Gallery Weekend Berlin’s 20th edition unveils an exciting array of galleries and talents, spotlighting 55 participants, reaffirming the city’s timeless allure as an art hub. Standout debuts include a captivating pop-up exhibition hosted by Pace. Explore our highlights…
This weekend marks a significant market moment in Berlin, with anticipation of several international collectors visiting the city. Capitalizing on the event’s energy, mega gallery Pace is launching a pop-up exhibition until June 26th, featuring the first European show of Los Angeles-based painter Maysha Mohamedi.
Despite the influx of money into the city, Berlin has yet to attract a critical mass of major commercial galleries compared to cities like Paris. Meanwhile, in Kreuzberg, the impact of gentrification is evident as mid-sized galleries like Klemm’s and Soy Capitan are forced to relocate due to eviction, signaling ongoing challenges in the city’s art scene.
Here are our highlights from Gallery Weekend Berlin:
Clemens von Wedemeyer’s exhibition Social Geometry at KOW in Berlin features a video installation titled “Surface Composition,” depicting calm and mundane scenes from California. Despite the apparent tranquility, the video gradually becomes unsettling, highlighting the impact of these places on society and psychology.
Rachel Harrison’s exhibition Bird Watching at Konrad Fischer Galerie offers a playful and thought-provoking exploration of human nature and society through sculptures, photographs, and a video work. Harrison’s works blend high and low culture seamlessly, with elements like Stanley Quenchers and remakes of Giacometti sculptures juxtaposed in clever ways.
Sung Tieu’s exhibition Perfect Standard at Trautwein Herleth delves into the impact of extractive colonialism through an empirical lens, focusing on the role of administration in domination. The gallery space is bisected by a thin line of measurement sticks, symbolizing the violence inherent in bureaucratic tools.
territory at Sprüth Magers explores the concept of borderlands through works by Mire Lee, Liu Yujia, Gala Porras-Kim, Tan Jing, and Zhang Ruyi. Against the backdrop of global conflict and anxiety, the exhibition delves into shifting psychological, political, ecological, and intimate boundaries.
Expanded Skin at Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler showcases Alex Carver’s poignant exploration of suffering through large-scale paintings that blend beauty and cruelty. Carver’s works, displayed both on walls and suspended in the middle of the gallery, evoke a sense of unrelenting suffering while referencing art history’s dysmorphic tendencies.
Haley Mellin’s exhibition Biodiversity and Betadiversity at Dittrich & Schlechtriem Gallery in Berlin showcases her dedication to environmental conservation and climate change awareness. Through paintings and drawings using non-toxic mediums like gouache and charcoal, Mellin captures the beauty and importance of diverse ecosystems.
