KÜNSTLERHAUS

BETHANIEN

Exhibition

ostPunk! – too much future

Punk in GDR 1979 - 1989

For ten years, from 1979 to 1989, the Punk uproar endured in the GDR.

Whilst the social deprivation suffered by British teenagers found expression in the slogan “No Future”, the socialist misery of the strictly regulated lives of young people in the GDR could be said to originate with rather too much of a future. The unwilling recruits of the Party’s Combat Reserve started taking liberties hitherto unimaginable in the context of the GDR. Unflinchingly, they were challenging a state whose fierce resistance to the youngsters’ rather innocent anger left some of them with troubled biographies. Punks wrote a bizarre chapter in the GDR’s history, alight with the non-conformist eccentricity of their actions, and obscured by the secret services’ vicious persecution.

The resulting energetic release soon spread out of dingy basements and scarce meeting places into the studios of younger artists as well. Thus Punk became a formative influence in many budding artists’ works and lives, and once absorbed by an, albeit elusive, counter culture, the movement even disseminated into reserves of the socialist high-brow, among the students at state art schools and universities.

Regardless of whether they were artists or not, for many of its proponents Punk in the GDR represented no more than a transitionary space. Emigration or the collapse of the GDR did not halt their lives, and their biographies continued to progress in the most diverse directions and turns.

The exhibition, designed by artist Andrea Pichl, will present a historic background into the relevant cultural environment, as well as original artwork.

There will be painting, amongst others, from Ronald Lippok Mita Schamal and C.D.Spinne, drawing (“flanzendörfer”, Ralf Kerbach, Cornelia Schleime), print graphics (Matthias „Baader“ Holst, Bert Papenfuß), photography (Christiane Eisler, Harald Hauswald, Helga Paris), as well as super 8 film (Tohm di Roes, Zhomas Frydetzki and others), collages and objects (Robert Lippok), and miscellaneous pop culture items such as record covers, buttons, flyers and posters.

Visitors will have the opportunity to listen to rare, original recordings of music by GDR Punk bands in specially provided audio spaces.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a comprehensive programme of events and a catalogue publication.

Exhibition Opening: 26th Aug. 2005, 7 pm
Exhibition: 27th Aug. thru 25th Sept. 2005
Finissage: 25th Sept. 2005, 6pm
opening hours: Wed– Sat 3pm – 8 pm / Thu 3pm– 10pm

Concept, exhibition and events: Michael „Pankow“ Boehlke, Henryk Gericke / Project group: Michael „Pankow“ Boehlke, Henryk Gericke, Heinz Havemeister, Christoph Tannert, Dirk Teschner

Concerts, events, lectures and discussion:

26/08/2005, 8 pm
GROßE AUFMACHUNG „ostPUNK! / too much future“
Live: Ex.cert (expunk punk)
& DJ Strohmann vs. DJ Biedermann (Oldschool Punk & Nu Punk)
Location: Salon Ost

04/09/2005, 6 pm
GEWÄSCH, PALAVER, REMMIDEMMI
Alexander Pehlemann – „Punk in Eastern Europe“ (Zonic Radioshow)
„too much future“ – Punk in the GDR (panel discussion)
Presenter: Lukas Langhoff
„from basement to studio“ – Punks, artists, Punk artists (panel discussion)
Presenter: Wolfgang Müller („Die Tödliche Doris“)
with intermission by DJ Snakefinger.
Location: Roadrunnersclub

10/09/05, 8 pm
PRIMITIVROCK BLOCK
Gerrit & the R’n’R StalinistS (The Shocks, PVC) + Support live in concert
DJ Pankow & Nic Sleazy (Clash City Rocker Pop)
Location: Roadrunnersclub

17/09/05, 8 pm 
BAD KLEINEN music shop
Live: Die Scheißtüren + Support
DJs Ole Verstand & bollextc
Location: Roadrunnersclub

25/09/05, 6 pm
„WER MIT DER MODE GEHT, KOMMT IMMER ZU SPÄT“ (“the fashion victim is always too late”)
Bert Papenfuß reads from „Rumbalotte“
Mario Mentrup reads from works by flanzendörfer & Matthias „BAADER“ Holst
Signal (Live Laptop Rock + Visuals) live in concert
DJs ‘des poseurs de disques’ (robodisco / electropunk + projections)
Location: Salon Ost

Exhibition
27.08. – 25.09.2005
Wed – Sat 3 – 8 pm / Thu - 3 – 10 pm
Admission free

Opening
26.08.2005

Additional events at:
Roadrunners Paradise
Saarbrückerstr. 24, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg
(U-Bahnhof Senefelder Platz)

Exhibition space: Salon Ost, Saarbrücker Str. 20, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg
(U-Bahnhof Senefelder Platz)