Curatorial Tour with Sonja Borstner and Elena Franziska Setzer

Kreuzberg: Kunst und Migration seit 1960

Left: smiling person with chin-length blond hair in a black blazer. Right: person with smooth blond hair slicked back in fitted orange top.

Sonja Borstner / Elena Franziska Setzer © Geremia Zanolini / Elena Franziska Setzer

The exhibition Kreuzberg: Kunst und Migration seit 1960 at Gropius Bau presents artistic perspectives on migration, labour, and life in the district that is also home to Gropius Bau. It focuses on artists who arrived in West Berlin during the 1970s and 1980s through scholarships, studies or due to political, economic or family circumstances. Around 130 works – among them newly commissioned pieces from contemporary artists – address the core experiences of the so-called guest workers and subsequent generations.

By looking at selected works, the curatorial tour traces how artists explore migration, exile, housing crisis, racism and exclusion through their different practices. The displayed art works also speak about resistance, empowerment, solidarity and community and showcase the neighbourhood as a space of artistic possibility.

Sonja Borstner has been part of the curatorial team at Gropius Bau since 2023. As an assistant curator, she realised the exhibition Kreuzberg: Kunst und Migration seit 1960 with Gürsoy Doğtaş and Patrizia Dander. Over the past years, she co-curated BAUBAU: Ein Spielort für Kinder (2024–ongoing) with Jenny Schlenzka and Patrizia Dander and, as an assistant curator, realised YOKO ONO: MUSIC OF THE MIND (2025) with Patrizia Dander. From 2023 to 2024, she oversaw the Artist-in-Residence programme at Gropius Bau and, together with Natasha Ginwala, was responsible for the exhibition Pallavi Paul: How Love Moves (2024), the live programme Six Days of Love (2023–2024), and accompanying projects such as Ayumi Paul: The Singing Project (ongoing). Alongside her curatorial work, Sonja Borstner works as a writer and art critic.

Elena Franziska Setzer is a curator and art historian and currently works as an assistant curator at Gropius Bau. Previously, she was part of the curatorial team of Haus der Kunst Munich and Halle für Kunst Lüneburg. She holds a bachelor’s degree in literary studies and art history from Universität Heidelberg and a master’s degree in art history in global context from Freie Universität Berlin.

Details on How To Join the Tour

Please book an exhibition ticket and arrive at the Welcome Desk in the Gropius Bau’s foyer at least 10 minutes before the tour starts.

The tour is limited to 20 participants. Please note that an exhibition ticket therefore does not guarantee a place on the tour.

Visiting as a group? Individual guided tours for groups can be booked through Museumsdienst.

During the event, photographs and video recordings may be made in which you may be recognisable. By attending, you consent to these recordings being used to communicate the event or exhibition. You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by emailing post@gropiusbau.de. Upon withdrawal, the photographs and recordings will no longer be used.