Design for Ich bin Berliner, Mikhail Gorbachev, 1986
Design: Martin Mlecko, represented by: DOROTHÉE NILSSON GALLERY
12 Hermannstraße
I Am Berliner
In 1986 the photographer and artist Martin Mlecko conceived the work Ich bin Berliner, Michail Gorbatschow, (I am Berliner, Mikhail Gorbachev) to be installed as a billboard at the Yorckbrücken in Berlin-Kreuzberg. The project made reference to John F. Kennedy’s famous declaration of solidarity from 1963, when the then President of the United States declared in the middle of the Cold War: “Ich bin ein Berliner”.
Since Mlecko died in 2016, little definitive information has been available about what his intentions at the time were. His omission of the article “ein” might seem like a small intervention, nevertheless it could signal a significant shift of meaning. Kennedy’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” was a gesture of solidarity from an outsider, by contrast Mlecko’s “Ich bin Berliner” feels like a direct declaration of allegiance. By swapping the source of the quotation in Gorbachev’s favour, it is possible that the artist wanted to express hope that a divided Germany and Berlin might be reunited. The Berlin wall would not actually open until three years later and Mlecko’s proposal was rejected with the comment that with jokes like this, he would be better off staying in Munich. However, the question remains a topical one: who is (a) Berliner?
Design for Ich bin Berliner, Mikhail Gorbachev, 1986
Design: Martin Mlecko, Represented by: DOROTHÉE NILSSON GALLERY
Design for Ich bin Berliner, Mikhail Gorbachev, 1986
Design: Martin Mlecko, Represented by: DOROTHÉE NILSSON GALLERY
For What If Berlin, Akira Takayama transposes unrealised projects from the archives of the Berliner Festspiele and other Berlin cultural institutions, as well as from architects and artists, into the present and asks us which vision we want to realise in the future.
The future vision for the project I am Berliner, that will be presented in the frame of What If Berlin from 28 August 2026 onwards, will respond to the following question: What if Berlin created a system of urban citizenship for which you can register at Ringbahn kiosks?
Which of the 27 visions for the future is the most exciting? Which project does Berlin need in future? Which idea should actually be realised?
Until 30 September 2026, you can vote for up to three of the 27 visions for the future. The results will be displayed live to give the latest impression of the public’s reactions.