Outside In / Downside Up - Emily Thomas
Emily Thomas ( United Kingdom )
During her residency at ZK/U, Emily focused her research on 6 Berlin Modernism housing estates including Gartenstadt Falkenberg, Siedlung Schillerpark, Hufeisensiedlung, Wohnstadt Carl Legien, Weiße Stadt & Ringsiedlung Siemensstadt. Each of these building projects were originally social housing settlements, and since 2008 they have had UNESCO world heritage status in recognition of their social reform. Emily is interested in the 1998 privatisation of 4 of these estates, which are now in the hands of the predatory housing company Deutsche Wohnen. Her research inspired the production of 2 sculptures - one based on Gartenstadt Falkenberg & the other on Carl Legien Wohnstadt.
Emily also created an installation in ZK/U’s Ständige Vertretung inspired by Bruno Taut, the architect involved in the construction of 4 of these housing projects. Taut stated that colour should be considered as carefully as every other element of building construction. The aim of Emily’s installation was to demonstrate the impact of colour on architectural space.
This project is funded by the Stiftung Kunstfonds through their NEUSTART KULTUR-Stipendien.
