Bye bye Mitte.. read the announcement of C/O Berlin in March 2013, when it had to leave the former imperial Postfuhramt in the Oranienburgerstrasse. Since the end of October 2014 the beloved Berlin photographic institution is back in the Amerika Haus next to the Zoologischer Garten railway station. Hello Charlottenburg!
C/O Berlin
C/O Berlin is established in 2000. Since then it exhibited many renowned national and international visual artists, including Robert Mapplethorpe, Martin Parr, Annie Leibovitz, Anton Corbijn, Karl Lagerfeld and Sybille Bergemann. Also young talents are promoted. Furthermore it organises guided tours, lectures and artist talks.
It had its first exhibitions in the Postfuhramt until it had to leave in 2001. After several years in an old foundry in the Auguststrasse it moved back to the former imperial postoffice in 2006. Although the state of the building did not meet the most modern standards of an art exhibition building, the atmosphere was great and suited perfectly for photography exhibitions. Unique was the old gymnastics hall, where you could almost smell the sweat of postmen playing basketball.
Early 2013, the building was sold and the C/O Berlin had to move out. After 1,5 years it found its new home in the Amerika Haus in Charlottenburg.
Amerika Haus
The Amerika Haus in Berlin was one of the many Amerika Houses in Germany, managed by the US to engage on relations between the US and the FRG, and to learn about American politics and culture. The design by architect Bruno Grimmek was realised between 1956 and 1957 on the occasion of the international building exhibition Interbau. It started as a light, open building, which contained a library, exhibition spaces and a cinema. Over time it gradually evolved into a fortress due to political tensions. In 2006 the institute moved to new US embassy and the building was given back to the city of Berlin.
The building has recently been renovated to get it prepared for the new exhibition venue of C/O Berlin for the coming 20 years. It got a new book store and coffee shop as well. A must-see for photography lovers! And it is located just around the corner of the Museum of Photography and close to the inspiring area around the Kantstrasse, where you can find for example gallery Camera Work and the bookshop Bücherbogen full with books about architecture, photography, art and design.
Until april 10th you can visit the three exhibitions Blow-up, about the film by Michelangelo Antonioni, Lore Krüger-A suitcase full of pictures, with photographs by the Jewish-German photographer between 1934-1944, and Niina Vatanen-Beyond the visible surface with works by the Finnish photographer.
C/O Berlin
www.co-berlin.org
Amerika Haus Hardenbergstrasse 22-24 10623 Berlin
U2 S5 S7 S75 Zoologischer Garten
Open daily 11-20
Admission 10 Euro/5 Euro
Under18 free admission
Annual ticket 40 Euro
