Vergangenes Vergnügen - Past Pleasure

In the organizer's words:

Curated by Christian Hiller and Spreepark Art Space

As an expansive collage of personal memories, photographic snapshots and artistic explorations, the exhibition Vergangenes Vergnügen provides both humorous and critical insights into the history(ies) of the Kulturpark Plänterwald in the GDR era and the later Spreepark Berlin.

In three themed areas, the exhibition guides visitors through multi-layered spaces of memory. "Welcome to happiness" is dedicated to the "Kulti" as a propagated "meeting place for happy people". The chapter "Park as a stage" looks at the area as a controlled place of longing for diversity and freedom, including the Kulturpark photo series by Christiane Eisler, who accompanied a group of young punks in the Spreepark with her camera in the 1980s. "Behind the scenes" shows the construction and conversion of the park and presents the original planning drawings from the architectural office of Doris and Hinrich Baller . The chapter also looks at the downsides of the amusement park. In her three-part installation Plänterwald, Andrea Pichl deals with inscriptions of transformation, decay and loss using small-scale architecture from the park. In his photo series of the same name, Anselm Reyle shows the Spreepark as a ghostly scene after its closure.

The recollections of former visitors and participants in the amusement park from the audio play Leben unterm Riesenrad by author Anne Waak form the connecting narrative element. As a mobile audio installation, these stories accompany visitors through the exhibition route. Inspired by the colorful play booths of the Kulturpark, Constructlab designed the exhibition architecture as an amusement park backdrop with participatory elements.

Curated by Christian Hiller and Spreepark Art Space

An expansive collage of personal memories, photographic snapshots, and artistic reflections, the exhibition Past Pleasure offers humorous and critical insights into the history of the Kulturpark Plänterwald in GDR days and the subsequent Spreepark Berlin.

Divided into three thematic spaces, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the many layers of memory. "Welcome to Happiness" is dedicated to "Kulti" as an advertised "meeting place for happy people". The chapter "Park as a Stage" examines the area as a controlled place of longing for diversity and freedom, featuring, among other things, the Kulturpark photo series by Christiane Eisler, who followed a group of young punks in the Spreepark with her camera in the 1980s. "Behind the Scenes" shows the construction and redevelopment of the park and presents the original planning drawings of the architectural office of Doris and Hinrich Baller. The chapter also casting a light on the drawbacks of the amusement park as well. In her three-part installation Plänterwald, Andrea Pichl explores inscriptions of transformation, decay and loss using small-scale architecture from the park. In his photo series of the same name, Anselm Reyle shows the Spreepark as a haunted scene following its closure.

The memoirs of former visitors and contributors from the amusement park are presented in the audio play Life under the Ferris Wheel by author Anne Waak, providing a unifying narrative. These stories accompany visitors as a mobile audio installation through the exhibition. Inspired by the colorful booths of the Kulturpark itself, Constructlab designed the exhibition architecture as an amusement park backdrop with participatory elements.