Jakob Kudsk Steensen's first major solo exhibition in Europe, Berl-Berl, opened in Berlin on 10 July 2021. Until 26 September 2021, interested visitors can marvel at Berlin's origins as a swampland in the Halle am Berghain as well as online, which originated over 10,000 years ago and, like many western swamps, was drained in the 18th century. In his immersive installation, the Danish artist combines relics of the Ice Age with the marshlands of today, combining his images and audio recordings from remaining wetlands of Berlin-Brandenburg with research on these multi-layered ecosystems. Thanks to a partnership with the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Kudsk Steensen was able to provide Berl-Berl with further digital records and, in cooperation with sound composer Matt McCorkle and singer Arca, find a fitting melody for his art. But in addition to the visual representation of the wetlands, the mythology of settlements of that time, influenced by Sorbian folklore, also flows into his work. The name »Berl« - Sorbian for »swamp« - is itself a hint to that.
The contemporary Danish artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen (*1987) is considered a pioneer in dealing with new artistic and technological practices. He uses new developments in photography and computer games to create multi-dimensional worlds, often with reference to the natural environment. Thus, his environmental storytelling runs through his 3D animations, sound works and immersive installations. In addition to the Halle am Berghain, Berl-Berl can also be found online at BerlBerl.world. There, visitors can experience digitally and in real time what unfolds in the Halle am Berghain.
