Mare
Die Ganze Zeit, Schloss Britz Berlin 2025
During the 19th century Wilhelminian era, society underwent a profound transformation, shaped by the industrial revolution, technological progress and sweeping social changes. It was during this era that the concept of time acquired a new dimension and came to play a decisive role in the management of human resources.
Controlling time meant gaining power not only over production processes but also over people’s lives. At Schloss Britz, ten contemporary artists are now exploring the phenomenon of time in the 19th and the 21st century. The result is a differentiated view of contemporary culture - and the question of what alternatives are conceivable.
Works by Alma Ulrikke Bille Stræde, Anna Borgman, Ingo Gerken, Manaf Halbouni, Karin Lind, Carsten Nicolai, Sophia Pompéry, Ahmed Ramadan, Liza Sivakova, Francis Zeischegg.
Curated by: Anna Borgman & Sophia Pompéry
Alma Bille Stræde's installation Mare (Mahr (de)) explores the relationship between humans and machines on the one hand, and technological efficiency in an era of increasing robotization on the other. The artist combines traditional objects such as a gymnastics vaulting horse with 3D-printed horse hooves and a dressage saddle cast in silicone, thereby raising questions about the optimization and expansion of physical performance.
The perception of a temporal difference between our present and the late 19th century plays a crucial role in this work. By combining photographs of Boston Dynamics robot Spot with sculptural elements, she reflects on the ongoing automation of labor and its impact on both human and animal corporeality.
The installation references historical parallels to the Gründerzeit, a period in which similar efforts to increase efficiency and optimize the body were already evident. In her work, the artist repeatedly refers to Boston Dynamics' robotic dog Spot, which serves as a symbol of the current transformation of physical labor. The juxtaposition of traditional working animals and modern robots opens up a complex dialogue about the future of labor and the role of the body in a technologized world.
Text from catalogue.