Sea Faring- Route. Berlin. Tel Aviv. Beirut.

Busy, hectic, multicultural are words in which all these three cities can be easily described. Though lacking topographical or political similarities, they share an atmosphere of constant motion and exchange of goods, people and ideas. They became places that willingly accept and even look forward to vivid changes and new impulses. In this way, they offer the perception of the temporary and represent the ‘here and now’. This vibrating ambience makes the three cities function as ‘harbours’ in a sense other than geographical. While Tel Aviv and Beirut have in fact been major seaports, Berlin has a clear longing for it, what can be observed, for instance, in the multiple beaches constructed along the Spree. The kind of image that these cities try to construct in the face or in the back of the sea, their relation to the beach as a utopian symbol of a politically undefined area, and the cities’ relations to each other, will be the topics of the exhibition as well as the symposium that was developed together with Dr. Alexandra Nocke. It is a cooperation with the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung. Symposium ? moderated by Dr. Alexandra Nocke, cultural scientist and curator, her publications and lectures deal with the questions of identity and culture in modern Israel ? participants of the panel discussion: Professor Joachim Schlör (Director at the Parkes Institute for the Study of Jewish/Non-Jewish relations, University of Southampton), Sigal Barnir who teaches at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Israel and the Lebanon expert Bernhard Hillenkamp who worked with different international NGOs in Lebanon, in Israel, in Palestine and in Germany ? Professor Schlör will be talking about the Berlin’s internal longing for waters, Sigal Barnir will analyze the architectural development of Tel Aviv and Jaffa and their relation to the sea as well as to each other, while Bernhard Hillenkamp will look at ‘daily cultural practices, especially in the city of Beirut and compare it with the urban landscapes within the cities triangle’. Exhibition The exhibition tries to expose different views on the topic expressed by the artists Ayelet Albenda, Ana Bilankov, Heike Barndt, Tim Deussen, Dotan & Perry, Anna Faroqhi, Lasse Lau, Dana Levy, Chris de Lutz, Guy Raz, Ilana Salama Ortar, Michael H. Shamberg, Simcha Shirman, Felice Naomi Wonnenberg, Paola Yacoub and Maya Zack. The artists adopt the local or project the foreign view on the cities’ life. This exchange of views and opinions among the international participants of our project is just another aspect of the lively Trialogue between the three busy harbours on this imagined seafaring route. The project will be opened on the 2nd of July 2009 at 7pm in Artneuland. Schumannstraße 18, 10117 Berlin. It will remain open until the 8th of August 2009.