«Most of the designers here in Berlin work differently than in the other cities» – POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair: Berlin has long been a destination for those who seek to explore outside the boundaries of tradition
Presenting a selection of contemporary and modern artists and galleries from all over the world, the 10th edition of Positions Berlin Art Fair will take place between the 14th and 17th of September 2023 at the Tempelhof Airport Hangar 5 – 6. The head of communications, Ines Wittneben and Maurice-Cesaré Braatz, head of the FASHION POSITIONS, discuss the positions of the leading and emerging contemporary artistic views that the Berlin based art fair presents.
A dialogue on artistic positions at POSITIONS Art Fair in Berlin
Founded in 2014, POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair was created during a period of change in the art world in Berlin. Ines Wittneben shares that the initial vision for POSITIONS was to create something new that would present and give visibility to a broad spectrum of galleries and art in the city. Ines, one of the original six members to organize and found POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair discloses that they: «wanted to show emerging art but also long-standing galleries that weren’t as visible as they should at the time».
POSITIONS’ mission was to introduce a space where there could be a dialogue between different artistic views that held strong positions. «We wanted to have strong positions at the fair and make them visible and mediate them».
The 10th edition of POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair at Tempelhof Airport
Located in the Tempelhof Airport Hangar 5 – 6, the contemporary and modern art fair will host a hundred galleries from twenty different countries including Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Iran, and South Korea and several European countries. There will also be a focus on Mexico, with five galleries being exhibited to mark the thirtieth anniversary of city partnership between Mexico City and Berlin. «It’s the first time we have so many international art galleries at the fair».
The broad spectrum of galleries will present their installations in the dedicated airport space and visitors can expect to see a range of mediums, from drawings, to paintings, to NFTs to photography, POSITIONS encourages all forms of art.
Highlights of the Berlin based Art Fair include works by David Hockney, Gerhard Hoehme, Jinhee Kim, Marlen Letetzki, Carlo Krone, Néstor Jiménez, Luciana Mariano and more.
Academy POSITIONS at the Berlin art fair: emerging artists
In addition to the range of participating artists and galleries, there will be a focus on Academy POSITIONS, with twenty-six artistic positions from the German art academies being displayed. Ines Wittneben shares that «it’s an opportunity for these young artists to participate for the first time in the art market but also for collectors and other art galleries to discover new art».
There will also be a highlight of FASHION POSITIONS, which will present twenty-one aesthetic statements of Berlin-based independent fashion designers.
FASHION POSITIONS at the Berlin art fair
Launched in 2019, FASHION POSITIONS represents twenty designers from Berlin and a special presentation.
Maurice-Cesaré Braatz, head of FASHION POSITIONS, reveals that the intention behind FASHION POSITIONS «was to show the connection between fashion and art, as we always feel like there’s a strong link between the two worlds».
Further encouraging the dialogue between different artistic positions and pushing the boundaries of art, this section of the art fair highlights how Berlin approaches the Fashion World and how FASHION POSITIONS challenges the status quo.
«Berlin is a fashion location – most of the designers here in Berlin work differently than in the other big countries and other big fashion cities. Often, instead of embracing Berlin, we try to look at the other cities. With FASHION POSITIONS we want to represent the craftsmanship, the designs we have here in Berlin».
Ines Wittneben about contemporary art: it reflects the world around us
The Berlin based art fair invites artists and galleries from all over the world to display their most recent creative artistic views and discoveries. Visitors will be able to see art from all over the world, with different positions about art and life.
When asked about how she would describe contemporary art, Wittneben declares: «Contemporary artworks reflect what is happening today in the world. At the fair, we aim at displaying current topics like those of identity, justice, how we deal with each other, how we respect other humans, the digital world and sustainability which occur everywhere».
Berlin: how the city influences the creative scene
Berlin has long been a destination for those who seek to explore outside the boundaries of tradition and where artists are reimagining and pursuing their creative endeavors. The city encourages art as equally as art impacts and influences the city. «Berlin has always been a location where art has been produced, where the artists were living and working, and I think that it has given a lot to the image of the city too. So, it had a great impact on the image of the city as a vibrant creative spot and a place where art is bought up today».
This is equal for art as well as for fashion. Maurice-Cesaré Braatz explains: «we have a lot of designers who are coming from other countries or cities and they’re coming to Berlin because Berlin is a free place. There are no rules. You can do whatever you want. No one is judging you».
The freedom that the city represents encourages and invites artists to explore their different artistic positions. This explains how so many of the galleries that will be at POSITIONS Berlin Art fair come from Berlin and how the fair impacts the locals as well as how the locals impact the fair.
Building bridges in an airport – POSITIONS Art Fair location since 2018
POSITIONS has kept growing over the last ten years and has been held in a series of locations across the city, including the Arena Berlin. However, POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair moved to the Tempelhof Airport for the first time in 2018 and has been held there since. Practical for its space that has allowed the fair to grow, the airport is also a statement itself and is a historic space in Berlin.
In conjunction with the art fair is a dinner as well as receptions where embassies, journalists, institutions, collectors, and investors are invited to see and discuss what POSITIONS put together. Hosting the fair as well as the dinner at the Tempelhof Airport leaves an impression on visitors.
Sustainability – responsible choices at POSITIONS in the panorama of the city
POSITIONS is all about creating a space that encourages different discourses, including sustainability. Ines Wittneben shares that «sustainability was always a theme for all of us in our team».
In 2014 POSITIONS experimented with paper walls. Although they no longer use them in the fair, POSITIONS tries to be more sustainable by partnering with services that provide reusable walls. In addition, they reuse cardboard furniture for the fair.
This mission is also reflected in FASHION POSITIONS as well as in the city of Berlin. Braatz discloses: «In Berlin we have a culture of secondhand, vintage and flea markets. This also has an influence on fashion designers, who try to design new materials in an environmentally friendly way.».
Positions Berlin Art Fair
Located in Berlin, Germany and as an official partner of Berlin Art Week, POSITIONS Berlin Art is an annual fair that will take place from the 14th to the 17th of September 2023 at Tempelhof Airport Hangar 5 – 6. Celebrating its tenth edition this year, the contemporary and modern art fair will host a hundred galleries from twenty countries to highlight the dialogue between different artistic positions.
