'm standing among the people and am listening to their memories from their first documenta, for some it was 5 years ago (like for me), for others it was more than 60 years ago. And they are all excited but it wouldn't be authentic if they wouldn't complain. There is too much police and too much security. Niw I understand the writing on Friedericianum "BEINGSAFEISSCARY".

The Parthenon of books looks like it always belonged here. I already can't imagine Friedrichsplatz without it.

Thank you Netcome for the free wifi in the city and thank you Lifeshift for the extra energy.

It's about the view

The location with the best view in Kassel makes the most of it during documenta14: floor14 at the rooftop of shopping centre "Galeria Kaufhof". 

It's open! And it's amazing! The view, the wind and the ice cream.

The interesting part is: nobody cares for Herkules anymore. Probably documenta effect :)

See you up there! Every day for 100 days.

The Press and the Public

Three days before the official start of documenta14, the press was allowed to have a first exploratory walk through some of the exhibits. One of Germany's most important newspaper, "Die Zeit", called their article "The wonder of Kassel" (Das Wunder von Kassel). Beautiful words about a city nobody really talks about for 4 years. And then documenta happens and the whole world gathers in the heart of Germany for 100 days.
The video below is nicely introducing the Parthenon of Books. Have a look:


I, the public, am still paciently waiting. I feel like a dog in a cage... I can see things are happening, things being build, but I don't know what it is and I can't reach to them... nobody knows, nobody can (except the press).
Meanwhile the garden in front ot the Campus Center is growing, getting greener and artistic.
I'm so excited and I just can't hide it tadam tam tam ;)

foodoctopia

The green part of d14

What I like most about documenta are the exhibits in parks and gardens throughout  the city. Every green spot is being turned into art. Well, I think nature itself is art, but many documenta artists are giving it a new touch or are giving their pieces a totally different story when in nature.

Tamoeta's Stories goes d14

We're almost set: our homes are clean, laundry is done, the fridge is filled... because who knows when we're gonna have time for all this in the upcoming 100 days.
The streets of Kassel are all new, the lawn is cut, the sunshine is ordered... because we're expecting many friends, relatives, acquaintances and friends of friends, all arts enthusiasts from all over the world.

Expiration Movement by Daniel Knorr

Most of the art pieces are finished and those which aren't yet, they need our support, like the Parthenon of Books. The art builders were doing an amazing job today, but it looks like they lack some more books.

So, when you're gonna visit me during the upcoming 100 days, make sure you bring one of these books with you and become party of the world's greatest exhibition of modern and contemporary art.

Parthenon of Books by Marta Minujín and Pierre Bal-Blanc

Beingsafeisscary by Banu Cennetoğlu

Look at this place...this place is right in front of my office building. So, before you get tired getting up those many stairs to my office, stop by here. You're definitely gonna find me there and at the same time you'll learn about food production and independent gardening initiatives from the region of Northern Hessen. A documenta14 garden! This is so much better than expected.

Projekt foodoctopia mit krisenKONTERKIOSK

 

5 more days until this counter will open! 5 more days of patience, excitement, curiosity... and did I mention patience?