Andrea Geyer: Manifest (Banners / Gropius Bau / Berlin)

Museums and exhibition venues are shaped by many different people: artists, staff and visitors. Simultaneously, these institutions are distinctly hierarchical and enforce particular behavioural rules, both explicit and implicit. They create the framework for what is shown in exhibitions and who moves through them in what manner. For instance, the audience is expected to view the art silently and passively.

In contrast, with her installation Manifest (Banners / Gropius Bau / Berlin) the artist Andrea Geyer urged visitors to the Gropius Bau to consider what they themselves want from cultural institutions. The appliquéd texts on the banners at the Gropius Bau’s entrance and in its atrium reflected both her own thoughts and research as well as discussions she had had. Print-outs of Geyer’s manifesto were laid out in the atrium. On their backside, there was space for visitors to imagine and formulate their needs and hopes towards cultural institutions.