INTERNATIONAL PANELING
Image by Horster
The Meaning of “Home” is about to Change
Renters and Landlords in America Search for Answers in a Truly Scary Moment
by Leo Kuelbs
Berlin
As we sit at the edge of possibly millions of people being evicted from their homes, as well as many, many landlords also teetering on the edge of financial collapse, one wonders what the meaning of home will be in the days ahead. In the past few years, the homeless situation in the Twin Cities, where I am from, became a large and noticeable problem. Before I moved away in 2002, there were no homeless camps by the Cathedral in St. Paul or in Logan Park in NE Minneapolis. There was a pretty tucked away camp over by Lee’s Liquor Lounge, which has since been turned Target Field, I think. So, I guess people have to live somewhere. But it seems to be a lot more people and a whole different (and expanding) demographic.
In Minnesota before the virus, I was talking to a couple of musicians who are a little bit older than me, and it was clear that they were struggling to find an affordable/any place to live. But now? Rents have risen, prices for homes have exploded, the economy for many has collapsed and suddenly you have about 16 months-worth of back rent coming due at once. If you couldn’t afford to cover one month, how will it happen that you cover 16 of them at once? It’s a huge, scary issue that will likely heat up the already hot social situations in cities around the USA.
I guess the Federal Government has some funds for this issue, but the states seemingly have not had the will to get them distributed. Isn’t that strange?
I guess the Federal Government has some funds for this issue, but the states seemingly have not had the will to get them distributed. Isn’t that strange? I hope things gain momentum quicker than they did with the vaccine rollout. Add in the unbelievable situation in Afghanistan, extreme heat, wildfires and other climate related calamities, other refugee and immigration issues, the rise of Fascism, and a resurging virus and the idea of “home” is suddenly anywhere where you can safely wait out what could be a relentless cycle of chaos. Home may well be a place one will be lucky to have. And you can extrapolate that idea to the cosmos.
Here’s to hoping you were able to get away from home for a little bit this summer. There was a pretty tight little window there, but I know a lot of people went out and did something good with it. But then there’s the delta variant which gained a foothold during the fun. It’s going to go on for a while longer. And get worse before it gets better again. And when I think of the older ones who have passed while it has been impossible to see them, it makes me sad. But I also feel somehow okay. I wish I had (and hope to still get a chance) to spend some time with them and say goodbye. But here we are. I couldn’t make it to where I am from because home is now not only another city, but a new situation where seeing them could be lethal and is a lot more difficult than it was when I left them last. There’s a lot more one could say about the meaning of “home.” But one thing is clear: The idea of home is changing even as this little piece is being written.
Poetry Corner
Image by Juliane Pieper
by Holly Day
Minneapolis
My Safety Net
I have found that, when in unfamiliar situations
such as when shopping in a new store
or in a room with new people
that if I pretend I’m a machine, I can stay calm, I am
just a washing machine humming to myself in the corner
a dishwasher, mouth agape, waiting for dirty offerings
a robotic vacuum cleaner weaving in and out of the aisles
too busy knocking cans off the shelves
to make eye contact or say hello.
When I get home, I turn on the other machines in my life:
the coffee machine, the toaster oven, the television
all of which provide me with more conversation and company
than I’ll ever need.
Shorty of the Month!
Nina E. Schönefeld’s “Art is My Revenge”
Berlin-based media artist, Nina E. Schönefeld’s video works have exploded lately with appearances all over Germany the USA and South Korea. The works features strong female figures and exists in a world parallel to our own. By depicting successful struggles, Schönefeld’s work provides inspiration and support for all during these bizarre days. “Art is My Revenge” originally appeared as part of Digital Fairy Tales: Vengeance is Mine, a group show exploring the downward spiral that retribution brings.
Beyond Jet-Set – Art in the Mountains
Image and Text by Dirk Lehr
Berlin
When I landed in Aspen and got off the plane, a huge advertisement greeted me on the tarmac. Claudia Schiffer was beaming and saying „You know that you really arrived in Aspen, when you met the Chanel boutique.“ I was quite amazed that the first thing you see in a ski resort is a Chanel advertisement. Aspen stands for Hollywood and jet set, heated sidewalks and luxury boutiques. It was the mid-1990s and there was partying, shopping and occasional skiing.
In the meantime, a visit to the place high up in Colorado is worthwhile for completely different reasons: Aspen had discovered art or vice versa. The Aspen Art Museum is now an internationally recognized institution. The museum was founded in 1979. But only in the last few years, thanks to an ambitious exhibition program, has it become a place to be taken seriously in the art world. Important contemporary artists such as Wade Guyton, Ugo Rondinone, Thomas Struth, Jack Pierson, John Armleder, Yayoi Kusama and Elmgreen & Dragset were shown there. Exhibitions that you would otherwise only expect to find in metropolises throughout the world. In addition, a gallery scene has developed in Aspen and global players such as White Cube, Lehman Maupin or Almine Rech are present with temporary exhibitions. With the Intersect Art Fair, Aspen completes the portfolio of art events and thus provides an incentive to make a detour to the mountains not only in winter.
Legendary for the parties in the Dracula Club and famous for grand hotels at 1822 meters above sea level, the White Turf polo tournament on the frozen lake, truffle pizza and one of the last places where women can wear fur coats without having to expect attacks from PeTA activists.
On the other side of the Atlantic, a small town in the Swiss mountains advertises with the slogan Top of the World. We're talking about St. Moritz, one of the most famous ski resorts. Legendary for the parties in the Dracula Club and famous for grand hotels at 1822 meters above sea level, the White Turf polo tournament on the frozen lake, truffle pizza and one of the last places where women can wear fur coats without having to expect attacks from PeTA activists. An art scene has also been established in the Engadine for a number of years. It's not just artists like Gerhard Richter, who have always raved about the special light in the Engadine. When you walk through the village, you no longer just cross the paths of celebrities like Hugh Grant and Liz Hurley, galleries have now shaped the cityscape between boutiques from Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Armani. International galleries such as Gmurzynska, Karsten Greve or Hauser & Wirth have spaces there. The younger generation, like Vito Schnabel, has also discovered St. Moritz as a location for themselves. Only around 20 minutes by car from St. Moritz, the Engadin Art Talks have been taking place in Zouz for ten years, co-founded by Hans Ulrich Obrist, one of the best known curators of contemporary art. A little further afield, in Susch, the Polish art collector Grazyna Kulczyk in 2019 opened the Muzeum Susch, a private museum for her art collection, which is mainly dedicated to female contemporary artists. On the other side, towards Italy, in Stampa, is the former studio of one of the most famous sculptors of all time: Alberto Giacometti. The studio is still in the state in which Giacometti left it before he went to Paris. The tools he used are still in place and traces in the wood are evidence of his work. It is fun to listen to the studio guide - an elderly charming local lady - talking about this great artist as he were still the little boy. The Ciäsa Granda Museum is right next door. It hosts the first and the last work that Giacometti created. The Engadine has gradually developed into an art hot-spot in the Swiss Alps. But what is the attraction of bringing art to the mountains? Well, first of all, the mountains are a very special backdrop and place contemporary art in a unique context. Nature and the environment create an atmosphere that conveys intimacy. In the seclusion there is more time and muse to devote to art, but at the same time it also fuels the „entre nous“ feeling, which is an important aspect of a certain art scene. Art has become part of the high-end lifestyle, so from a commercial point of view it makes sense to go to places where affluent customers spend their free time. But apart from that, it's great that art has made it to the remotest parts of the world and is no longer only relevant in metropolises.
Graveyard Strolls with JCO Part 4
How a dead artist keeps reappearing in my life
Image by ANANI
by JCO
Baden Baden
Sometimes you just have that instant connection to someone. Oftentimes, we can’t even explain why. But it happens and we all have experienced the phenomenon. Normally that very person is alive--but in this true story that person died 130 years ago.
Back in the day, I used to go on trips with my dad once or twice a year. I inherited a nostalgia and fascination for antiques from him, so all our trips were mostly a combination of museum visits and treasure hunting at local antique markets. In May 2013 we ended up in Florence. Of course, we visited the Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio and Pitti, but there was one particular street located on the south side of the Arno river that was the absolute highlight of this trip. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name, but almost every store was selling antiques. In one of these stores we saw on particular painting: ‘‘La Source“ by Alexis-Joseph Mazerolle. It was massive, around 4 x 2 meters. I remember falling instantly in love with it. Little did I know that this wouldn’t be my last encounter with Alexis-Joseph Mazerolle.
Stunned by that coincidence, I begun to do a little research on Alexis-Joseph Mazerolle. Turned out that he painted the whole cupola of the theatre in Baden-Baden.
Later in October of the same year, my dad saw an ad for an antique flea market located in Metz in the newspaper. Even though he had already bought a present for my upcoming birthday, his gut was telling him to check it out. It was worthwhile: On that flea market, he found an original hand colored print of ‘‘La Source’’ by Mazerolle. Until today, this print is one of the most meaningful possessions I have.
Stunned by that coincidence, I begun to do a little research on Alexis-Joseph Mazerolle. Turned out that he painted the whole cupola of the theatre in Baden-Baden. I am an actor and Baden-Baden is the place where I grow up. Weird right?
I encountered Alexis again when I was in Paris 2019. Whenever I am there, I usually stroll through the Père Lachaise cemetery, but this time I was spending most of my time in Montparnasse. A friend of mine told me that Serge Gainsbourg was buried at the Montparnasse cemetery and since we were nearby, we decided to check it out. Lost in thought, we slowly strolled through the graveyard. When all of the sudden I stopped in front of one grave. I remember having this weird sensation of arriving at my destination as if I was subconsciously targeting this grave throughout the entire stroll. I read the inscription: ‘‘Famille Mazerolle.’’ The bronze portrait sculpture of the painter, left no doubt that this was really his grave.
So far this was my last encounter with Alexis. But I’m sure that sometime, somewhere our paths will cross again.
It’s Time for 3 Questions with…Frank Gaard!
Intro by Leo Kuelbs
Frank Gaard has been a legend in Minnesota for dozens of years. His iconic mid 20th Century cartoon-kinky business man figure existed as a neon-icon at the famous Shinder’s newstand for decades, as an introduction to art for lovers of comics and periodicals. He taught at Minneapolis College of art and design where his controversial and sometimes combative style eventual got him fired, but simulatneously catapulted him into the great graces of the local punk rock scene.
His suggestive and progressive “Man Bag” magazine, created with fellow art-perv, Stu Mead was an international phenomenon and an important link between periodicals, porn, high art and intellectually-driven, almost maniacal high/low brow humor. There’s a lot more to Frank’s story in the interview and in the link below.
The Questions:
1. Name three of your contemporaries or teachers who are still at it today and whose work fires you up.
2. Frank, you have been known to be critical, combative and colorful towards some students, faculty, and patrons. Yet you are beloved in the region. Do you think the criticism is fair and do you think it affected your career trajectory?
3. You have a been an artist, a teacher, published some avant garde materials (Man Bag, Artpolice), an instigator, a friend to rock and roll, and a lot more. How would you sum up your career, so far, and where do you see your work and legacy going forward?
Bonus! You were an early adopter of online and digital experiences. What are your pluses and minuses of the internet (etc.) experience?
‘Social proof’ is an illusion (but it works)
by Adrian Pocobelli
Firenze
The appeal to authority is as old as thinking itself. It’s always easier — and a little less risky — to quote a higher power than to put your personal views on the line for all to mock and ridicule. After all, what’s to be gained? Do you really know better than everyone else? Stop being an egomaniac — just try to fit in with the ‘wisdom of crowds’ and, paradoxically, as you become increasingly liked and more popular, you may very well become an authority or ‘thought leader’ on a given subject.
At least this is how I’m starting to think this all works. ‘Social proof’ is what I think of as a core marketing term — a native, first order technique that operates on an semi-instinctual level in the brain. The classic example is the testimonial, or more specifically, the Amazon review. Have you ever read a series of comments on a product and finished with a sense of near-certainty about its merit? That’s social proof—the opinions of your fellow humans, which has an almost supernatural impact on us. From a scientific perspective, verbal accounts are generally dismissed as ‘anecdotal’, but from an emotional viewpoint, especially if it’s coming from someone we trust and respect, it might as well be Gospel. It opens our wallets and often guides our most personal decisions. It’s enormously persuasive and is probably the most reliable way of changing someone’s mind.
‘q=lady+with+ermine (raw mix)’, iPhone X and MacBook, digital image by the author
It’s even at work in our mating rituals, and perhaps this is the biological basis for the mechanism. I remember going on dates in more than one instance with a woman whose primary goal was to introduce me to all her friends to see if they liked me.
It’s even at work in our mating rituals, and perhaps this is the biological basis for the mechanism. I remember going on dates in more than one instance with a woman whose primary goal was to introduce me to all her friends to see if they liked me. Many high school guys will know the phenomenon when they first start dating that once they have a girlfriend, it’s much easier to attract others. When you consider the implications of this, it shows on an emotional level that social proof acts as a kind of knowledge of our reality, even if it’s not based on fundamentals. They call it ‘proof’ for a reason.
Another common example would be in financial markets. The investors among us will know only too well the emotional vicissitudes of investing, FOMOing in at the top and selling the bottom. Instinctually, the power of social proof is so strong that we’re willing to bet our hard-earned cash, which is in reality our time, on investments because other people want them, even if they’re more expensive than they were when they were unpopular. On an emotional level, the fact that the price is going up is why we think an investment is worth making.
But is this healthy? And perhaps more importantly, how reliable is this? Is there any legitimacy to acting on social proof, or are we simply just following the herd? And what about fake reviews? All to say, one wonders if we give too much credence to social proof simply because we have an innate desire to conform to our social surroundings—or stated another way, is the amount we allow ourselves to be influenced by social proof in fact a measure of our conformity? It seems as if social proof might be acting as a kind of epistemological bug in our consciousness, as it makes us particularly vulnerable to believing oftentimes fictional information.
Now, to be fair, other people’s opinions can be very valuable things. But we have to consider the source. If these opinions are reached through conformity, than they’re probably not particularly valuable, but if they’re achieved through consideration and critical thinking than they are likely quite valuable. Sometimes there is a large grey zone where social influence and reason work alongside each other to create the basis of our beliefs.
Perhaps the best way to deal with social proof is to be aware of it. The more you think about it, the more you realize that almost your entire view of the world, in one firm or another, is built on social proof. And in terms of your inner marketer, be cognizant of the fact that social proof is one of your most powerful, if not greatest, tools. Make it work for you.
Image by ANANI
“Nineteenth Birthday”
Down and Out, but not all that Bad
By Artie Street
Taylors Falls
Turning over in my bedroll, eying the spots of mold forming on the inside of the aging canvas wall tent, I listened to the endless rain and remembered it was my birthday. Getting up, I stomped around outside for a minute to get my blood pumping then returned to the tent to prepare for the day. Breakfast was a bit of dried meat and a few spoons of peanut butter, washed down with camp coffee. My art portfolio, a thick bundle of oil pastel works in plastic sleeves, remained dry as I transferred it from the tarp it was wrapped into my backpack.
Ready for my daily trip to the city, I got on a borrowed bicycle and rode three miles to the ferry terminal. During commuter hours the boat could get crowded, but there was almost no one on it that morning. I slept on a vinyl covered bench while the ferry made its way to port in Seattle, then walked to the Fisherman's Wharf. The rain stopped and I set up my art on a bench in a little park next to the tourist hotspot.
To celebrate, Magic gifted me a double handful of fresh cannabis leaves and two pounds of little candy bars.
No one paid much attention to me there on that day. I didn't sell any art but one guy gave me a small loaf of bread. A few hours passed and I decided to proceed to my other spot. So I rode the bus up to the university district, where I had an arrangement with the manager of a Radio Shack that allowed me to peddle my pictures in the store's entryway, out of the rain.
Peddling art like that put me in contact with a wide variety of street people. One of these was a guy named Magic. He slept in a broken down pickup and shot dope. For money, Magic would cut down the exotic shrubberies lining affluent estates and carve these into pipes, which he displayed on a blanket and sold to tourists and college kids. Finding ourselves selling our respective wares next to each other several times, we became friends.
Somehow, Magic found out that it was my birthday. He started making a big deal of it outside the Radio Shack. To celebrate, Magic gifted me a double handful of fresh cannabis leaves and two pounds of little candy bars. Then this guy who worked at a nearby bakery overheard that it was my birthday and brought me a whole cake from his work. The rain held off, allowing us to have a little party on the sidewalk.
I don't recall selling any art on my nineteenth birthday, but I must have because the ferry back to Bainbridge Island wasn't free. After sunset, I met up with my girlfriend on that ferry. We drank a bottle of wine on the upper deck, with incessant wind keeping conversation to a minimum, wrapped in our immature romance.
All of that seems like a very long time ago now. And it was. I've had many birthdays since then and can barely remember most of them. But I vividly recall turning nineteen while living in a tent and selling art on the street in Seattle. I t was a hard life. One I'd never wish to return to. And yet, it connected me with with a side of humanity that I might otherwise never have noticed.
My friend Magic was a homeless addict. Regardless, he helped me celebrate my birthday in style. S o did the young man who took a cake from his job and brought it to our party on the sidewalk. Although I clearly had nothing to offer these people, they did their best to make the day nice for me. And they succeeded.
3 Questions with…Christopher Winter!
Intro by Leo Kuelbs
Somewhere between Hastings, England and Berlin, Germany you will find the elusive Christopher Winter. His paintings have appeared all over Europe and the USA and recently his work has moved further into the world via the auction scene. Successful shows, publications, interviews and appearances have led to an upcoming solo museum show (more in the interview and the link below) and quite a lot of notoriety in Germany and beyond.
Besides painting, Herr Winter has created videos and new media pieces and a new novel is also in the works. Very exciting!
Here are the Questions:
1. You are living between Berlin and Hastings in the UK. What do you like about international lifestyle?
2. You have shown work and traveled all over the world. What are a couple fave places and why?
3. You have some new shows coming up. Can you tell us a little about them?
About the Value of Art
CONTEXT. What does that mean?
Jana Noritsch
Berlin
What determines the value of art? To answer this question, culturally there is a difference between intrinsic and extrinsic value to consider. First of all, it is common to determine remarkable art by: materials and skills, subjects, and also reception. In the most recent art-historical classification the participation of the so-called recipient of an artwork finds its way in. Besides that the availability of an œuvre is always a parameter.
Apart from the fact that quite generally from relevant art (unfortunately) an appropriate price cannot be derived 'automatically' or other mercantile advantages arise (as with all other consumer goods), something else matters: CONTEXT. What does that mean? Well, since the second half of the last century, art can no longer adhere to previously prescribed appointments - not only because it has evolved so incredibly during and after the world wars themselves, but also because our social structures have changed in terms of the accessibility of art. While art (literature, painting, music concerts) was used to be accessible only to a certain clientele blessed with time and money, the ruling houses, then the educated bourgeoisie, various reproduction media (letterpress, lithography, press and radio, instagram...) gradually ensured that culture now does not necessarily cost much. As a result, it no longer has to fulfill a certain canon. What on the one hand seems to be a liberating blow for the artists, on the other hand takes the broad public into the obligation. This is where the sense-making shifts, in contrast to other forms of society in which art is used as a medium for propagandistic agitation (lat. movere), and precisely in contrast to earlier times in which - prodesse et delectare (lat., "to use and delight") - art was meant to entertain as well as instruct (18th century).
Therefore, it is not a matter of entertainment, but rather a fundamental, sociological phenomenon for determining the intrinsic value of art: people seek community, belonging to a group, they live in relationships. However, this is not realized through the mere gathering of a horde of people, but on the basis of actual relationships. This is the most important function of culture: relationships create meaning and inner values. Such relationships must first be established through one's own emotional or intellectual appropriation (Kant), thus contradicting Heidegger at the same time: We are not immediately 'in' (just because we are standing in a gallery). This is the big difference to 'possession', because if I possess something, I still have no relation to it - it has no inner, oedipal-dialogical value for me, only an outer one.
For example, the ritual is not meaningful to the one who established it, but only to the one who understands it, lives it and celebrates it intimately. For all those who have a real relationship with it, it makes sense (= context). Relationship means: not to be without the other.
While in the times of the educated bourgeoisie only the educated bourgeoisie had access to expensive books, concerts and salons, in the post-bourgeois knowledge society it is revealed that we have to experience the (cultural) world around us in relational contexts, so that meaning and support arise. It is not enough to own many books if one has not read them, and it has no meaning to be able to rattle off composers and conductors of the many concerts attended if the different octaves do not resonate and move within. I n the end, this only hardens a canon that is no longer productive, but solidified - as happened with a Van Gogh, Picasso or Uecker. (It is now more laborious, but not impossible, to re-appropriate them - there will still be individually undiscovered truths to find!) Accordingly, reports on auction records or lists of the most sought-after works or the most stable prices on the art market are distant from culture and culturally meaningless. Nobody should be distracted by this, because apart from the fact that the best pieces of the stars have not been available for a long time, these are investment strategies that have nothing to do with art or the value of art, but such investors trade in this way just as well with other 'jewels', which is why they seem meaningless to me, especially since the owners often have these works of art locked away unseen for at least five years in duty-free warehouses ...
Therefore, it is not a matter of entertainment, but rather a fundamental, sociological phenomenon for determining the intrinsic value of art: people seek community, belonging to a group, they live in relationships.
Image: Paul Klee, “Drei Häuser.” Provided by the author.
How valuable a work can be to someone depends very much on what and how much the person brings to the encounter with art. On oneself. This is often dependent on the form of the day, the phase of life, or the type, because it requires a commitment to self-worth, the courage to want to be aware of oneself.
So every work of art gets into inner value relationships at best. And can only do justice to its cultural function in this way. For we could more stringently deal with the question of how political a work can be from its inner perspective, I mean: the real pigments on the canvas.
A work of art, in order to unfold its inner value, must not only possess special qualities, but is also dependent on a special reception. Without individual self-reference, it remains just a thing with specific qualities that can be expensive, useful, or capable of discourse, but does not unfold any meaning. Consequently, the intrinsic value of art presupposes a relationship - not to the author of the image, but to the work.
Remarkable art opens up, carries conflicts, transports ideas - and brings about dialogues. Promoting these is so important to us. And the self-confidence of viewers to allow resonances and form their own opinions: Just as we can open up the works of a Jonathan Meese or, for example, the fantastic cycle of works "Hero and Leandro" by Cy Twombly (1981-85) very well without the respective enormous philosophical background - or with it.
Art opens up to us the pas-de-deux - the dialogue between viewer and motif -, moving and moving spaces in which both vulnerability and addiction to life are permitted.
That is actually priceless.
“3 Questions with…Writer and Art Consultant, Kit Schulte!
Intro by Leo Kuelbs
I met Kit Schulte in Berlin, in her capacity as an Art Consultant. Kit has hosted numerous discussions and forums in multiple cities and is considered a great resource in various art markets. During the virus days, Kit has combined her interests and cultural influences and has created a German cookbook for English speakers! Let the Schnitzel invasion of America begin!
Kit decided to answer the questions in text form. The video is an introduction. Here come the questions AND answers….
1. Can you tell us a little bit about your background? Where you are from, your arts practice, etc.?
“I naturally seek connections and find synergies, and often in the most unexpected places. Human progress flourishes when we cultivate dialog and collaborations between people from all walks of life.”
For the last 20 years, I have produced art exhibitions, publications, talks and culinary events, that engage across the natural sciences, humanities, technology and literature.
I studied painting and explored other mediums in the US and in Germany. I have always loved the creative process and coming up with ideas, but as a painter I had trouble achieving my vision. I continued studying film and television set design and it was then, that I discovered my natural affinity for content development, project management, media and event production.
After several year working as a freelancer in San Francisco, I acquired Michael Martin Gallery in 2006, and together with curator Marina Cain, the gallery became Cain Schulte Contemporary Art. Cain Schulte presented an eclectic program by emerging and established artists, primarily from the San Francisco Bay Area and the US. We initiated the SOMA Art walk to raise awareness of local established and younger galleries, including restaurants and stores in the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood.
When moving back to Berlin in 2009, the gallery became Kit Schulte Contemporary Art. Underpinning a bold curatorial premise, the gallery presented an exciting exhibition program across varying contemporary art genres and by emerging and established artists from Europe and the US. I initiated collaborations with numerous other galleries and cultural institutions in Germany, Holland, Israel and the US, to foster an intercultural dialogue about art. Situated in Schöneberg near Winterfeldtplatz in a spacious ‘Berliner Altbau’ apartment, the gallery enjoyed a diverse cultural life. Additionally, I again initiated a neighborhood art walk (the Schöneberger Artwalk), other collaborative events and touring exhibitions. In closed the gallery in 2013, seeking a more content driven platform.
So I launched SATELLITE BERLIN in 2014, giving concrete form to my vision of an internationally active, cross-genre and cross-disciplinary mobile cultural hub. Together with Rebeccah Blum, we created a neutral, moveable and flexible platform from which the natural and cultural sciences could merge with the visual arts. In our first year, 2015, activities took place in a concrete space, the Spreefeld, an innovative architectural project in Berlin: 8 exhibitions accompanied by publications, and 11 events in the form of workshops, roundtable discussions, dinner events and other projects.
To our great delight, enthusiastic partners and supporters joined us within a short period of time: the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, CogNovo and the Transtechnology Research Program of Plymouth University, the Ernst Schering Foundation, the Leinemann Foundation for Education and the Arts, as well as internationally renowned artists, scientists and curators. We continued our program until 2018 with numerous events and exhibitions merging art with the natural sciences and technology. We could not fundraise the money we needed for organizational funding the incorporation and private life challenges to hold on both of us. So Satellite Berlin was dissolved in 2019.
Since 2018 I work as a freelance art consultant, project manager, content developer and translator.
2. What do you see in the near future for the international art scene?
My relationship to art changed during the last 2 decades. I think I have become more critical and it's difficult to be truly inspired. A lot of content is copied, again and again, of course, it has always new forms. Therefore I focus on working with artists, collectors, and curators who actively engage in open dialogs with society to maintain art as a source of inspiration. I find art that merges with other fields exciting, like art + technology or art + science projects. Here it is important for me that the scientific ideas get communicated in a sensual and creative, engaging and understandable way.
I think art education remains critical. I appreciate the freedom and non-judgmental atmosphere we have nowadays, when a young person decides to become an artist. My generation still heard “that’s silly, it doesn't bring you any money, how do you think you are…etc.” and we had to fight and became outsiders. Kids today don’t have that. It’s easy today to identify as an artist. But now so many people create so much art, that the market is oversaturated. Yes, there remains to be great art, but there is also such much BS. One can witness this on the many international art fairs, that took place before the pandemic. When I walked through, I was completely overwhelmed, and nothing really stood out. To me it was like a big vane circus where meaning vanished, and it was all about the money. This, I think won’t change until we have very serious economic catastrophe, where people are forced to deal with existential issues.
So I believe the art world remains full and confusing. Content is formed and judged by celebrity curators, galleries and rich people who donate to museums and sit on their boards.
What remains is a very personal interaction with art.
3. You have a new German kitchen cookbook coming out soon. Tell us about it and any other new projects you may have coming up.
"A blank wall to present artworks, or a set table offering delicious food, is a prerequisite of bringing people together."
Ever since I was 18 I was interested in cooking and food culture. As a self trained chef, I hosted many large dinners, in my galleries, in event spaces, in other people's and my own home. Since 2016 I created a side business for English speaking tourist who come to Berlin. It’s a market tour, cooking class and lunch exploring modern german food. I was interested in the large variety of vegetables, fruits and wild edibles Germany has to offer. Also the cultural historic roots of organic agriculture and wild herbs. When the pandemic started, I took the opportunity to jot down all the recipes I created and the things I learned. "Modern german food from a berlin kitchen" has turned into a serious undertaking with 280 pages, about 90 recipes, the gorgeous photography by Nora Novak, and a beautifully illustrated encyclopedia by biologist and artist Claire Cook from California.
I’m now going on a little book tour in the US
Safe Space
by Disha Iris Lundberg
What is home to me?
By Joey Cutty
Aspen, Colorado
This is a tough question for me. I was born in Aspen, Colorado in 1984. For me that was home until I was 18.
I took a train to San Francisco to attend culinary school in 2002. I spent two years there and fell in love with that city. It became my adult home.
I then flew to Paris and spent a year touring Western Europe. I fell in love with both Paris and Barcelona. Those would be my homes if I could easily live in Europe. In a weird turn of events I had to ask the US embassy to get me home from Europe.
San Diego, California became my home for a year after my stint in Europe. I worked at a beautiful hotel in La Joya and got to hang out with my childhood friends surfing and bar hopping.
Aspen is gorgeous. Don’t get me wrong. At this point in my life though, it’s kinda like Disney World.
Next my eyes were set on NYC in 2005. I wanted to get to know my long lost older sister Petra. She was doing well in the fashion industry and helped me immensely my first year out there. Her boyfriend at the time had an empty loft in an old tobacco wear house where I was able to live and help him with personal assistant type work and managing the space for artists and musicians to use on a weekly basis. I fell deeply in love with Brooklyn and would just saunter around the entire city in awe of all the beautiful people and cultures that the city had to offer. I ended up spending five years in NYC and it felt like a weekend. I can’t even begin to explain everything I learned in that city. NYC stole my heart. What a wonderful city!!! NYC will always be home to adult me. There is no place on earth I’d rather be.
Back to Aspen. Big fish, small pond. Aspen is gorgeous. Don’t get me wrong. At this point in my life though, it’s kinda like Disney World. It’s fun place to visit, people pay top dollar for a good chef there, and I have a lot of lifetime friends there but it just isn’t for me anymore. So after a few years I decided to try a new city. I moved to Denver, just per chance, the day we legalized marijuana. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a gold rush but I have experienced a green rush and well, now we have more weed shops than Starbucks in Denver. Present day Denver is kinda like living in the movie Blade Runner. Neon lights, brand new skyscrapers, great Japanese and Vietnamese restaurants, a burgeoning music and art scene. Really quite a fun place to live in my 30s. I’ve now lived in Denver for 8 years and I think I’m ready for something different.
My dear cousins are blowing up in Austin, Texas. Some of my oldest friends are doing well in Los Angeles. Warm climate actually sounds like a nice change even though I will miss winter in Colorado. Snowboarding is still a passion of mine, however surfing and skateboarding in my spare time doesn’t sound bad either. Let’s focus on the future and fly by the seat of our pants when we get international calls to travel for any reason at all. Might as well circumnavigate the globe and check off every bucket list thing to see and do while we’re at it. Alright, time to go book some tickets to Germany for a wedding. Gute Reise!
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