Performance
Exterra in the Air XX
Exterra XX / Künstlerinnengruppe Erfurt
As part of 75 Years of Berliner Festspiele
Künstlerinnengruppe Erfurt, Frauenträume, 1986, Still, Super-8-Film © Archiv Gabriele Stötzer, Courtesy: Künstlerinnengruppe Erfurt
In the 1980s and 1990s, the artist group Künstlerinnengruppe Erfurt repeatedly staged actions on the rooftops of Erfurt for their Super 8 films. As part of the exhibition Gabriele Stötzer: Dabei sein und nicht schweigen, Exterra XX (formerly Künstlerinnengruppe Erfurt), now continues this practice in Berlin with a new performance on the roof of Gropius Bau. The performance can be seen on the occasion of Lange Nacht der Museen free of charge from Niederkirchnerstraße, in the immediate vicinity of the remains of the Berlin Wall.
“We were Furies, ordinary women, women failing to fit any mould, not even that of dropouts, alternatives, punks, hippies, churchies or artists,” member Monika Andres recalls of the early days of the Künstlerinnengruppe Erfurt.
Gabriele Stötzer, who worked in the artistic underground in the GDR from the 1970s onwards, initiated the founding of the artist group. Together, its members made art and critiscised the political system in provocative interventions. Between 1984 and 1994, working in changing constellations, they created performances, manifestos, experimental music, photographs, action painting, drawings, fashion as well as Super 8 films, in which the group repeatedly staged actions on the rooftops of Erfurt. Taking place on the occasion of the Long Night of Museums 2026 and as part of 75 Years of Berliner Festspiele, their new performance on the roof of Gropius Bau is accompanied by the Ensemble for Intuitive Music Weimar.
In parallel, the Vienna-based artist Victoria Coeln creates the light intervention Undine geht, referencing Gabriele Stötzer’s work Undine kommt on the façade of Gropius Bau.
Curated by Nora-Swantje Almes, Curator Live Programme and Outreach, Gropius Bau, and Julia Grosse, Independent Curator, with Edessa Malke, Curatorial Assistant Live Programme, Gropius Bau, and Aylin Himmetoglu, Student Assistant, Gropius Bau
Production Haus der Berliner Festspiele: Claudia Peters, Head of Organisation and Production, Matthias Schäfer, Technical Director, and Maria Kusche, Vice Technical Director
Exterra XX:
Tely Büchner, Gabriele Göbel, Ina Heyer, Verena Kyselka, Marlies Schmidt, Gabriele Stötzer, Claudia Thierfelder, Harriet Wollert
Weimarer Ensemble für Intuitive Musik:
Matthias von Hintzenstern, Michael von Hintzenstern, Daniel Hoffmann, Hans Tutschku
Light installation:
Victoria Coeln
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.