Bocci announces the opening of the new Berlin Creative Complex Wilhelm Hallen with Hallen #2, an exhibition during Berlin Art Week in September
The repurposed industrial space will house Bocci’s permanent archive and site-specific installations, alongside a community of artists, architects and designers, to develop an epicentre for creativity in Berlin
Berlin, 27 July 2021: The creative complex Wilhelm Hallen will launch in September 2021 with Hallen #2, a new exhibition during Berlin Art Week. Initiated by design and manufacturing company Bocci, in partnership with Berliners Nico Wollenberg and Philipp Solf, the project repurposes a large, disused, industrial factory for the use of companies operating at the intersections of art, architecture and design. Bocci will also open its new European showroom and headquarters at Wilhelm Hallen; its vision is to become part of a diverse creative habitat comprising galleries, designers and creative practices.
Wilhelm Hallen is a set of early 1900 brickstone warehouses, including Berlin’s oldest iron foundry, which features on the historic buildings register as a jewel of the state’s industrial heritage.
The buildings sit on a vast 20,000 sqm site within the Berlin Reinickendorf neighbourhood and operated as an iron foundry from the turn of the 20th century to 2014. The charm and appeal of the complex can be felt by exploring its narrow alleyways, which give a glimpse of its past life, where bridges, chains, rollers and weights were forged in the mighty halls for over a century.
September Exhibition Programme
Bocci and its partners intend to bring new life to Wilhelm Hallen with a series of events and installations in collaboration with Berlin-based galleries and international artists and curators. The main Foundry Hall will serve as an expansive exhibition space. In September 2021, to coincide with Berlin Art Week, new works will be presented under the title HALLEN #2.
Yes To All, Sylvie Fleury
HALLEN #2 - SCALE
SCALE is a presentation of large scale art including inflatable pieces from contemporary Swiss artist Silvie Fleury, whose works provide a lens through which contemporary politics of gender, beauty and consumerism can be re-evaluated.
Berlin-based artist Julius von Bismarck will present a video installation. Associating visual arts with other fields of research and experimentation, such as physical and social sciences, von Bismarck’s artistic practice can take on various forms. It is defined by an in-depth and complex exploration of the phenomena of perception, or the representation and reconstruction of reality.
HALLEN #2 - FORMATS
BERLIN MASTERS Foundation 2021 Award exhibition
BERLIN MASTERS is a platform for artists under the age of 33 who live and work in Berlin. Initiated by international art expert Matthias Arndt in 2013, the BERLIN MASTERS exhibition is held annually in various prominent locations throughout Berlin. The exhibition is curated by Philipp Bollmann.
HALLEN #2 – K60
Initiated by eight Berlin based galleries, the exhibition invites 23 artists represented by the galleries and will offer a presentation spanning videos, sculptures, paintings and mixed media installations. A series of curated talks and performances and interventions will also take place at various sites on the compound.
The full exhibitor list for HALLEN #2 is available in Notes to Editors.
Compound for Creativity
Wilhelm Hallen will provide a permanent home to a varied creative and artistic community within Berlin. Confirmed residents so far include:
- Keine Musik - a collective of Berlin based DJs and producers
- Oat Milk Studio - a multifunctional photographic studio and events/production space
- Mehdi Chouakri - an established Berlin-based gallery
- Ramboll - the Danish engineering and architecture practice
This generous space is also a natural choice for Bocci to establish its new home in Europe, with a showroom that will house the brand’s permanent archive as well as site-specific lighting installations. The industrial setting is a striking contrast to the company’s former Berlin headquarters, which were set in a historic former courthouse.
Works will range from pieces in progress, prototypes and ideas, to the complete range of catalogue pieces developed and manufactured for Bocci. As well as showcasing existing pieces, the scale of Wilhelm Hallen will allow the Bocci team to seek further opportunities for exploration, collaboration and creativity with the wider Berlin community.
-Ends-
Editor’s Notes
Press Contact:
Francesca Formenti
Address:
Wilhelm Hallen, Kopenhagener Str. 60-72, 13407 Berlin, Germany
Exhibition dates:
Sunday - 5.9
Fri-Sun -10-12.9
Wed-Sun 15-19.9 (Berlin Art Week)
Opening Times:
Sunday 05.09.2021 - 11:00-19:00
Friday 10.09.2021 - 14:00-19:00
Saturday 11.09.2021 - 11:00-19:00
Sunday 12.09.2021 - 11:00-19:00
Wednesday 15.09.2021 - 14:00-19:00
Thursday 16.09.2021 - 14:00-19:00
Friday 17.09.2021 - 14:00-19:00
Saturday 18.09.2021 - 11:00-19:00
Sunday 19.09.2021 - 11:00-19:00
HALLEN #2 - Exhibition:
- SCALE
A presentation of large scale art shown in the Foundry Hall
Confirmed artists included Silvie Fleury and Julius von Bismarck.
- Berliner Masters Foundation 2021 Award exhibition
BERLIN MASTERS is a promotional platform for artists under the age of 33 who live and work in Berlin. Initiated by international art expert Matthias Arndt in 2013, the BERLIN MASTERS exhibition is held annually in various prominent locations throughout Berlin and is open to the public for approximately 2 weeks. The exhibition is curated by Philipp Bollmann.
Artist list:
Rebekka Benzenberg, Jonas Brinker, Gil Delindro, Johanna Dumet, Hannah Sophie Dunkelberg, Isabella Fürnkäs, Jakub Kubica, Michal Martychowiec, Mary-Audrey Ramirez, Young-jun Tak
Initiated by eight Berlin based galleries, The exhibition invites 23 artists represented by the galleries and will offer a presentation spanning videos, sculptures, paintings and mixed media installations.
Confirmed galleries:
Alexander Levy, ChertLüdde, Klemm's, KOW, Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Plan B and PSM
HALLEN #2 - Talks:
- A series of curated talks and performances and interventions taking place at various sites on the compound.
HALLEN #2 - Studios:
- Various solo and group presentations of Berlin based artists
About Bocci
Bocci is a design and manufacturing company based in Vancouver and Berlin. Founded in 2005 under the creative directorship of Omer Arbel, Bocci is committed to fostering a lateral and open-ended relationship between creative direction and craft.
The company launched with one lighting design, ‘14’, which became an instant classic and remains a design staple and bestseller. Bocci’s growing portfolio of sculptural lighting is developed, engineered and fabricated in-house, through an infrastructure calibrated to provide full control over technique, quality and scale.
@bocci