Planet B

Participating Artists & Project Orgnisers

Planet B has been curated by Alain Bieber, Nicola Funk and Joanna Szlauderbach in cooperation with Vasco Bontje (Sustainica) and Darija Šimunović (project Hörner/Antlfinger). An accompanying publication by Lukas Feireiss and Matthias Hübner presents many other utopias – from Steward Brand, though Chus Martínez and right up to Raymond Kurzweil – that serve as an inspiration and encourage action. The participating artists include: Agnieszka Pokrywka, Alvaro Urbano, Anna Romanenko, Armin Chodzinski, Atelier für Sonderaufgaben, Andrew Gryf Paterson, Ben J. Riepe, Björn Kühn, Brad Downey, Constantin Schlachter, Eric Winkler, Hörner/Antlfinger, Jan Holtmann, Jana Pejoska, Kathryn Fleming, Labor Fou, Lars Zimmermann, Mathieu Tremblin, Matthias Löwe, Merlin Baum, Mikko Laajola, Norma D. Hunter, per.Vers, Valentina Karga and Vladimir Turner.

The research station on Planet B

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Alan C. Kay

The core of the exhibition is a research station that has been curated by Joanna Szlauderbach. This is a walk-through room installation in the form of a rocket that will be constructed by the artist collective Labor Fou. Hypothetical approaches for alternative life concepts will be brought together in the rocket where they will be discussed, implemented and reviewed in order to determine their actual potential. Within the framework of artist-in-residence programmes and working in transdisciplinary teams, the rocket will provide artists, activists, visionaries and hackers the opportunity to implement their hitherto unrealised concepts for a new world. In the course of this, they will not only be working in the research station but will also be living there. The research space will form a membrane between the imaginary new world and the world in which we are currently living. Together with local activists, the international residents will create tool kits - alternative resources to help shape a new world. The results of the respective studies and tests will be incorporated into the exhibition and will be passed on to the next research group both in the form of space-defining elements and also a logbook.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to observe the artists, or take part in their work and help to shape the processes with their own ideas.

International Group Exhibition in the NRW-Forum

Besides the research station, which will be continuously changing, the second focus of the project will be a group exhibition of works in the exhibition room and in the public space. At the heart of the group exhibition there will be a walk-through room installation by the Düsseldorf-based Ben J. Riepe Kompanie where, during the entire exhibition period, various performances will be played out. The "UUUUU(topia)“ installation with its huge lawn, where games can be played, will bring a natural environment into the exhibition space.

Since 2005, the artist duo Hörner/Antlfinger has been undertaking time travel experiments with participants in various countries. The process of imagination is the focus of these experiments. In a compilation entitled "Back to the Future, Forward the Past. Three Time Travel Experiments", Planet B will present some of these journeys in time through Sofia, Istanbul and Sarajevo. Moreover, in three workshops, Planet B will undertake imaginary guided tours through the city of Düsseldorf. The project has been curated by Darija Šimunović and will be realised in cooperation with the imai Foundation and supported by the Ministry for Families, Children, Youth, Culture and Sports of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

In her works, the designer Kathryn Fleming explores the connections between science, technology and art. For the "Endless Form / Endless Species“ series, using taxidermy, she developed new life forms that would be ideally adapted for life in the future.

Eric Winkler developed new uniforms for the police. His project provides utopian alternative concepts to the current visual appearance of the police and security service providers and examines the political dimension of visual uniformity.

Through temporary interventions, the works of the Berlin-based American artist Brad Downey reclaim privatised and commercialised urban spaces. In his Fence Hack series, 2014-2015, he created openings in places where fences had put up boundaries and he used the fences to make frames for art works.

The photographs by Constantin Schlachter show abstract natural motifs and mental landscapes that appear to be images of an unknown future.

International Group Exhibition in the public space

The Swiss conceptional artist duo Atelier für Sonderaufgaben [Studio for Special Tasks] realise social and political interventions in public spaces. From 31 May to 2 June 2016, they will be driving through the city in their "Quatschmobil" [or, ‘chatmobile’] and will take passengers free of charge so long as they "quatschen“ [or, chat]. As soon as conversation starts to flow the car will begin to drive, if there is no conversation it will stand still. The spoken word will become the fuel and thoughts will be turned into capital. For every 10 kilometres that are driven a random act in a public space will be triggered, such as, for example, a free haircut, a shoe repair, or a pizza.

Alvaro Urbano creates synergies between living organisms and dynamic structures through his installations, films and performances. As part of the Planet B exhibition, he installs an aviary in the outdoor area of the NRW-Forum, regarding the series „Utopias are for Birds“. For the ongoing project he develops aviaries based on drawings and drafts that originated from utopian projects and architectural concepts which could never be realized.

The theatre project "Niemandsland-Unterstadt“ [No Man's Land-The City Below] involves an excursion to a disused railway tunnel. The project is from the theatre collective per.Vers., in a co-proudction with the ASPHALT Festival, in cooperation with the ZAKK cultural centre and the Rheinbahn AG. This "underside" of the luxury district situated above is the living space and refuge for people for whom the world has become too hostile. Supported by the Ministry for Families, Children, Youth, Culture and Sports of the State of NRW.

The work of Vladimir Turner ranges between documentaries, interventions in the public space and political activism. The French artist Mathieu Tremblin is known for his interventions in the public space; they are frequently minimalist and ironic. Together they will analyse the city of Düsseldorf with its conditions and structures and subsequently create contextual interventions in public spaces.