At Claim twelve galleries join their forces for the big cultural project curated by Manuel Wischnewski and Marc Wellmann, Director of Georg-Kolbe-Museum, in order to feature works of painting, drawing, installation, sculpture, video and sound art. What a weight to push! The show will run for the next two weeks in an ex-industrial space on Lützowstrasse, Berlin.
 

It must been difficult to arrange so many different galleries in the same site, and apparently it could look almost like an art fair. But the differences become clear immediately: the artworks here are visible, they interact very well with the environment and no fancy dressed gallery assistant stretches his neck looking for the right buyer.

Finding new spaces for art

I have to admit it: the space is really incredible. Claim not only occupies four entire floors of a building, but it also in addition comprises two big rooms just across the main location. Another respectful example of how Berlin wisely offers the opportunity to reuse uninhabited sites for cultural events.

Leftover beers and empty plastic glasses, traces of the doubtless crowded last Saturday opening, give the whole place a sense of intriguing emptiness that makes the artwork even more enjoyable. But hey, I was there the day after the opening, so don’t get frustradet because they have cleaned up the place by now! 

Reflecting on the concept of emptiness I can’t not mention “Synthese”. Realized by Guido Canziani Jona, it’s a clear example of how the luxury of space, when associated with certain artworks, can help to generate a strongly emotional trip.

Not brainy at all

A white and black chess floor creates a catchy perspective that leads the sight right at the center of the room where a strange square-shaped object dominates.

Impossible to think of anything else and to approach the object becomes the only thing you can do.

 

Want to play a game of chess? Photo: L.M.B. GUIDO CANZIANI JONA “SYNTHESE”, 2012  Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Mario Mazzoli
 

Best known for his paintings on big metal supports, the Berlin-based Italian artist, here joins video, sound and painting, creating the queen of Claim exhibition, where the artists, supposedly, had to focus on the emotive language that overwhelms the intellectual approach.

• Neue Berliner Räume, “Group Exhibition. CLAIM”, January 8th – January 21th 2012, Tuesday – Saturday 12am – 6pm