Gordon Matta-Clark, The Wall, film still, 1976
© Courtesy of the Estate of Gordon Matta-Clark and Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
16 Innsbrucker Platz
The Wall
In 1976 the American conceptual and action artist Gordon Matta-Clark was invited to create a contribution to the exhibition Soho in Berlin presented by the Akademie der Künste and the Berliner Festwochen. Well known for his radical and monumental interventions, he initially planned to blow up a section of the Berlin Wall with dynamite. Following some urgent persuasion from friends he distanced himself from this life-threatening plan so that it was never “executed”.
Instead, Matta-Clark used the Wall for his performance and temporary installation Made in America. In this he illegally decorated the western side of the Wall with poster advertisements for German consumer goods and added the handwritten slogans “FROM USSR MIT LOVE” and “MADE IN AMERICA” together with political symbols. The 16 mm film The Wall by Jane Crawford and Alex Gunuay documents these actions.
Gordon Matta-Clark, The Wall, 1976
© Courtesy of the Estate of Gordon Matta-Clark and Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York
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 The Wall, 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 perforated more and more walls?
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.