![\"DD_Artificial_Intelligence_EIGEN_ART_Lab_4](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DD_Artificial_Intelligence_EIGEN_ART_Lab_4-web.jpeg\")
Exhibition view \u201eDigitale Demenz – Artificial Intelligence\u201c. !Mediengruppe Bitnik, \u201eRandom Darknet Shopper\u201c, courtesy EIGEN + ART Lab, Foto: Otto Felber.<\/p>\n Exhibition view \u201eDigitale Demenz – Artificial Intelligence\u201c. !Mediengruppe Bitnik, \u201eRandom Darknet Shopper\u201c, courtesy EIGEN + ART Lab, Foto: Otto Felber.<\/p>\n
Eigen + Art Lab<\/a> is one of the few art spaces in Berlin where trial and error is the order of the day. Their premise is simple: to invite emerging artists, curators and young people to work together and exchange ideas, either in the lab or in one of their informal events that include brunch, talks and art tours. Set up four years ago in a lofty space on Auguststra\u00dfe right next to its mother gallery Eigen + Art, this art lab will be celebrating their first year in the new location on Torstra\u00dfe this weekend. We meet the directors Anne Schwanz and Johanna Neusch\u00e4ffer ahead of their party to discuss new ways to talk about art, what they\u2019ve learned from a year of experimentation and the future of the Berlin art scene.<\/p>\n Sleek: why did you move into a new space? Johanna: we want to try out things that you can\u2019t in an established gallery. For example we first started using Instagram here, when everybody was hesitant about it, afraid it might not give a serious image. And now we all know that it\u2019s a good move for businesses. If we see that things are working out here, we bring them over to the main space. Here we can make mistakes. We don’t have to be afraid to do something, which makes us more spontaneous.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the cross over between the two spaces like? Johanna:<\/strong> we give each other feedback. What we try out here, is first of all independently to the other space but we also discuss what we could share, and what we should bring together. For example, Carsten Nicolai who will also have a solo show in the main gallery will curate a show here entitle \u201cGhosts and Machines\u201d. He works a lot with music and art and the exhibition will feature a younger generation of artists. And we have the cross over as well to the main space. We really like to have the people we\u2019ve worked with before get involved more intensely and do talks and start discussions.<\/p>\n Do you have a yearly programme? Johanna: in September we have an exhibition with the English artist Laura Buckley. At the moment we mainly work with artists who are also like us, in a situation where you want to start something and build connections. So if we really like somebody we meet more times and do studio visits, that’s for us very important. We want to have fun with each other. The energy has to be good. We don’t have a budget here. So if we want to do an exhibition with somebody we have to be totally on it.<\/p>\n What else do you do beyond exhibitions? Johanna: we also came up with Labwandertag<\/em>; that’s our baby. We have a little VW minibus, that fits nine people. We invite young collectors or people who are interested in art or want to be collectors. We then pick one topic and do a tour through town. It usually is related to the show and we go to different spaces. There are people from very different areas. They meet the artists but they also meet each in a very special setting.<\/p>\n Anne: we try to find new ways for people to talk about art or what we are doing in the shows. We want people to be relaxed with it and not to be afraid to go into a gallery and ask why the artist used red in this painting just because they might have not studied art.<\/p>\n Johanna: we also organise high teas \u2013 Books and High Tea, it\u2019s called – brunches, ladies dinners. We\u2019ve worked together with BVDG<\/a>, who established here a talk about the digitalisation in arts with start-ups.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve got no budged and the aim is to experiment but do you also sell art? Looking back, what were the highlights of the past year? Anne: I think the Labwandertag<\/em>, worked really well, we\u2019ve done it four times already.<\/p>\n Given that with experimentation things can go right and wrong, what would you say you’ve learned from this experience? Anne: we learned that we can take more than four weeks to prepare for a show. I think the other thing that we learned, for the future we can be more experimental. So this is what our idea for the future. We have to break things; we can break things.<\/p>\n Johanna: we learned that we can trust ourselves, and we can trust our instincts.<\/p>\n What do you think it\u2019s changing in the Berlin art scene? Johanna: I think also there’s another generation coming up from the start-up scene as well. There are lots of people interesting in art from the other side. They want to connect and want to be part of it and learn more about it. So it’s going to be a very exciting pool.<\/p>\n I know you\u2019re going to have a big celebration for you first anniversary, what\u2019s happening? Interview von Will Furtado<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Eigen + Art Lab<\/a> will celebrate their one year anniversary<\/strong> in Torstra\u00dfe 220 on 6 February from 7pm. Their next show opens on 12 February 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n Mehr: transmediale\u2019s Ben Vickers: \u2018We Need to Pause and Reflect\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/strong>Anne: after three years in the Auguststra\u00dfe, in the M\u00e4dchenschule, we decided to reinvent ourselves. We thought we could make the whole thing much more current, much more lively and relaxed. There were some changes necessary, starting with the space. The previous venue was very big and formal so we decided to get to a smaller one, where you could get the instant feeling that you\u2019re walking into an unfinished gallery, a space where you can try out things. Then the other change was that we would run the space independently of the main gallery. Now we choose the location, whom we want to work with. We want to build a new community here, a brand and to be something that\u2019s really looking into the future.<\/p>\n![\"HausinDahlem_exhibitionview](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/HausinDahlem_exhibitionview-web.jpeg\")
Exhibition view “Ein Haus in Dahlem\u201c (Antonia Low, Miriam Jonas, Daniel Rode, CarstenSievers), Courtesy EIGEN + ART Lab, Foto: Otto Felber<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Anne: we often discuss with our boss, Judy Lybke, our choices of artists and projects. He\u2019s been running the gallery for more than 30 years and it’s always good to learn from him.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Anne: Yes, because of course artists need time to prepare their shows. Next week for instance we have an opening of the group show with an artist residency in Austria. They celebrate five years their residency and have invited the last artists to show here. So it will be packed group show with 33 artists. In March we show Martin Gro\u00df, he’s an artist who studied in Leipzig and is now at the Royal Academy in London. He works mainly with sound.<\/p>\n![\"wanderweb\"](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/wanderweb.jpeg\")
LabWandertag. Courtesy of EIGEN + ART Lab.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Anne: we invite the artist to talk about topics that depend on the shows we have on the main gallery.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Johanna: Of course we have wonderful art pieces that we sell and the price range is much lower than in the big gallery. It\u2019s important that people are not afraid to ask for a price. For example we have drawings that cost 450 Euros. So why not, people buy jackets for this kind of prices.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Both: the party!<\/p>\n![\"OpeningParty03web\"](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/OpeningParty03web.jpeg\")
Opening Party, 23. Januar 2015, courtesy EIGEN + ART Lab.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Johanna: Not to do so many shows in one year. To find other ways to bring people again to the show. Or to find other ways to look in the show more profoundly.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Anne: I think there\u2019s a very self confident group of artists growing at the moment and they know that there’s a lot going on here and you also have to be sharp to survive. There’s so many really good young galleries too. This is really important for Berli
\nn because it makes the whole gallery scene and artists very professional.<\/p>\n![\"TeamEIGEN+ARTLabweb\"](\"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/TeamEIGEN-ARTLabweb.jpeg\")
Team EIGEN + ART Lab, Anne Schwanz & Johanna Neusch\u00e4ffer, courtesy EIGEN + ART Lab<\/p>\n
<\/strong>That\u2019s right, there\u2019s going to be a big party and a secret performance at 8pm curated by An Paenhuysen.<\/a> We have drinks sponsors and a dance floor, so come in early and preferably after having dinner.<\/p>\n