Als Beweis genügt das

A series of objects invites participants to gather around, surrounded by a soundpiece and food. Joana Albuquerque’s sculptural grills and Carmen Arias’ antenna-like objects enact an improvised barbecue in the public space by representing the key elements of such activity.

This intervention was part of the performative activation series ( TTP series - Transition To Practice) curated by Carmen Arias, Jakob Braito, Lily Tischer and Nicola Kötterl, which aimed to highlight the democratic transformation processes of public places. The series concentrated around the figure of the table tennis table, a commonly seen structure in German cities, to explore its choreographic potential and alternative uses.
Together with architect Julian Weckenmann, a custom table tennis table was created in the Akademie garden to host these works and serve as a model for exploration. Apart from fulfilling its regular function, the structure served, for instance, as a stage for a concert or a table for tea time.

In the case of “Als Beweiss genügt das”, Joana and Carmen viewed the table as a space of encounter. The temporary appropriation of the public space through the realisation of a barbecue is marked by cultural symbols like food and music, reflecting the identity of the community that gathers. From the reading of the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking migration, Joana and Carmen raised questions about the history and perception of migrant communities in Germany.

The antenna-like sculptures acted as transmitters, playing a sound piece that mimicked the style of a radio show by mixing Spanish and Portuguese “Schlager” music with short spoken phrases. Some of these phrases were excerpts from archival footage documenting the history of the Spanish guest workers in Germany during the second half of the 20th century. One of these audios gives the title for the piece (“As a proof, that’s enough”). Here, it is meant to show the absurd and recurring expectation set for migrants to prove their integration into a society by acquiring their customs and tastes. Other parts of the sound piece included typical radio content, such as weather reports and time announcements. For the latter, the phrase “It is 10 am, one hour less in Paradise” ( a phrase often said in Spanish Peninsular radio, given the different time zone for the Canary Islands) was repeated as a nod to German tourism to southern European islands.

During the activation of the sculptural objects, the sound piece played in stereo around the visitors while Carmen and Joana prepared and served food. Joana’s sculptural grills challenged traditional functionality by dictating constraints that slowed down or complicated the act of cooking. For instance, one grill was so tall it could only be reached by stepping on beer cranes, while another was so narrow that it could only fit one tomato at once.

Barbecue scenification in collaboration with Joana Albuquerque.
Akademiegarten
July 2024

The intervention was part of the TTP (Transition to Practice) series, curated by Jakob Braito, Nicola Kötterl, Lily Tischer and Carmen Arias.

Photographic documentation: Hanne Kaunicnik

TT Table design and construction: Julian Weckenmann