Boris Mikhailov is part of an important tradition of post-Soviet visual artists. His naturalistic imagery captures a time that is now nearly forgotten, making him the artist of a generation. The Space Between Us, a major 2020 retrospective at the Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden curated by Luisa Heese, presented nearly 40 years of Mikhailov’s work, from 1965 to the present.
Archives: Case Studies
SPACES
Population numbers are declining in Brandenburg, especially in former industrial areas and the rural parts of the state. Once a town’s last pub closes, it might be up to the volunteer fire department, the annual carnival or the local shooting and fishing clubs to keep community spirit alive. Some new blood would be a blessing, but Brandenburg is not exactly known for its accepting and cosmopolitan attitude toward foreigners.
European Peacemaker
A hundred years ago, people were just as confused about the world as we are today. However, they were living through World War I and its aftermath – a time when ordinary people didn’t get much attention. One of those ordinary people was the subject of Carl Melchior: Jewish Champion of European Peace, an exhibition we designed for the Jewish Museum Berlin.
Luther!
The year 2017 marked the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting of his 95 theses in Wittenberg, sparking the Protestant Reformation. To celebrate this momentous date, three special exhibitions were held across Germany. Working as Studio Neue Museen, a collaborative venture we cofounded with our fellow designers at Complizen Planungsbüro, we created one of those exhibitions for the Luther Memorials Foundation.
Cultural Crossroads
In 2005, Germany’s »other Frankfurt« – Frankfurt (Oder), on the Polish border – was a rapidly shrinking city, hit hard by migration. We were hired by European University Viadrina to try to make a difference. As instructors in their Cultural Management program, we developed a concept that united Polish and German students (a third of the student body is Polish) and emphasized the importance of revitalizing the city center. In this way, a building slated for demolition became a student-run residence hall.
Democracy and Its Eagles
How did expressionism and modernist objectivism influence the state aesthetics of the first German democracy? How were decisions made about the design of national emblems such as the eagle and the flag?
