Base camp for a world journey The Humboldt Forum starts now

Transcription

1 Press Information Berlin, November 2nd, 2016

2 Base camp for a world journey The Humboldt Forum starts now Those who seek to understand the world go to the Humboldt Forum What defines man and nature? How do we perceive life? How do we face death? How does belief affect society? And migration? And climate change? People have pondered existential questions throughout the ages and in all cultures. In the Humboldt Forum, Berliners and visitors from all over Germany and the world can find answers to these questions and pose some of their own. With their outstanding objects, the Berlin collections offer diverse insights and perspectives with a modern presentation in the Humboldt Forum and in association with academic and research institutions. In the heart of the capital, centrally located, we can explore the world as a whole. As a forum for the people, the Humboldt Forum is not only open to everyone in physical terms; it also invites everyone to exchange ideas about its contents. The main actors are the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (SPK) with the Ethnologisches Museum and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst, the Kulturprojekte Berlin with the Stadtmuseum Berlin and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Together with the collections of the Museum Island, the non-european collections of the SPK in particular will generate a new appeal in the heart of Berlin. They present a unique concentration of objects, which includes everyday objects, spiritual objects and works of art. Likewise, science and scholarship are not just depicted here, they are presented as a creative force. Considering nature, culture, research and education The starting point for all research and knowledge is always found in the individual objects and works of art from the collections as well as in their original environment. The exhibits can only be researched and reinterpreted together with their societies of origin. How are spiny oysters, cotton, Peruvian boobies and the climate phenomenon El Niño connected? In these, we can see the interconnectedness of the world, the foreign in the familiar and the familiar in the foreign. Using this methodology, the Humboldt Forum conveys well-founded current knowledge and challenges thought patterns and institutional boundaries. Ongoing collaborations are planned with curators from the countries of origin, with the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, the Botanischer Garten und Bontanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, both for the special and temporary exhibitions and for the permanent ones. With the transfer of the Berlin Phonogram Archives of the Ethnologisches Museum and the sound archives of the Humboldt-Universität Page 2/14

3 zu Berlin, linguistic research is also taking a central role in the Humboldt Forum. However, the Humboldt Forum is far more than an additive programme of existing institutions. The Humboldt Forum offers unmistakable insights into important issues for the worlds of today and tomorrow by bringing together different cultures and perspectives. Issues such as migration, religion and globalisation are being reexamined. Because of this, visitors are able to experience more than just individual exhibits. The entire living world from the arts to science and even everyday culture are provided a space of living resonance. This distinguishes the Humboldt Forum from conventional museums. And this rediscovered way of working, part of the Humboldtian worldview, starts now. Humboldt Academy In the Humboldt Forum, new knowledge is taught using an interdisciplinary approach and is acquired through active participation. In the space for the originally planned special library on the first floor, the founding directorate envisions an ideal location for the establishment of a central exhibition area. In this location, the Humboldt Academy will emerge and create an environment in which children, adolescents and adults can explore objects and topics of the Humboldt Forum. In cooperation with the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the offerings of Kulturprojekte Berlin, a knowledge and education portal is being opened onto all the worlds of the Humboldt Forum. The cultural technique of collecting and knowledge acquisition serves as the connecting, universally fascinating topic from the past to the present. Looking back to the future The Palace of the Hohenzollern, public parade grounds, the Palace of the Republic and finally a grassy meadow more than almost anywhere else in Berlin, social, urban, political and cultural developments have been concentrated on the Schlossplatz. The founding directors propose making the traces of history visible with interventions throughout the building beginning in 2019 in addition to the planned archaeological lower level and sculpture hall. For that, there will be a collaboration with the Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten, the Deutsches Historisches Museum and the Stadtmuseum Berlin. Free admission The Berlin collections belong to everyone. Therefore, the founding directorate is considering providing free admission, a move Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media Monika Grütters views as indispensable not least because of the Berlin tradition of Alexander von Humboldt s freely accessible Cosmos lectures. This initiative sends the message that the collections in the Humboldt Forum really are "shared heritage" and only fulfil their purpose if experienced by as many people as possible. Free admission both restores a balance and sends a clear message in a world of enormous and ever-growing inequality: The greatest things are equally accessible to everyone. In addition, free admission has a positive influence on the interest of the local population in particular. Page 3/14

4 A diverse programme far beyond the centre of Berlin From Spandau to Köpenick, Pankow to Zehlendorf and with the Goethe-Instituts throughout the world the Humboldt Forum is expanding its sphere of influence with the completion of the Berlin Palace. This includes the development of a digital strategy and the building of a virtual presence providing free, comprehensive and easy access to the latest findings. The launch coincides with the opening of the exhibition, "Extremes! Nature, Culture and the Humboldt Current" on November 2nd, 2016 in the Humboldt Box. It exemplifies the interdisciplinary and cooperative approach of the Humboldt Forum. The Ethnologisches Museum, the Stadtmuseum Berlin, the Humboldt-Universität, the Museum für Naturkunde and the Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum are pooling their objects and expertise for this presentation, using the example of the West Coast of South America to illustrate how complex natural and cultural worlds are intertwined. "Extremes!" is the first in a series of three yearly exhibitions, presented in different languages with discussions, lectures, guided tours and workshops. As the building grows, so does the programme. With additional new film formats, a Humanities Festival and academic and artistic interventions, the Humboldt Forum is influencing the entire urban space together with partners such as the Berlinale and the Internationale Garten Ausstellung (IGA). This is how the main actors are initiating a dialogue with different people and groups, gathering new ideas and enabling participation free from ethnic and social hierarchies. Design, planning and preparation of the cultural activities of the Humboldt Forum is funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media on the basis of a resolution passed by the German Bundestag. New website Further information about the Humboldt Forum, from the main actors to individual events, is available on the new website at Page 4/14

5 Programme 2017 Encounters and a lively exchange of ideas These are the keywords for our diverse programme of exhibitions and events. Personalities from science, art, religion, economics and politics, of both national and international origin, extend the perspectives of the Humboldt Forum. The programme makes integration in all areas of life into an experience and connects the main actors of the Humboldt Forum with its visitors, the city and the world. Specially initiated exhibitions and events as well as projects within Berlin and with international partners share the ideas of the Humboldt Forum with the entire city, with each partner building on the other's subject matter. With a special offering for young visitors and families, the Humboldt Forum is providing further formats for the clear treatment of complex, global issues. Starting in March 2017, the Humboldt Forum will publish information on a quarterly schedule about other projects and about the continuous development and expansion of the programme. First exhibition of the management committee The first exhibition of the management committee, "Extremes! Nature, Culture and the Humboldt Current", begins with an example of a recent issue for today's world. How do man and nature adapt to an extreme environment and what links exist both between nature and culture and between local and global events. Using archaeological objects and examples of the flora and fauna of the region, the exhibition spans a wide spectrum of the scientific collections from the 19th century through to today's climate and environmental research, as well as Alexander von Humboldt s still current idea of viewing nature and people as part of a single network. From November 2016 Other exhibitions in preparation Childhood Turning its attention to "childhood", the first exhibition of 2017 will address a subject that is of great importance in all times and places around the world. The protection of children will be the particular focus aspects such as spiritual, physical or legal protection will be examined using various objects and concepts. Page 5/14

6 The project is being developed through a collaboration of the Museum Europäischer Kulturen Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the Stadtmuseum Berlin and the Antikensammlung Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the Ethnologisches Museum Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. From April 2017 Gold Gold, not just as a material object of desire, but also as an object of fascination in research, is featured as the centerpiece of the second exhibition planned for Alexander von Humboldt, a mining engineer by trade, embarked on his journey to South America among other reasons because of his scientific research interest in gold. This exhibition, too, is being conceived by a team of curators from different institutions, including one male or female curator from a country whose history has been shaped by gold mining. Events in the city Humboldt Forum and the Berlinale The Humboldt Forum Kultur GmbH and the Berlinale are currently developing cooperative projects. Initial projects concerning cinema in the Humboldt Forum are already underway. These involve curated film projects outside the official Berlinale season. In addition to a successful existing collaboration with the Ethnologisches Museum Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, these planned projects will also take place as part of the Berlinale s NATIVe programme. From March 2017 First Humanities Festival in Germany The Berlin Cathedral, Altes Museum, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the Humboldt Forum are joining together for the first ever Humanities Festival in Germany. This "festival of knowledge" is intended to transform the urban space around the Berliner Lustgarten into a spacious, urban parlour for free debate. Audiences can expect around 60 dialogue partners from science and art, journalism, religion, politics and business to provide input and perspectives on current issues. September 2017 Humboldt at the International Garden Exhibition Berlin 2017 Nature and humanities in the open air. Over the course of 10 evenings, in locations featuring pioneering projects for landscape and garden design, a variety of artists will offer their insights into Alexander von Humboldt s work, the "Views of Nature". The great scientist from Berlin presented this collection of essays as an "overview of nature as evidence for the interaction of forces, the renewal of enjoyment which immediate viewing affords to feeling individuals". May, June, July 2017 Page 6/14

7 Managing Committee Neil MacGregor "In the Humboldt Forum, collecting and research go hand in hand. By working with other collections and other academics, the close link between nature and culture becomes clear. The collections form the basis for an understanding of the interdependence of the world and allow us, in keeping with Humboldt's approach, to imagine and understand the world as a whole. Neil MacGregor studied philosophy, law and art history in Paris, Edinburgh, London and Oxford. He taught art history and architecture at the University of Reading and was the publisher of the Burlington Magazine in London until Subsequently, he served as director of the National Gallery in London. In 2002, he presided over the British Museum in London in the role of director. There he presented among other things the series, A History of the World in 100 Objects, accompanied by a corresponding exhibition and publication. In 2014, he curated the exhibition, Germany Memories of a Nation, which is currently also on view in the Martin-Gropius-Bau under the title The British View: Germany Memories of a Nation. In 2015, he was appointed head of the management committee of the future Humboldt Forum. He has received numerous awards as an art historian. Most recently, he was awarded the Friedrich Gundolf Prize, the German National Prize and the Goethe Medal in Hermann Parzinger "Museums have the potential to convey to people the concepts of tolerance and respect for other cultures. This is today perhaps the most important mission of the Humboldt Forum." Hermann Parzinger, born in 1959, studied pre- and early history, medieval history and roman provincial archaeology in Munich, Saarbrücken and Ljubljana. In 1991, he was qualified as a professor in Munich and appointed as a lecturer. Since 1992, he has directed numerous excavations and discovered among other things important evidence of Scythian culture. From 2003 to 2008, Parzinger was president of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (DAI) and has been president of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz since He has received numerous awards, including the 1998 Leibniz Prize, and was admitted to the Order Pour le Mérite in He is also a member of several German and international academies. In addition to academic publications, Parzinger has excited Page 7/14

8 a broad readership for his subject with books such as Die Kinder des Prometheus (The Children of Prometheus) or Abenteuer Archäologie (The Adventure of Archaeology). Horst Bredekamp "The universal perspective, the combination of collecting and research, the duty of public education and enjoyment: this interaction between palace, museum, university and forum, practiced in the 18th and 19th centuries, also represents the second-to-none model for the Humboldt Forum today. The future is in the past perfect! Horst Bredekamp earned a doctorate in art history in 1974 after studying in Kiel, Munich, Berlin and Marburg. Following a traineeship at Liebieghaus in Frankfurt, he worked as a research assistant and then began his professorship in art history at the University of Hamburg. A professor of art history at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin since 1993, he was also a permanent fellow at the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin from 2003 to Since 2013, he has been a spokesman for the "Bild Wissen Gestaltung" cluster of excellence, which is currently showing the exhibition, "+ultra" in the Martin-Gropius-Bau as a test run for the Humboldt Forum. Recently, together with Peter-Klaus Schuster, he published the anthology, "Das Humboldt Forum" with the Wagenbach Verlag. He has received numerous awards, including admission into the Order Pour le Mérite, and has been appointed to four academies, most recently the American Academy for Arts and Sciences (2016). Page 8/14

9 Key Players Humboldt Forum Kultur GmbH In preparation for cultural activities, the Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss (SHF) founded the Humboldt Forum Kultur GmbH in January of Together with the founding directorate which holds overall curatorial responsibility, the company is establishing the cultural activities of the Humboldt Forum for the SHF and offering cultural events prior to the building s opening. The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Minister of State Monika Grütters, is the company s chairperson. Furthermore, Florian Pronold, Parliamentary Secretary in the BMUB, Michael Meister, Parliamentary State Secretary in the BMF, Stefan Steinlein, State Secretary at the Federal Foreign Office and Tim Renner, State Secretary of the State of Berlin will be participating. For further expert advising of the company, alongside the founding directorate, a programme advisory board of academics, cultural and museum experts will be formed. The Director of the GmbH acts simultaneously as the Senior Executive President Culture of the Foundation. With this constellation, a close networking of construction and cultural activities of the Humboldt Forum in the Berlin Palace is ensured. The team of the GmbH currently consists of 19 people: Lavinia Frey, Managing Director / Senior Executive President Programme SHF Dr Anke Daemgen, Head of Exhibitions Stefan Schmidtke, Head of Events / Programme Mirko Nowak, Head of Cultural Communications Antje Brörmann, Fränze Czaja, Dr des Laura Goldenbaum, Erik Heermann, Hendrik Höcke, Tarek Ibrahim, Nathalie Keurmeur, Claudia Krüger, Heidrun Mezger, Julia Nickel, Franziska Oelkers, Dr Alan Prohm, Tom Reichard, Sarah Suchet, Dr des Laura Windisch Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss The non-profit Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss is the developer, owner and subsequent operator of the Humboldt Forum. It stands under the patronage of the Federal President and coordinates the interests of the partners: Page 9/14

10 the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, the city of Berlin and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The foundation controls planning by architects, engineers and the execution of construction in cooperation with the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning. In Humboldt Forum, it will establish a museum of the site. It also promotes the idea of the Humboldt Forum in the public sphere. The team of the foundation currently consists of 23 people: Johannes Wien, Chief Executive Officer Hans-Dieter Hegner, Director of Construction Lavinia Frey, Senior Executive President Programme Bernhard Wolter, Head of Construction and Fundraising Communications Karl-Heinrich Mohr, Head of Technology Dr Judith Prokasky, Head of Site Museum Astrid Lehbrink, Head of Accounting/Personnel Dr Andreas Goeschen, Head of Legal Consultation Sören Bobkowski, Barbara Engels, Nicole Ewald, Laura Hajdu, Vera Hangs, Thomas Herrmann, Carolin Herms, David Hornschuh, Kerstin Ischen, Bertold Just, Astrid Krüger, Angela Manthey, Ralf Mayerle, Petra Quade, Robert Weigel Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz The unique collections of the Ethnologisches Museum and the Museum für Asiatische Kunst Staatliche Museen zu Berlin constitute a special fascination in the Humboldt Forum. Together with its sister collections on the Museum Island, they will grow into a large universal museum starting in Spread over more than 23,000 square meters, the museums will present objects from their archaeological, ethnological and art historical collections together with a large collection of photographs, films and sound recordings on the second and third floors of the Humboldt Forum. Modular exhibition units allow a high degree of flexibility when incorporating new research findings and taking a position on current social issues. Exhibition modules, temporary exhibition space, showcases, junior spaces and action spaces make the areas into a dynamic place for those curious about the world and art as well as for culture enthusiasts. Moritz Wullen will act as a representative of the founding directorate at the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz. Kulturprojekte Berlin with the Stadtmuseum Berlin Cities across the world are increasingly transforming themselves into various globalised centres. With a joint exhibition, Kulturprojekte Berlin and the Stadt- Page 10/14

11 museum Berlin will show that Berlin is part of the globalisation process that began long ago and is manifested in the ongoing transfer of people, things and ideas to and from Berlin. Divided into thematic areas such as "Berlin images", "revolution", "fashion", "migration", "war", "free spaces", "borders", "pleasure" and "world thought", the exhibition invites attendees to get to know the city all over again with its historical, social and cultural fractures in the context of its global interconnectedness and to connect it all with questions about one's own experience. The Berlin exhibition at the Humboldt Forum has been commissioned by the State of Berlin as a co-production between the non-profit Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbH and the Stadtmuseum Berlin under the scholarly direction of chief curator and museum director, Paul Spies. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin On the first floor of the Humboldt Forum, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is designing an interdisciplinary stage for knowledge with the involvement of Berlin scientific institutions and the public. The Humboldt Lab has been conceived as an open, internationally networked laboratory. In keeping with the mindset of the brothers Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt, it will bring research, teaching and the public sphere together. The programme ranges from lectures, conferences and discussions about film screenings and exhibitions to forms of play and performances. It involves the design of experimental forms of knowledge acquisition, which include insights into history and into other cultures. This allows the Humboldt Lab to become a versatile platform and an important incentive for the development and presentation of the overarching themes that characterise the Humboldt Forum. Page 11/14

12 International Team of Experts An international network of scientists and museum experts will support the founding directorate and may later form an academic advisory board for the Humboldt Forum. Working closely with all actors in the Humboldt Forum, the orientation and the interaction of the collections and ideas, as well as structural aspects should thus be bundled and further promoted. Members of the network are: George Abungu Kenyan archaeologist and former director of the National Museums of Kenya Anthony Appiah Philosopher and professor at New York University Rita Eder Mexican art historian vice president of the International Committee of Art History Jyotindra Jain Indian art and cultural historian and former director of the National Crafts Museum New Delhi Lee Chor-Lin Expert on Asian art and CEO of the Arts House Limited in Singapore Natalia Majluf Peruvian art historian and director of the Museo de Arte de Lima Nazan Ölcer Turkish ethnologist and president of the Sakıp Sabancı Museum in Istanbul Bénédicte Savoy French art historian and professor of art history at the Technische Universität Berlin Wei Hu Chinese art historian and artist, teaching at the University of Shanghai Page 12/14

13 Berlin Palace The German Bundestag passed a resolution for the reconstruction of the Berlin Palace as the Humboldt Forum in the summer of A large cross-party majority followed the recommendation of the international commission of experts known as "Historic Centre of Berlin, which advocates a museum, knowledge and meeting centre in the cubature and with the baroque facades of the Berlin Palace. Following this guideline, the Italian architect Prof. Franco Stella won first place in an international competition in With the "Palace Forum", a pedestrian passage that passes through the building, he repurposed the palace and its courtyards as new public places for the city. On the side facing the Spree, the building will feature a modern appearance. At the beginning of the 18th century, the Berlin Palace by Andreas Schlüter was the most important secular Baroque building north of the Alps. With the Berlin Palace as the Humboldt Forum, all of the surrounding historic buildings will regain their urban orientation: the Berlin Cathedral and the Altes Museum at the Lustgarten as well as the Boulevard Unter den Linden. Page 13/14

14 Press contact Mirko Nowak, Head of Cultural Communications Humboldt Forum Kultur GmbH Current press photos in print quality can be downloaded at Humboldt Forum Kultur GmbH Unter den Linden Berlin Mirko Nowak T +49 (0) / M +49 (0) F +49 (0) E m.nowak@humboldtforum.com Geschäftsführung: Lavinia Frey Aufsichtsratsvorsitzende: Staatsministerin Prof. Monika Grütters, MdB Sitz der Gesellschaft: Berlin Registergericht: Amtsgericht Charlottenburg Handelsregisternummer: HRB B Page 14/14