Photography by Alexander Coggin.
Gallery Weekend is upon us again in Berlin with more than 114 venues participating across the sprawling city. All of the galleries in the German capital take the event as an opportunity to stage some of their best exhibits of the year, but it is impossible to see everything. SLEEK reached out to some of our favourite voices in the industry to get their take on the neighbourhoods, exhibits and nightlife, to help narrow down the selection.
Javier Peres — Gallerist at Peres Projects
What is your favourite spot in Berlin? Bode Museum, but I am anxiously awaiting the new Humboldt Forum. Any tips on where to stay? Das Stue, Hotel de Rome or Soho House. Favourite neighbourhood for galleries? Currently I’m enjoying visiting all the galleries popping up in the western part of the city, like in Charlottenburg, and also the Potsdamer Platz area where we opened a space focused on contemporary design, Functional Art. Where can we find you on Saturday night? Having a late dinner at Lon Men’s or Cafe Einstein Stammhaus.
Yasin Müjdeci — Founder & Owner Voo Store & Compact Market
What is your favourite spot in Berlin? Kreuzberg Any tips on where to stay? Soho House is still the best hotel to stay at, or Berghain, if you just want to stay without sleeping. What are you looking forward to during Gallery Weekend? I will be in Potsdamerstrasse and hopefully discover new galleries and artists there. What is the oddest thing about Berlin? Partying on a Sunday night. Where can we find you on Saturday night? First at Luzia, but I would also like to know what people are doing afterwards.
Justus Kewenig — Gallerist at Kewenig Gallery
What is your favourite spot in Berlin? Our garden in the gallery on a Saturday afternoon when everyone heads out for the weekend. Any tips on where to stay? My all time favourite is the Savoy with its smokers Bar downstairs. Also the Hotel de Rome is a great hotel to stay at when you’re in Berlin. Favourite neighbourhood for galleries? Probably Charlottenburg. What is the oddest thing about Berlin That everyone loves it although its mostly unfriendly , grey and can be quite harsh. Where can we find you on Saturday night? Madame Ngo for Pho or The Lon Men Noodle house for Chilli Wan Tan, both on Kantstrasse.
Francesca Gavin – writer, editor and curator
What is your favourite spot in Berlin? Places with numbers in the title. Restaurant 3 is good for food and DJing at Ficken 3000 was a personal life highlight. Any tips on where to stay? The Ibis on Prenzlauer Allee. Then use the cafe at The Store for breakfast. If your budget is tight, it almost feels like you have a room upstairs. What are you looking forward to during Gallery Weekend? Always Tanya Leighton – I’ve been a fan of Math Bass for a long time. Favourite neighbourhood for galleries? Potsdamer Strasse is a good start as there are so many places in walking distance – from Bortolozzi, to Between Bridges, to Baudach. Still, I think Sweetwater and ChertLüdde are giving Kotti a nice little push of energy. What is the oddest thing about Berlin? It is like the 1970s on a Sunday. Quiet to a level I’ve never experienced in another proper city. That took some adjusting!
Clara Meister — Associate Curator at the Gropius Bau
What is your favourite spot in Berlin? For a break in the busy city, I take a walk through the garden of Campus Charité Mitte, visiting the Theatrum Anatomicum with its spectacular amphitheatrically shape. What are you looking forward to during Gallery Weekend? Gropius Bau is showing a 16th century version of “Garden of Earthly Delights,” the famous painting by Hieronymus Bosch – one painting in a room with space and time to dive into all details of this masterpiece. I am also especially looking forward to experience the new choreographic work by Isabel Lewis in collaboration with LABOUR that takes up the dramaturgical structure of the original triptych and activates the architecture of the first floor of the museum. Favourite neighbourhood for Galleries? I really enjoy Charlottenburg and visiting Meyer Riegger and Wentrup and always visit Schöneberg with galleries such as Eden Eden and Barbara Wien. What is the oddest thing about Berlin? It’s a charming village where everyone knows each other, which is surprising in contrast with international shows and concerts inviting the world in.
Denis Olgac — Designer at creative studio, Sucuk und Bratwurst
What is your favourite spot in Berlin? Cuore Di Vetro: very proper ice cream. The canal through Kreuzberg is great for a walk. What are you looking forward to during Gallery Weekend? Free food. Favourite neighbourhood for galleries? West of Potsdamerstrasse. Where can we find you on Saturday night? Under the blankets.
Malte Bartsch — Artist exhibiting at DITTRICH & SCHLECHTRIEM
Any tips on where to stay? No idea. Our couch is already promised. What are you looking forward to during Gallery Weekend? On Friday, I’ll be at DITTRICH & SCHLECHTRIEM visiting Julian Charrière’s show while pressing the button of my Time Machine. Favourite neighbourhood for galleries? Mitte and Potsdamerstrasse, but probably also Kreuzberg. That’s the beauty Berlin – things are scattered all over.What is the oddest thing about Berlin? You cannot escape.
Jeewi Lee — Artist
What is your favourite spot in Berlin? Museum Island in the night, when it becomes a lonely planet. Any tips on where to stay? Every neighbourhood shows different colours of Berlin. It depends on your taste. I´d prefer Schöneberg, Kreuzberg and Berlin Mitte. What are you looking forward to during Gallery Weekend? KW Bravo Bar for an aperitivo, Hamburger Bahnhof Museum for Andreas Mühe, Alexander Levy Gallery for Fabian Knecht, St. Matthäus-Kirche for Raul Walch and of course Sexauer Gallery for Alexander Iskin. Where can we find you on Saturday night?If I am not in my own studio, I will be definitely at the open-studio of the artist Marius Glauer, Schlegelstrasse12 10115 Berlin.
Kimberly Bradley — Writer and critic
Any tips on where to stay? I like Das Stue Hotel. Just the right mix of traditional and design-forward. What are you looking forward to during Gallery Weekend? The opening of a new collectors’ space called Fluentum, in the city’s far west – the show feature Guido van der Werve’s video art and the space is the old US Army headquarters. And KOW’s new space on Lindenstrasse. KOW is dear to my heart. Favourite neighbourhood for galleries? Potsdamer Strasse, for its concentration and variety, although things are definitely shifting westward. What is the oddest thing about Berlin? People here are ageless –at least in the art world, many social groups have little to do with how old or established people are, but are rather interest-based. It’s been a great place to get older – no one seems to notice!
Gallery Weekend Berlin runs from April 26 — April 28.