demo station: Beyond a Place

Beyond a Place is a short documentary that tells a story of a community in Berlin and the role it plays in the lives of a diverse aged group from very different backgrounds and countries of origin.

Touching on life in exile, urban participation and the refugee experience of integration in Europe, the film offers an optimistic perspective on collective care and the power of play in community building. Parallel to the film screening, the community, which has been playing ping pong at Gropius Bau regularly for the duration of the exhibition of Rirkrit Tiravanija, will film footage for a sequel in the atrium of Gropius Bau.

The event takes place on a demo station by Rirkrit Tiravanija. The stage-like sculpture invites people to “demonstrate” something. Tiravanija plays with the different meanings of the term “demonstration” as both a political protest and a presentation of someone’s talent or hobby. For the duration of the exhibition, the demo station provides a space for daily public performances.