Quick report on the first round of installation of the “Stretching Materialities” exhibition at the Tieranatomisches Theater in Berlin, with the Object Space Agency team: Clemens Winkler, Claudia Blümle, Natalija Miodragovič, Yoonha Kim, Nina Samuel, and the assistants Lara Ladik & Marie Trabandt. After many months of preparation (including creating a virtual tour as preliminary fieldwork), the curatorial team is finally on site. Together, we go through the space that has now become strangely familiar, handling ideas that we have been already stretching in many directions. Things fall into place, as we decide how to curate the common vitrine at the entrance. The discussion is easy, the agreement comes with few words, in an atmosphere of trust which testifies of a long process of working up the materials and space together. Here in green, the fruit of our rapid decision process appears: a projector will beam a texture and the title on a backdrop to the vitrine.

Problems are handled one by one as we go through the space, each of us describing again in a few sentences the concepts and practical configurations that were adapted to the rooms in the last couple of weeks. Here the computer scientist and literature scholar Christian shows where the VR goggles station would stand according to his plans — a member of the staff will equip the visitor with the head-mounted displays at the entrance of the rotunda. The architect Natalija anticipates a series of difficulties: that’s the best angle for a picture of the most impressive view of our exhibition, this stand shouldn’t be in the way. An alternative is quickly suggested and adopted.

As we scatter to keep working on our scenes and processes, Natalija draws with her hands in space the shape of the rattan structure that she is currently weaving with her team, for Clemens and Claudia. (Why is neon green so often the color of virtuality? asks Yoonha, looking over my shoulder while I’m drawing this)

With our site-specific installations being actually installed on-site, some surprising effects are showing. Here, the cloud installation of Clemens Winkler can enter into an impressive “post-production style” vibration as the huge membrane of the daylight ceiling appliance is set into vibration. Nina Samuel climbs on the ladder to try it out.

Team Object Space Agency is conferring around the ever stretching concept of the exhibition “Stretching Materialities” — what a performative title! That was all before the two last days, during which the whole process took a leap forward — more coming very soon!

Join the fun on the 29.06.2021! (or see our theatrical 360° soft opening in replay accessible on this page:

https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/5902/exhibition-stretching-materialities