A Matter of Material
8 June - 4 August 2024
On Urban Ruins and Natural Resources
With Lara Almarcegui, Robert Smithson, Stefan Shankland, in cooperation with Anna Saint Pierre und raumlaborberlin
The exhibition A MATTER OF MATERIAL explores the significance of rock, demolition materials, and rubble. It brings together three artists dedicated to found materials and substances from the natural and built environment: While land art pioneer Robert Smithson built a gigantic spiral of basalt rocks in 1970 and documented it on film, Lara Almarcegui’s focus is on making raw and built materials visible. Stefan Shankland has documented the park’s natural and human mineral heritage and collected the materials left behind from the demolition of former Spreepark buildings. Shankland transforms this material into art by granting this so-called “waste” a new purpose and value.
Shankland’s artistic practice is characterized by working with material originating from the park, which can also be observed by visitors on-site at RE.USE.UM, an open-air atelier built in cooperation with raumlaborberlin. Stefan Shankland will develop two new works of art for the exhibition, including one in cooperation with scientist and designer Anna Saint Pierre.
