Freedom super highly charged – Eva-Maria Offermann

2014/17, FREEDOM, SUPER HIGHLY CHARGED, series with 12 posters, 594 x 841 mm, digital print. Eva-Maria Offermann (visual concept / design), concept idea by Fred Dewey, originally developed in collaboration with General Public, Berlin.

“In 2013, General Public lost its venue in an already highly gentrified neighbourhood in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin due to renovation works. The original plan was to re-open General Public after the renovation of the house in 2014, but, against all promises, the owner raised the rent to an extent that General Public was forced to renounce its plans and become homeless.
Unsure of whether and how to continue its work, General Public decided to ask its public and organised an informal ‘town-hall meeting’ on the situation of self-organized cultural spaces in the city. The meeting took place on October 22, 2014 at Ausland, one of the rare venues that have resisted gentrification in Prenzlauer Berg, and was addressing the following questions: given the current developments in the city, is running a self-organized space becoming more and more a political activity and what does this mean? How do location and neighbourhood relate? What could it mean for a space like General Public to move to the edge of the city because rents are cheaper?
During the discussion, it became clear that General Public had become a paradigmatic example of the struggle for space and survival of the independent art scene in Berlin. It also became clear that General Public should assume this role by fostering the political discussion. The idea of a poster campaign came up, proposed by Fred Dewey. If General Public had no venue, why not taking the public space to make a statement?” (Cornelia Lund)

2014–17, FREEDOM, SUPER HIGHLY CHARGED, series with 12 posters, 594 x 841 mm, digital print.
Eva-Maria Offermann (visual concept / design), concept idea by Fred Dewey, originally developed in collaboration with General Public, Berlin.

We are closed today.

We have reached a point where one has to change something. That’s what I actually meant.

Open, undefined spaces – this sounds utopian.

For our further search for a space we have a recommendation from Mr. Renner (the secretary of cultural affairs of Berlin) that we could present to the landlord if necessary.

Berlin was naive, a playground, wonderful for twenty years, but now you really have to consider with whom you have to deal with here.

And that you’re not shocked is shocking.

All of the missing project spaces are dead, they say.

Freedom, super highly charged.

How many people are directly concerned who were using the space before the eviction?

We had a proper lease agreement. We had options for the future. We had everything that you can wish for.

(Installation view) MESS WITH YOUR VALURES, selection of posters featured by Jeremiah Day,
curated by Marenka Krasomil, Michaela Richter.
3rd Mar – 29th Apr 2018, n.b.k. Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin, Germany

(Installation view) MESS WITH YOUR VALURES, selection of posters featured by Jeremiah Day, curated by Marenka Krasomil, Michaela Richter,
3rd Mar – 29th Apr 2018, n.b.k. Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin, Germany