TALKING … & OTHER BANANA SKINS

June 18, 2022 until August 11, 2024

OPENING: Friday, June 17, 2022, 7 pm at URBAN NATION Museum

Opening Weekend UNARTIG – Street & Art Festival: June 17–19, 2022
URBAN NATION Museum, Bülowstraße 7, 10783 Berlin

URBAN NATION presents TALKING… & OTHER BANANA SKINS, curated by Michelle Houston. The colorful and vibrant exhibition provokes dialogue through urban and contemporary art. The exhibition will function as a catalyst and serve as a host for discourse about the most pressing issues of our times. It presents a new facade commissioned by the internationally renowned collective BROKEN FINGAZ CREW from Israel (Haifa). The exhibition shows paintings, installations, sculptures and video works across the breadth of urban and contemporary art. Highlighted artists include ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (Berlin), ICY AND SOT  (Tabriz/NY), VARIOUS AND GOULD (Berlin), JOSÉPHINE SAGNA (Hamburg) and LOW BROS (Hamburg).

YouTube
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube’s privacy policy.
Learn more

Load video

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

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

1UP, AEC INTERESNI KAZKI, AMARTEY GOLDING, ANA BARRIGA, ANDREAS ENGLUND, ANNA LUKASHEVSY, BILL POSTERS, BJÖRN HEYN, BROKEN FINGAZ CREW, DAVE THE CHIMP, DENIS CHERIM, DISNOVATION, EL MAC, FAISAL HUSSAIN, FAUST, FRANCO FASOLI AKA JAZ, HIJACK, HIN, HOT TEA, HUGO BAUDOUIN, HUH?, ICY AND SOT, IDA LAWRENCE, ISAAC CORDAL, JAN VAN ESCH, JEFF HONG, JIMMY TURRELL, JOSÉPHINE SAGNA, KNOW HOPE, LE FOU, LOOK THE WEIRD, LOW BROS, NOEMI CONAN, OLEK, PARADOX, RICH THORNE, ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS, SEPE, SIMON MENNER, SPLASH AND BURN, SPY, TEZZ KAMOEN, THE WA, VARIOUS AND GOULD, VERA KOCHUBEY, YOANN BOURGEOIS

Joséphine Sagna: I want change II [WE NEED TO TALK]
Low Bros: Privilege [WE NEED TO TALK]
Various & Gould: Reflection on Monuments – Robert E. Lee [HYBRID HISTORIES]
Broken Fingaz Crew: Thank you for the memories [HYBRID HISTORIES]
Vera Kochubey: Freedom [The Forum]
Hugo Baudouin: Look At Us, How Cute We Are [Fail again, Fail better]

TALKING… & OTHER BANANA SKINS addresses polarization. It encourages visitors to question their own perspectives. Conflicts and issues are multi-faceted, not to be pigeonholed. The artworks presented in the 8 chapters of the exhibition are asking how and what is being communicated within society and the urban environment. Putting exchange and dialogue back at the center.

  • #1

    This chapter highlights the communication paradox of our time: there is, despite large technical possibilities, a fundamental lack of dialogue. Here the artworks are presented in conversation with each other, offering different perspectives on the same topic. Such as Low Bros and Joséphine Sagna point out structural racism. Through examining the privileges of white people (Low Bros) and the conflict of identity through BIPoC women (Joséphine Sagna).

  • #2

    The number forty-two is, taken from the cult-classic “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” the “…answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything…” Personal space is today at the centre of our thinking. The installation by Rocco and his Brothers invites the visitor to reflect upon how their actions have repercussions in terms of cause and effect and the responsibility in terms of making decisions without predictable outcomes.

  • #3

    Each respective work contains several perspectives inviting the observer to react, position himself and engage a social change.

  • #4

    Based upon the ancient Forum, this chapter brings together political works which encourage cultural tolerance (Vera Kochubey), the underlining of the world community (JR) and the pitfalls of modern communication and technological advances in creating isolation in society (Isaac Cordal).

  • #5

    Paradox, Bill Posters and David Howe, Denis Cherim or Huh? are all questioning the way we inform ourselves and the ways in which we perceive and analyze information. Manipulated videos and images focus on tools of deceit used by certain actors in the political field.

  • #6

    The immersive installation invites the viewers to reflect and be reflected in their own hypocrisies. Examining shame as one of the blockers of communication.

  • #7

    Art can provide a mechanism for the retelling of history and propaganda. Artist duo Various & Gould work on collective memory – with their sculptures and urban interventions, they symbolically remove colonial figures off the pedestal and shift the shadows of history and the present.

  • #8

    Taken from a quote by Samuel Beckett, this chapter looks at the possibilities of failure in a society where it is often evaded. Particularly within the self-representation on social networks (Hugo Baudouin) while also presenting the beauty of endurance and persistence that can be found within failure (Yoann Bourgeois).

URBAN NATION Museum
Urban Nation – Opening of “TALKING… & OTHER BANANA SKINS [DIE TÜCKEN DER KOMMUNIKATION]” photo: Nika Kramer

MEDIAPARTNERS:

tip Berlin, urbanshit.de

General Management Foundation Berliner Leben

Dr. Hans-Michael Brey

Curator

Michelle Houston, YES, AND… Productions GmbH, Berlin

Project Assistant

Ann-Marie Groß, YES, AND… Productions GmbH, Berlin

Project Management

Samuel Walter, Florian Groß, YES, AND… Productions GmbH, Berlin

Exhibition Production

Michelle Houston, Ann-Marie Groß, Lennart Volber, Florian Groß, YES, AND… Productions GmbH, Berlin

Exhibition Architecture and Design

YES, AND… Productions GmbH, Berlin
Karsten Wiegers/ right here – right now, Berlin

Exhibition Graphics

Michelle Nimpsch, YES, AND… Productions GmbH, Berlin
Jason Airey

Framing

Lovely Projects, Berlin

Installation

Zehnpfennig, Weber und Taylor GbR
Ausstellungstechnik für Museen

Constructions

Jens Rüberg, Fairnatic GmbH, Berlin

Press / PR

Ruth Hundsdoerfer, berlin acts: kultur pr, Berlin
Jacob Paulsen, Stiftung Berliner Leben

Social Media 

Swea Hobbie, Nicola Petek
Suchmeisterei, Berlin

Financial Management

Aune Tette, Jutta Zander, Stiftung Berliner Leben

The catalog for the exhibition “TALKING… & OTHER BANANA SKINS”, which opened in 2022. With its new exhibition, the URBAN NATION Museum explores the pitfalls of communication and aims to initiate a dialogue using urban and contemporary art across exhibition boundaries. The brochure is accompanied by an introduction to the themes of the exhibition with an insight into the work of exhibited artists.

Details:

  • 5 EUR
  • 1st edition 2022
  • 32 pages
  • Language: German/ English
  • 11,5 cm x 26,0 cm

With every purchase you support the work of the URBAN NATION MUSEUM FOR URBAN CONTEMPORARY ART.

 

Published by

Stiftung Berliner Leben

Concept

Barbara Krimm

Edited by

Dr. Hans-Michael Brey, Dr. Geneviève Debien, Stiftung Berliner Leben

Production

Dr. Geneviève Debien, Stiftung Berliner Leben

Translation

Carola McMahon

Copyediting

Korrekturservice Dr. Bärbel Müller (DE), Kieran McMahon (EN)

Design Cover

Jason Airey, Ann-Marie Groß & Michelle Nimpsch

Title, Typesetting and Design

StudioKrimm, Berlin

Print

Buch- und Offsetdruckerei H. Heenemann GmbH & Co. KG

Our comprehensive audio guide is available at the reception desk to accompany the exhibition. It offers the opportunity to learn about the exhibition and its themes while walking through the exhibition.

• 3,00 EUR (free of charge on the opening weekend)
• Audio guide playable via QR code via own device
• ca. 30 min.
• Sprache: Deutsch/Englisch

 

Production

Michael Hug, TON & SPOT Audiodesign, Berlin

Recording & Sound Design

Dirk Beck, Michael Hug

Production Management

Dr. Hans-Michael Brey, Dr. Geneviève Debien, Stiftung Berliner Leben

Concept, Editing and Direction

Tina Steiger, Michelle Houston/Dr. Hans-Michael Brey, Dr. Geneviève Debien, Aune Tette, Stiftung Berliner Leben

Translation DE

Leonhard Unglaub, KENNEDY-UNGLAUB TRANSLATIONS

Editing DE

Korrekturservice Dr. Bärbel Müller/Dr. Robert Walter-Jochum

Editing EN

Logan Kennedy, KENNEDY-UNGLAUB TRANSLATIONS

Voices DE

Christine Kewitz

Voices EN

Manon Kahle

 

 

Under the guidance of the two sound artists Heidrun Schramm and Nicolas Wiese from geräusch[mu’si:k], the pupils of the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Oberschule – a partner of the Stadtraum!Plus programme of the Stiftung Berliner Leben, created the audio guide URBAN BANANA SOUNDS for the exhibition TALKING… & OTHER BANANA SKINS.

Our comprehensive audio guide is available at the reception desk to accompany the exhibition.

• 3,00 EUR
• Audio guide playable via QR code via own device
• ca. 30 min.
• Sprache: Deutsch/Englisch/French

Production

Michael Hug, TON & SPOT Audiodesign, Berlin

Recording & Sound Design

Dirk Beck, Michael Hug

Production Management

Dr. Hans-Michael Brey, Dr. Geneviève Debien, Stiftung Berliner Leben

Concept and Editing

Heidrun Schramm and Nicolas Wiese from geräusch[mu’si:k]

Direction

Heidrun Schramm and Nicolas Wiese from geräusch[mu’si:k]/Dr. Hans-Michael Brey, Dr. Geneviève Debien, Stiftung Berliner Leben

Translation DE and Editing EN

Leonhard Unglaub, KENNEDY-UNGLAUB TRANSLATIONS

Editing DE

Korrekturservice Dr. Bärbel Müller

Voices DE/EN/FR

Pupils of the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Oberschule

Tue – Wed: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Thu – Sun: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Monday: Closed