Presentation of the Justus Bier Award for Curators

About

Talk with a laudatory speech by Stephan Berg (jury chairman, director, Kunstmuseum Bonn) followed by a discussion with Nóra Lukács and Melanie Roumiguière (curators), moderated by Thomas Wagner (critic, honorary professor of art history, Academy of Fine Arts Nuremberg)

This year’s Justus Bier Prize for Curators, endowed with € 5,000, has been awarded to curators Nóra Lukács and Melanie Roumiguière together with their project team (Layla Burger-Lichtenstein, project manager, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein; Krisztina Hunya, co-curator, Neuer Berliner Kunstverein; Yolanda Kaddu-Mulindwa, co-curator, Galerie im Körnerpark; Malte Giesen and Angela Lammert, co-curators, Akademie der Künste event program; Kaspar Aebi and Natalie Keppler, co-curators, film program).

The prize recognizes their exhibition project and publication If the Berlin Wind Blows My Flag. Art and Internationalism before the Fall of the Berlin Wall (September 14, 2023 – January 14, 2024).

Excerpt from the jury statement:

“The Justus Bier Prize prize is dedicated to exhibition projects and publications distinguished by an original theme and a well-founded professional approach. In the jury’s opinion, the project If the Wind Blows My Flag. Art and Internationalism before the Fall of the Berlin Wall, developed by Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.) in collaboration with the DAAD Berlin Artists-in-Berlin Program, embodies both criteria in exemplary fashion.

If the Berlin Wind Blows My Flag explores the history of the Berlin Artists-in-Berlin Program (BKP) to shed light on the diverse artistic scenes in West Berlin prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall. It critically examines institutional modes of operation and reflects on past and present artistic projects within the historical context of the city and art history.

The majority of the exhibited works come from collections of institutions and galleries in Berlin whose holdings were often shaped by their involvement in the activities of the BKP. To activate the archive as a space for artistic resonance and explore themes beyond just the past, Berlin-based artists and fellows were invited to offer commentary on historical contexts from a contemporary perspective. Much of what is presented in the exhibition testifies to how the Berlin art, literature, and music scenes were vibrantly interconnected in an open-minded and inspiring way before the fall of the Wall – and how that legacy continues to resonate. History is not presented as an abstract, authoritative narrative but rather as a provisional continuum (that emerged in West Berlin between two eras). The project not only highlights stimulating artistic positions from that time but also delves into the political implications of exchange and internationalization: What role did the Berlin Artists-in-Residence Program play during the Cold War? What inclusion and exclusion mechanisms were at work? What significance did public space gain for discussions and participation in artistic positions and processes? And finally: What lasting impacts remain today?

If the Berlin Wind Blows My Flag was consequently realized as a collaborative project. Different facets were showcased at three different locations – n.b.k., daadgalerie, and Galerie im Körnerpark. Additional events at Akademie der Künste and other venues shed light on the program’s cultural and political orientation and its multifaceted roles during the Cold War era.

In awarding the Justus Bier Prize 2024 to If the Berlin Wind Blows My Flag, the jury also acknowledges the evolving landscape of exhibition projects. In this instance, instead of a printed catalogue, the project is accompanied by a freely downloadable PDF booklet.”