Call for projects for 2009-10
Approach
50 years of public art in Alexanderplatz Underground Station in Berlin
came to an end in 2008. The next project on the Berlin Underground, U10
– from here to the imaginary and back again, sets a new focus
on the social and collaborative dimension of public art.
The U10 project is interested in the whole of the Underground network,
seeing it as a parallel underworld, both real and imaginary. The Underground
is a real, living space, that is physically linked to people’s everyday
routine – it is a place of work, shelter, transportation and encounter.
Despite this familiarity, entering the Underground subtly disrupts our
sense of time and place. We disappear into a mysterious world of black
tunnels in the city’s subconscious.
Down here an unexpected and secretive mirror image of the city is registered
seismographically. The city’s inner spirit materialises. The artists’
role in the project U10 – from here to the imaginary and back
again is to examine this mirror image or spirit and its unknown,
hidden contexts.
U10
The name U10 – from here to the imaginary and back again refers
to a line on the Berlin Underground which was originally conceived in
the 1930s but has never been finished. Today it remains derelict, consisting
of fragments of tunneling and unused station platforms. During the Cold
War, the then West Berlin-owned Underground Company (BVG) had to use part
of the East Berlin-owned S1 line. The BVG therefore started building the
U10 line parallel to the S1 line in order to be completely independent
of the East German regime. Three U10 stations were built but never completed
because of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
More information on http://www.berliner-untergrundbahn.de/
Eligibility
Artists or collaborative groups of artists and non-artists are invited
to take part in this call for submissions. Preference will be given to
artists who see their work as a means of exchange and shared dialogue
and who are interested in reaching new audiences. This may include a readiness
to collaborate with, for example, groups of BVG staff or passengers who
have little experience of contemporary art. The organisors cannot take
part in the call themselves. The U10 project will run for a maximum of
3 years.
Call for project proposals
The organisers are looking for situation specific and/or participatory
projects which focus on the Berlin Underground and its staff and/or users.
They can range from being short, interventionistic artistic reactions
to specific occurances on the Underground to being long term collaborations
aimed at creating sustainable relationships to BVG staff and/or users
over a number of years. The competition sees members of staff, passengers,
kiosk and snack bar owners, buskers and ticket traders not only as a potential
audience but also as potential collaborators on a joint research of the
Berlin Underground.
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Competition conditions
All projects have to be realised within the Berlin Underground network.
All locations within the Berlin Underground network are possible, for
example station platforms, passageways and advertising billboards - as
long as they conform to the Underground’s official safety regulations.
All types of project format are possible - for example printed matter,
film programs, installations, projections, performances, workshops.
The U10 line can only be used for projects with restricted viewing times,
for example guided tours or programmed events.
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The organisers’ activities and documentation
The organisers will set up a project space in the Underground in collaboration
with a small group of BVG staff involved voluntarily in their leisure
time. The project space will primarily serve as a meeting place for the
selected artists, organisers, staff and/or other collaborators. Events
can take place here. An information archive will be set up housing the
organisors’ on-going research into the Underground and a collection
of facts, fictions, images and stories about the Underground complied
during the U10 project. The project space will offer the public background
information about the selected artists and their projects through, for
example, artist’s talks and by archiving a documentation of each
selected artist’s working process in the Underground.
Each selected artist will receive a budget to produce printed matter documenting
his or her project.
A catalogue will be published at the end of the whole U10 project (release
expected mid 2012).
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Application proceedure
Submitted material should not exceed a 24cm x 32cm format.
Please submit the following:
- a completed and signed formular (see „U10_form_engl.pdf“)
- project proposal including possible location(s) (max. two A4 pages!)
- cost estimate (including artist’s fee, production costs, travel
costs, accommodation costs)
- time schedule
- a folder with documentation of previous work which is relevant to
the project proposal, with biographical details.
Please do not send slides, catalogues, CDs, video cassettes, editions
or originals.
Submitted material can only be returned if a stamped-addressed envelope
is included. Collection of submitted material from NGBK from 13.07.09
to 31.07.2009 (Oranienstraße 25, 1st Floor, Mon.-Fri. 10-17:00).
Submitted material cannot be stored after 31.07.09.
Questions by 10.06.09 by email only to:
untergrund@ngbk.de
Subject: U10 Competition
FAQ under www.ngbk.de.
Submissions should arrive by 12.06.2009 at:
NGBK / U10 Competition, Oranienstraße 25, D - 10999 Berlin
Those submitting are responsible for ensuring that their application arrives
complete and punctual at the NGBK office in Berlin.
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Selection proceedure, time schedule and total budget
A maximum of eight projects will be selected by the beginning of July
2009. The selected projects should be realised between Autumn 2009 and
Dezember 2010. A total budget of 60.000 Euro for artist’s fees,
production, travel and accommodation costs will be available (subject
to grants from the Berlin Senate’s Department for Culture).
The result of the selection proceedure will be emailed to all submitters
by 10.07.09.
Selectors
The organisers of the competition for NGBK are Sofia Bempeza, Ania Corcilius,
Jacopo Gallico, Eva Hertzsch und Adam Page. They will select the artists’
projects with two members of the BVG staff with whom they will be collaborating
during the U10 project.
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Confidentiality
The submitted ideas will be treated confidentially, and not used for anything
else.
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Liability
NBGK is only liable for loss or damage of the submitted materials in case
of provable negligence.
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Important technical data and information
- The artworks must not obstruct passenger flow in any areas of the
stations and entrances.
- Distractions in the field of vision of the train operator must be
avoided, for example no mirrors, no movable parts, etc.
- Audio installations may not interfere with the train announcements
etc.
- Light projections must depend on the exisiting situation at the
chosen site.
- If the billboard supports behind the rails are to be used, their
depth should not exceed 3.5 cm. The supports’ frames are of
historical value and should not be covered.
- Only employees of BVG and Wall AG have access to the tracks.
- The selected artists should be prepared to make compromises on the
locations they choose for their work, depending on requirements for
authorisation.
- 220 Volt electricity is generally available.
- A permit is necessary to film and take photographs on the station.
It can be obtained through NGBK. Film and photography is not possible
on the U10 line. Please refer to http://www.berliner-untergrundbahn.de/
for extensive images and texts.
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Funding and support
The project is financed by Senatskanzlei – Kulturelle Angelegenheiten
Kunst im Stadtraum, Berlin, and supported by Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe
(BVG) and Wall AG. The call for submissions and the entire project, especially
its continuation in 2010 and 2011, are held on condition that continued
funding is provided by the Senatskanzlei. NGBK can and will, if necessary,
adapt the project to changes in funding.
No legal recourse is permitted.
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