until 26.04.2021

AES+F, Chrissy Angliker, Inna Artemova, Lutz Becker, Tom Biber, Andreas Blank, Anina Brisolla, Claus Brunsmann, Claudia Chaseling, Chto Delat, Brad Downey, Thomas Draschan, Kerstin Dzewior, Margret Eicher, Nezaket Ekici, Amir Fattal, Doug Fishbone, Daniel Grüttner, Chris Hammerlein, John Isaacs, Anne Jungjohann, Gülsün Karamustafa, Franziska Klotz, David Krippendorff, Via Lewandowsky, Jani Leinonen, MAP Office, Shahar Marcus, Milovan Destil Markovic, Sara Masüger, Kate McMillan, Almagul Menlibayeva, Robert C. Morgan, Matthias Moseke, Jan Muche, Gulnur Mukazhanova, Kirsten Palz, Manfred Peckl, Otto Piene, Stefan Rinck, Jörg Schaller, Maik Schierloh, Nina E. Schönefeld, Kerstin Serz, Varvara Shavrova, Pola Sieverding, Barthélémy Toguo, Mariana Vassileva, Günther Uecker, Bill Viola, Marta Vovk, Michael Wutz, Jindrich Zeithamml, Ireen Zielonka

Points of Resistance invites contemporary artists and thinkers from a diversity of places and perspectives to address the many meanings of resistance in today’s complex world. Without taking any singular political position, Points of Resistance gives voice to humanistic viewpoints necessary in an era witnessing the steady resurgence of authoritarianism, nationalism and racism the world over.

This is as much a sickness of our times as the ongoing pandemic emergency. We hope that Points of Resistance will provide an antidote, if not necessarily a solution, to the ills endangering the hard-won, and relatively short-lived, freedoms of our society – especially in the context of Berlin’s painful history.

Situated in Berlin’s Zionskirche, Points of Resistance invokes the remarkable history of this church as a crucial point of resistance both against the Nazis and during the GDR – from renowned theologian and anti-Nazi activist Deitrich Bonhoeffer who worked in the parish for over a decade until his arrest by the Gestapo, to the numerous opposition groups and human rights activists who’s use of the Zionskirche as a meeting point made it a target of the Stasi until the collapse of the GDR.

Upon this historic stage, we assemble a diversity of artistic voices – through painting, photography, sculpture, video, sound, performance, and discussion – reflecting on the mistakes of the past and present in order to celebrate the values which enable us to forge unity from diversity.

„Points of Resistance takes the form of an exhibition of over 50 exceptional international artists, jointly produced by Gallery Kleiner von Wiese and MOMENTUM, curated by Constanze Kleiner and Rachel Rits-Volloch, in cooperation with David Elliott, Jan Kage, and Stephan von Wiese.

Despite our uncertain times of lockdowns and gallery closures, the Zionskirche will remain open to the public. As such, Points of Resistance is amongst the few places that Berliners starved for culture during this time of Corona can come to experience diverse artistic perspectives addressing the ongoing need for resistance, in its many forms.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a Discussion Series; a Video Program, Artist Talks; Performances; Concerts; and Children’s Workshops.

Text: Rachel Rits-Volloch

Mission Statement on the exhibition
“Points of Resistance” is an exhibition project by artists and non-artists who all take great pleasure in thinking and delight in taking their own position. They also know that we should be concerned with what is important not only for the individual but also for our culture.

The Zionkirche church in Berlin has a distinguished history as a refuge and work space for people who think differently. In all its manifestations, including in its everyday work and loving approach, it has always represented a lived, resolute but also tolerant resistance, right through to the present day. We deliberately chose this special place for our exhibition, for it asks all participants in “Points of Resistance”, whether creators or visitors, to take on a particular responsibility: in the face of the fissures emerging, worldwide, in political, humane and private decision-making practice as a result of fear and inhumanity, our aim is to demonstrate, through artistic positions, attitudes that have the potential to create a spirit of commonality.

The aim of the exhibition “Points of Resistance” is to be an intellectual and emotional home for people – whatever their background, status, age or views – who are working together to find a possible way of gathering enough strength and enough arguments in the fight against the globalization of indifference; against every form of appropriation and manipulation and for the preservation of the hard-won basic values of democracy.

“Points of Resistance” also strives to keep alive the memory of all those people who, time and again, remained true to their beliefs and were prepared to give their lives for these.

Berlin, as the capital of Germany today, is strongly marked by its history: whether as the former capital of the German Reich or as the formerly divided city, subsidized by both systems on either side of the Wall for decades. But it is also marked by the now almost proverbial scandals that have rocked Berlin since the reunification of Germany – the Berlin banking crisis, the debate around the rebuilding of the Berlin Palace, the airport debacle, Berlin’s “poor but sexy” status – and last but not least, of course, coronavirus.

Nonetheless, all the world still wants to move here – and this is no longer only “because Berlin is so cheap”. Despite it all, Berlin is still seen as a cosmopolitan, diverse and, in addition, extremely creative city. And neither have all these scandals dampened the humour of the Berliners themselves yet. “Points of Resistance” picks up on this. And this is what we are building on: the “Berlin Bear” carries his burden with difficulty, but he carries it stoically – and that makes him strong. And we are keeping up with him –  giving up is not an option!

Text: Constanze Kleiner

Concerts & Events in the framework of the exhibition
Concerts, guided tours, presentations, lectures, talks (tba)

CONCERT
Monday, 26th April 2021, 7 pm and 9:30 pm

TRES MOMENTOS
Composer: Sven Helbig | Conductor: Wilhelm Keitel

“Tres Momentos” describes a section of the infinite spiral in which disorder and structure, the holy and the profane, life and death are mutually dependent. The levity of an unfathomable, fleeting idea or affection is followed by an unrelenting determination.
Mechanical habituality develops first of all into coercion and later on into uncontrollable violence. This, in turn, ultimately implodes, dissolving into a melancholic and whimsical waltz.

The German composer Sven Helbig created the work on behalf of the Moritzburg Festival. In it, he departs from his hitherto preferred strict harmonics and gives greater prominence to electronic components. In the cover artwork for the piece, released on the Berlin label “Neue Meister”, Sven Helbig quotes the approx. 3000-year-old old Chinese oracle of the “I Ching”. The trigram stands for the universal, the eternal and for creative power.

For this concert on the occasion of the exhibition “Points of Resistance”, Sven Helbig is once again collaborating with the conductor Wilhelm Keitel, who also conducted the composer’s choral work “I Eat the Sun and Drink the Rain” and performed it at several venues, including the Bolshoi Theatre.

Sven Helbig

Finissage: Monday, 26 April 2021 from 1:00 p.m. with concert at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Ausstellungsort 1: Zionskirche, Zionskirchplatz, 10119 Berlin-Mitte, Montag-Sonntag: 13 – 18:00 Uhr
Ausstellungsort 2: KLEINERVONWIESE Galerie, Friedrichstrasse 204, 10117 Berlin