ZK/U Berlin - Residencies for Scholars, Artists and Practitioners
A new, innovative venue offering artistic and research residencies of 2–12 months duration for art production at the interface of urban research will open its doors in summer 2012 in the district of Moabit in Berlin-Mitte, on the edges of Berlin‘s largest inland port, Westhafen.
Located in a former railway depot surrounded by a freshly landscaped park, the ZKU - Center for Art and Urbanistics - is the linchpin of a concept developed by Berlin-based artists‘ collective KUNSTrePUBLIK.
Analogous to the nineteenth-century transport of goods by rail, this unique new venue is set to become a lively hub for the transport of ideas and ideals in the postindustrial era.
Open Call for 2012/13
Biannual Topic 2012/13
"Is not it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day
with no mistakes in it yet?" (L.M. Montgomery)
From Scratch describes an ephemeral gesture: the simple act of drawing a line on the ground from which to ‘start from scratch.’
In sporting events this informal marking provides a new point from which to begin (or start), setting aside previous sporting results. This new beginning is paradigmatic for how ZKU approaches its own inception.
Ongoing Lab on art and research
"Open Lab" is the first long-term topic. The question: Is there a common ground in the merging of arts and sciences that is inclusive of, while not being restricted by, the complex dogmas of conventional disciplinary thinking? Through theory and practice we aim to locate a third space for such thinking, while at the same time asking ourselves if this conversation between disciplines can be accessed and gain new autonomy.
Ad hoc topics
In addition to submitting proposals in response to the established topics, residents may propose to work on a theme that they believe can contribute additional layers to the ZKU’s immediate discourse, engaging with pressing questions on political, social and cultural issues.