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INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURE
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BERLIN PROJECTS
TEUFELSBERG FIELD STATION BERLIN
The Cold War Spy Station
September 2012 - September 2013
SEPETEMBER 2012 - SEPTEMBER 2013 GERMANY: TEUFELSBERG SPY STATION BERLIN Brendan Jamison is working on a year-long project based on the Teufelsberg Spy Station Berlin, a secret listening station built during the Cold War era. It is located in the Grunewald Forest at the peak of Teufelsberg (translated as Devil's Mountain), an artificial hill built from the rubble of the bombed buildings after the Second World War. Field Station Berlin was built by the American National Security Agency and shared with British Intelligence. With temporary mobile units in place since 1960, it was not until 1963 when permanent structures began to appear on the hill top. However, the 'architecture of espionage' was forever evolving. The field station expanded rapidly between 1963-1977. In the beginning there were no radomes, by 1977, there were 5. In 1992, the intelligence community vacated Teufelsberg following the end of the Cold War after the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 25 December 1991. However, the work undertaken here remains classified. From the outset the field station was clouded in secrecy. Over the years, some of these mysteries have been revealed, whilst others have become mixed with myth and imagination... With 2013 marking the 50th anniversary of the permanent base at Teufelsberg, Jamison will present a solo exhibition in Berlin later this year. Adopting a multi-disciplinary approach, the show will feature drawing, collage, sculpture and photography. It will also include over 30 'intelligence reports' that Jamison has created through detailed analysis of the spy station with regular field trips to the site.
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2011-2012: PROJECT CHECKPOINT CHARLIE
Art Connect Berlin, August 2012
ArtConnect Berlin
Boddinstraße 62, 12053, Berlin
CHECKPOINT CHARLIE (guard booth i) [pinhole collage]
(2012) BrendanJamison
photographic collage, 21 x 24 cms
Exhibited at ArtConnect Berlin, Augsut 2012
TOPPLE
[Studio wall plans from Checkpoint Charlie Series: collage 1]
(2012) Brendan Jamison
mixed-media collage, 33 x 40 cms
During its 28 years of existence from 1961-1989, Checkpoint Charlie had three different versions of guard booth. The wooden structure currently sitting on Friedrichstraße is a recreation of the original from 1961. During the cold war, the Soviet military recognised this border control station as the Friedrichstraße Crossing Point (КПП Фридрихштрассе). |
EVOLUTION OF THE GUARD BOOTH
CHECKPOINT CHARLIE - Guard Booth i. 28 August 1962
Photography: All Hails
CHECKPOINT CHARLIE - Guard Booth ii. Circa 1980
Photography: Bob Butcher
Checkpoint Charlie - Guard Booth iii. Removal on
22 June 1990. This booth is now located
at the Allied Museum, Clayallee 135, Berlin
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2009: Reichstag Würfelzucker Kuppel John Erickson Museum of Art (JEMA)
PART 1: PROJECT RESEARCH
Meeting at the Eurpoa Hotel in Belfast on 20 April
2008, Jamison and Miller discuss the architectural attributes of government
buildings and monuments. Later, after several
visits to Berlin, Jamison commences with research regarding the architecture of
The Reichstag.In the course of his research Jamison becomes especially fascinated
with the iconic Norman Foster dome that was added to the Reichstag in
1999.
Files and careful records are kept at JEMA concerning the history of The Reichstag as well as Brendan Jamison’s process. In the course of their research Miller and Jamison admiringly remember the 1995 'Wrapped Reichstag' project by Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
A photographic document of the 1995 wrapping project by Christo and Jeanne-Claude offers an image of a wrapped Reichstag (then without dome). May 2009: In reference to the iconic 1995 wrapping of The Reichstag by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, JEMA Director Sean Miller commissions the production of this special wrapping fabric to cover the entire sugar sculpture. Artist Kelly Cobb weaves a special linen fabric and it is embroidered with Jamison’s name, his exhibition title, and JEMA logo. A detail of the fabric is shown here.
PART 2: WRAPPING THE DOME IN BELFAST, 16 June 2009
16 June 2009: A special wrapping event is held at the QSS Gallery in Belfast with JEMA Exhibition Technician and Art Handler, Emma Connolly, QSS Gallery Director Brendan O'Neill, Sculptor Brendan Jamison, Flax Art Studio Manager Eleanor Phillips and JEMA Assistant Exhibition Technician Georgia Lennon.
A round of applause draws the wrapping event to a close and JEMA closes to make preparations to travel the exhibition and the new dome to the German capital.
PART 3: UNWRAPPING THE DOME IN BERLIN, 28 June 2009
The elevated view of the wrapped sugar cube dome as it passes custom control on its diplomatic mission to Berlin to strengthen Irish/American/German relations. This sweet gesture will be presented to the German people at the front steps of the German parliament.
JEMA Exhibition Technician, Emma Connolly and sculptor, Brendan Jamison, open the museum in Berlin in front of The Reichstag.
On Sunday, June 28th, at 8:30 pm, Reichstag Würfelzucker Kuppel was delivered, unwrapped, unveiled, and exhibited at Platz der Republik, The Reichstag, Berlin.
Lines of viewers visit JEMA to see Jamison’s new exhibition Reichstag Würfelzucker Kuppel.
Reichstag Würfelzucker Kuppel at JEMA: Total audience count: 473 (duration 117 minutes).
The Reichstag’s new dome sparkles
PART 4: DELIVERING & EXHIBITING THE DOME AT THE HARN MUSEUM IN FLORIDA, 8 September 2009
Several months later, on Tuesday, September 8th, 2009, Jamison and JEMA Director Sean Miller, travel Reichstag Würfelzucker Kuppel to the Samuel P. Harn Museum in Gainesville, Florida to
begin its U.S. tour. JEMA opens amid the crates in the Harn Museum’s Exhibition and Registration offices and workspace. Left: Registrar, Jessica Aiken and Education Coordinator, Rebecca Fitzsimmons, observe and begin the necessary paperwork as Brendan Jamison prepares to unwrap Reichstag Würfelzucker Kuppel.
The Harn Museum’s Curator of African Art, Susan Cooksey, is the first official viewer of Reichstag Würfelzucker Kuppel.
INSTALLATION VIEWS
Installation view of Reichstag Würfelzucker Kuppel [model B2-RZK] (2009) Brendan Jamison at John Erickson Museum of Art.
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Design © Brendan Jamison 2008-2016
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