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Newsletter 04/25
Dear readers
How stable is the foundation of our democratic culture?
In light of recent political developments, this question is gaining in urgency. With 152 members of parliament, the AfD is now more strongly represented in the Bundestag than ever before. The new coalition agreement will introduce stricter border controls and further restrictions, reflecting a significantly more restrictive migration policy whose legality is contested. And in the United States, once Germany’s most important partner in building a democratic society, terms such as “institutional,” “minority,” and “multicultural” are now on a list of banned words that may no longer be used in official government documents or scientific grant applications – a symptom of the advance of a right-wing culture war, which, with “Project 2025,” is pursuing an authoritarian master plan.
So where is our society headed? How well do we understand the history and context of our political and social entanglements – and what role do they play in the rise of the far right?
In April and May, exhibitions offer insights and food for thought on these issues. The exhibition "Fremde Freunde” (Foreign Friends) at the Museum of Utopia and Everyday Life in Eisenhüttenstadt, which was co-developed by students from the Department of Visual Communication, shows how the GDR promoted the ideal of international solidarity and friendship among peoples, while racist stereotypes and exclusion persisted in everyday life. It invites critical reflection on our own ideas of friendship, solidarity and social responsibility.
The exhibition "Those without a share" also encourages viewers to engage in shared observation in times of growing division. Eight students with migration backgrounds share their experiences – through painting, mixed media, sculpture, video, VR, and performance – of places they had to leave, looked for or never reached.
In the sculpture exhibition “Muss heute passieren” (Has to happen today), individual works by students respond to the current pressure from the right and the personal impact that right-wing hatred and alarming societal developments are having on the artists.
Read more in our newsletter about the other events happening at the start of the summer semester – and save the date for our Open Days: 26 and 27 July. We look forward to seeing you.
Your weissensee school of art and design berlin
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Foreign Friends. Friendship between peoples – between ideal and reality
At the Museum of Utopia and Everyday Life in Eisenhüttenstadt, the exhibition "Foreign Friends" (26 April 2025 to 29 March 2026) explores the contradictions of GDR ideology through the museum’s collection. While international solidarity and friendship among peoples were core political messages, racist stereotypes and everyday exclusion often went unexamined.
During the winter semester, visual communication students developed the exhibition’s concept, scenography, and graphics under the direction of Prof. Steffen Schuhmann. Workshops and discussions complement the show, connecting historical perspectives with contemporary experiences.
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Muss heute passieren (Has to happen today).
“Art needs time. And contemporary art has to be more than a commentary on global events. It seems tempting to climb a career-enhancing spiral staircase in a state of growing agitation – but the more dramatic the scandal of the day is, the more fragile are the stairs themselves.”
The exhibition “Muss heute passieren” is showing works by students of sculpture from 25 April to 1 May 2025 in the Kleiner Wasserspeicher on Knaackstraße. The focus of the exhibition is the challenge of enabling artistic processes and exploration at a time in which acceleration and efficiency are the dominant forces. The works reflect the tension between urgency and care, between societal pressure and the individual creativity of the artists. The opening reception will take place on April 25, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The exhibition runs from April 26 to May 1 and is open daily from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
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“Home – not a place, but a state, shaped by movement, boundaries, and the body.”
Eight students with migration histories share their stories – through painting, mixed media, sculpture, video, VR, and performance – of places they had to leave, looked for or never reached.
This exhibition does not imagine utopia but instead turns to heterotopia: a space of in-between, of coexistence, of contradiction. At a time of growing borders, it invites viewers to engage in shared observation. The exhibition runs from 31 May to 3 June 2025 at the Kunstraum, Potsdamer Straße 65–67, 10785 Berlin, daily from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The opening ceremony is on 30 May from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the closing ceremony on 3 June from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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PowerPlant at the Bienal Arte & Design in Funchal
The public solar charging station PowerPlant, developed by product design students Charlotte von Ravenstein and Nick Geipel, is on display until 30 June at the inaugural Bienal Arte & Design in Funchal (Madeira).
PowerPlant utilises existing urban infrastructure and combines solar cells with fluorescent acrylic to create an aesthetically engaging and vibrant piece of urban culture. It offers free public electricity while creating new social meeting points.The project was developed within the heliobolici initiative at the weissensee school of art and design berlin under the supervision of Prof. Carola Zwick and Prof. Judith Glaser.
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COHABITATION – Transforming spaces
How can green infrastructure and material innovations change urban spaces? And what role do participation and local value creation play in sustainable urban development?
On 24 April 2025 (9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), greenlab at the weissensee school of art and design berlin is hosting the symposium “COHABITATION – Transformation of Spaces”, and invites attendees to rethink the intersection of nature, urban life and community. Experts from science, art and planning will discuss how we can foster resilient and sustainable living spaces in the face of climate crisis and urbanisation. Solutions will be sought in lectures and discussions on this second Sustainability Day at the university – from the Spree to the Oder and from our campus to Berlin's developing urban landscape.
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"Traffic regulations" for creative professions
As part of the lecture series “seɘ – seeing differently”, Prof. Dr. Christian Donle highlights the importance of intellectual property for creative professions, using real-world examples.
Christian Donle has been lecturing at the weissensee school of art and design berlin since 2000 and has held an honorary professorship since 2004. He teaches students the fundamentals of intellectual property law, particularly with regard to copyright, design, and trademarks. Outside the university, he practices law and represents holders of trademark rights and intellectual property in numerous court cases.
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On 4 March, 19 research institutions from Berlin and Brandenburg founded the association UNITE Sciences, aiming to promote entrepreneurial talent, accelerate technology transfer, and connect the start-up ecosystem. As a founding member, the weissensee school of art and design berlin is also helping to strengthen the creative industries as a driver of economic growth. Our graduates develop future-ready solutions in AI, the circular economy, and renewable energy. Through UNITE Sciences, they gain access to labs, funding partners, and international networks.
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Federal Prize for Art Students
Federico Torres De Los Rios, a painting student, has received the Federal Prize for Art Students. Our warmest congratulations! The award includes € 30,000 in prize money. In addition, an € 18,000 production grant supports the artists in creating works specifically for the exhibition at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn.
The jury stated: "The artist, who describes himself as an image-maker, links his canvas adventures to his biographical and cultural ties to shamans and the intangible heritage of the Colombian Amazon. The jury recognises his visual language as a productive contribution and tension within the history of painting, especially in Germany."
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