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Carson Chan

@chan.carson

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Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs - Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki @admuseo

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Meet Young Climate Prize Cohort 03📣

With Miejska Miedza, Bolesław Jacaszek, an 18-year-old biodiversity advocate from Poland, is transforming university lawns in Gdańsk into semi-natural meadows designed to create habitats for wild pollinators.
Jacaszek founded and leads the project, coordinating scientists, students and institutions while directing partnerships, public communication and the physical transformation of the campus. The project has introduced around 117 native species alongside workshops and monitoring focused on wild-bee conservation.

Jacaszek will be mentored by curator Carson Chan. 🌍

The World Around Young Climate Prize is supported by Design Partner @millerknoll , Initiative Partner @obelfoundation , Academic Partner @aaschool and members of @theworldaround Climate Circle.

#TheWorldAround #YoungClimatePrize #YCPCohort03 #MeetTomorrow #25under25 by @chan.carson

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5 hours ago

When‎ in‎ Rome…‎ check‎ out‎ the‎ “environmental‎ installations”‎ at‎ @museomaxxi by‎ @we_are_takk,‎ and‎ expertly‎ curated‎ by‎ @martina.muzi.‎ The‎ collective‎ sofa,‎ “wellness‎ bed,”‎ work‎ table,‎ garden,‎ tower,‎ and‎ fountain‎ transforms‎ the‎ museum’s‎ lobby‎ and‎ entrance‎ spaces‎ for‎ other‎ forms‎ of‎ inhabitation.‎
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⁣Happy‎ to‎ report‎ that‎ as‎ interventions,‎ these‎ things‎ actually‎ work (as you can see from the photos)!
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⁣#contemporaryarchitecture #architecture #installation #rome #artinrome
⁣ taken in MAXXI - Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo by @chan.carson

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18 days ago

The‎ Estonian‎ Maritime‎ Museum‎ (2012),‎ designed‎ by‎ Koko‎ Architects‎ @kokoarchitects,‎ was‎ first‎ built‎ as‎ a‎ seaplane‎ hangar‎ that‎ was‎ part‎ of‎ the‎ Russian‎ Empire’s‎ defensive‎ complex‎ protecting‎ the‎ Gulf‎ of‎ Finland.‎ The‎ huge‎ 38-meter‎ span‎ domes,‎ I‎ learned,‎ were‎ probably‎ the‎ very‎ first‎ thin-shell‎ concrete‎ constructions‎ in‎ the‎ world.‎
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⁣After‎ Estonia‎ regained‎ independence‎ in‎ 1991,‎ it‎ was‎ decided‎ that‎ the‎ hangar‎ would‎ become‎ a‎ museum,‎ especially‎ one‎ that‎ could‎ house‎ large‎ things.‎ Koko‎ Architects‎ started‎ the‎ work‎ on‎ the‎ transformation‎ shortly‎ after‎ they‎ won‎ an‎ open‎ competition‎ in‎ 2009‎ with‎ a‎ design‎ that‎ could‎ house‎ the‎ Lembit‎ submarine‎ (1930),‎ a‎ symbol‎ of‎ Estonian‎ unity‎ as‎ it‎ was‎ paid‎ for‎ by‎ people‎ donating‎ scrap‎ metal.
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⁣#tallinn #adaptivereuse #estonianarchitecture #tallinnarchitecture
⁣ by @chan.carson

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21 days ago

Robert‎ Natus’s‎ mixed-use‎ clinker‎ brick‎ building‎ (1935)‎ in‎ Tallinn‎ is‎ an‎ homage‎ to‎ Fritz‎ Höger’s‎ Chilehaus‎ (1924)‎ in‎ Hamburg.‎ Natus‎ also‎ designed‎ the‎ old‎ Tallinn‎ city‎ hall‎ and‎ both‎ are‎ examples‎ of‎ North‎ German‎ Brick‎ Expressionism‎ outside‎ of‎ Germany.‎ It’s‎ pretty‎ amazing‎ to‎ see‎ up‎ close.
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⁣C/o‎ @athiermann
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⁣#modernarchitecture #tallinnarchitecture #estonianarchitecture #brickwork #brickexpressionism
⁣ taken in Tallinn, Estonia by @chan.carson

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23 days ago

I‎ applaud‎ the‎ curators‎ of‎ the‎ current‎ edition‎ of‎ @tallinnarchitecturebiennale for‎ making‎ a‎ show‎ about‎ the‎ hidden‎ costs‎ of‎ “cheapness”‎ in‎ architecture,‎ a‎ feat‎ in‎ its‎ own‎ right.‎ The‎ entire‎ exhibition‎ was‎ displayed‎ on‎ the‎ stage‎ of‎ an‎ empty‎ auditorium.‎ It‎ was‎ also‎ great‎ to‎ see‎ friends‎ in‎ the‎ show‎ (hi‎ @we_are_takk 👋🏼).‎ But‎ the‎ real‎ star‎ of‎ this‎ edition‎ of‎ the‎ biennial‎ is‎ its‎ location:‎ Linnahall‎ (1980),‎ the‎ abandoned‎ Soviet-era‎ multipurpose‎ complex‎ temporarily‎ opened‎ to‎ the‎ public‎ for‎ the‎ exhibition.
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⁣Designed‎ by‎ Raine‎ Karp‎ and‎ Riina‎ Altmäe,‎ Linnahall‎ was‎ built‎ for‎ the‎ sailing‎ events‎ of‎ the‎ 1980‎ Summer‎ Olympics‎ (Moscow‎ has‎ no‎ seacoast).‎ At‎ the‎ biennial‎ opening‎ last‎ night,‎ older‎ visitors‎ recalled‎ coming‎ here‎ for‎ concerts,‎ hockey‎ matches,‎ ice‎ skating,‎ and‎ fashion‎ shows.‎ The‎ building‎ was‎ abandoned‎ in‎ 2009,‎ and‎ with‎ each‎ passing‎ year‎ it‎ seems‎ increasingly‎ unlikely‎ that‎ it‎ will‎ be‎ revived.‎ Christopher‎ Nolan‎ filmed‎ the‎ Kyiv‎ opera‎ house‎ scenes‎ in‎ Tenet‎ (2019)‎ here,‎ ending‎ with‎ the‎ building‎ blowing‎ up.
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⁣Why‎ can’t‎ we‎ let‎ it‎ stay‎ a‎ ruin?‎ A‎ monument‎ to‎ the‎ many‎ ruins‎ it‎ symbolizes.‎ Standing‎ at‎ the‎ top‎ of‎ the‎ steps‎ and‎ looking‎ down‎ onto‎ the‎ enormous‎ plaza,‎ I‎ imagined‎ myself‎ standing‎ atop‎ a‎ Mesoamerican‎ pyramid.‎ Being‎ transported‎ to‎ past‎ civilizations‎ and‎ cultures,‎ Soviet‎ and‎ Aztec,‎ seems‎ like‎ a‎ good‎ reason‎ to‎ keep‎ this‎ place.
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⁣#modernarchitecture #sovietarchitecture #brutalism #estonianarchitecture #tallinn
⁣ taken in Tallinna Linnahall by @chan.carson

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24 days ago

Glad‎ I‎ was‎ able‎ to‎ catch‎ Liam‎ Young’s‎ show‎ at‎ the‎ Barbican‎ when‎ I‎ was‎ in‎ London‎ few‎ weeks‎ ago.‎ I‎ acquired‎ Planet‎ City‎ (2022),‎ Liam’s‎ dream/nightmare‎ megacity‎ for‎ 10‎ billion‎ people,‎ for‎ MoMA‎ a‎ few‎ years‎ back.‎ It‎ looks‎ incredible‎ here‎ installed‎ with‎ the‎ models.
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⁣#liamyoung @liam_y #environmentalarchitecture #scifiart #scifiarchitecture #clifi @barbicancentre
⁣ by @chan.carson

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a month ago

Last‎ week‎ I‎ spoke‎ inside‎ Alvar‎ and‎ Aino‎ Aalto’s‎ first‎ industrial‎ structure,‎ a‎ concrete‎ silo‎ that‎ was‎ part‎ of‎ the‎ Toppila‎ Sulphate‎ Pulp‎ Mill‎ in‎ Oulu‎ (1931).‎ I‎ went‎ as‎ part‎ of‎ Mari‎ Lending’s‎ research‎ group‎ at‎ @aho_architecture_design on‎ architectural‎ provenance‎ and‎ circularity,‎ and‎ it‎ was‎ fascinating‎ to‎ see‎ that‎ of‎ all‎ the‎ former‎ mill’s‎ buildings,‎ the‎ silo‎ is‎ the‎ last‎ to‎ be‎ repurposed.‎ All‎ the‎ other‎ structures‎ have‎ now‎ become‎ housing,‎ recreation‎ facilities,‎ and‎ offices.‎ The‎ silo‎ was‎ meant‎ for‎ storing‎ wood‎ chips,‎ I‎ believe.‎
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⁣I‎ can’t‎ help‎ but‎ to‎ think‎ that‎ the‎ fascination‎ with‎ industrial‎ structures‎ in‎ the‎ west‎ is‎ connected‎ to‎ a‎ longing‎ or‎ nostalgia‎ for‎ its‎ past‎ glory‎ days‎ when industry was the‎ primary‎ engine‎ of‎ modernity.‎ Making‎ things‎ quickly‎ and‎ in‎ large‎ amounts‎ was‎ a‎ symbol‎ of‎ progress.‎ Structures‎ like‎ the‎ Aaltos’‎ silo‎ is‎ both‎ a‎ shrine‎ to‎ the‎ past‎ and‎ a‎ testament‎ to‎ what‎ has‎ been‎ lost.‎ During‎ the‎ pandemic,‎ a‎ British‎ couple‎ bought‎ the‎ silo‎ for‎ €6250‎ (€250‎ more‎ than‎ the‎ starting‎ bid‎ of‎ 6K).‎ There‎ are‎ plans‎ to‎ make‎ a‎ bar‎ at‎ the‎ top‎ of‎ the‎ silo!
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⁣#aalto #alvaraalto #ainoaalto #finnisharchitecture #modernarchitecture
⁣ taken in Oulu by @chan.carson

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a month ago

The‎ work‎ of‎ the‎ design‎ practice‎ COMPANY @com_pa_ny ‎ makes‎ me‎ want‎ to‎ do‎ what‎ they‎ do.‎ Founded‎ by‎ Aamu‎ Song‎ and‎ Johan‎ Olin‎ in‎ Helsinki‎ in‎ 2000,‎ the‎ two‎ begin‎ by‎ seeking‎ out‎ the‎ artisans‎ behind‎ the‎ objects‎ they‎ encounter‎ and‎ love,‎ whether‎ at‎ home‎ in‎ Finland‎ or‎ elsewhere:‎ Pakistan,‎ Korea,‎ Mexico,‎ Japan,‎ Russia,‎ and‎ beyond.
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⁣For‎ me,‎ the‎ name‎ COMPANY‎ evokes‎ both‎ a‎ bureaucratic‎ and‎ logistical‎ machine‎ and‎ the‎ intimacy‎ of‎ close‎ relationships,‎ “company”‎ as‎ in‎ the‎ people‎ and‎ things‎ we‎ choose‎ to‎ have‎ around‎ us.‎ After‎ Aamu‎ and‎ Johan‎ become‎ familiar‎ with‎ the‎ maker‎ of‎ a‎ chosen‎ object,‎ they’ll‎ design‎ a‎ new‎ object‎ for‎ them‎ to‎ make,‎ which‎ is‎ then‎ sold‎ in‎ their‎ “secret”‎ Helsinki‎ store,‎ Salakauppa @salakauppa.‎
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⁣I‎ got‎ to‎ visit‎ them‎ in‎ their‎ (incredible)‎ Helsinki‎ studio‎ between‎ their‎ travels‎ and‎ see‎ the‎ shop.‎ (You‎ can‎ buy‎ their‎ objects‎ online‎ too)‎ How‎ can‎ your‎ heart‎ not‎ melt‎ for‎ the‎ father/daughter‎ dancing‎ shoes‎ made‎ by‎ Lahtiset @lahtiset,‎ a‎ 3rd‎ generation‎ felt‎ footwear‎ maker‎ in‎ central‎ Finland.‎
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⁣#finnishdesign #handcraft #artisanmade #independentretail
⁣ taken in Helsinki by @chan.carson

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a month ago

I‎ had‎ never‎ heard‎ of‎ Villa‎ Oivala‎ (1924)‎ or‎ its‎ architect,‎ Oiva‎ Kallio,‎ when‎ it‎ was‎ suggested‎ back‎ in‎ February‎ that‎ we‎ try‎ to‎ book‎ it‎ for‎ a‎ visit‎ in‎ the‎ summer.‎ Built‎ on‎ the‎ island‎ of‎ Villinki‎ near‎ Helsinki,‎ the‎ house,‎ I‎ learned,‎ has‎ been‎ central‎ to‎ generations‎ of‎ Finnish‎ architects:‎ as‎ students,‎ they‎ would‎ go‎ there‎ for‎ post-review‎ drinks‎ with‎ their‎ professors,‎ while‎ small‎ groups‎ would‎ gather‎ to‎ swim‎ and‎ use‎ the‎ sauna.
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⁣Design‎ a‎ few‎ years‎ after‎ Finland’s‎ independence,‎ it’s‎ an‎ important‎ claim‎ to‎ what‎ Finnish‎ architecture‎ might‎ look‎ like.‎ Covered‎ in‎ grey‎ vertical‎ wooden‎ siding,‎ the‎ plan‎ is‎ like‎ a‎ Roman‎ courtyard‎ house‎ or‎ a‎ Beijing‎ hutong.‎ With‎ no‎ running‎ water‎ or‎ electricity‎ until‎ quite‎ recently,‎ the‎ sauna‎ built‎ a‎ few‎ years‎ after‎ the‎ house‎ was‎ where‎ Oiva‎ bathed.‎ I‎ learned‎ that‎ this‎ particular‎ sauna‎ quickly‎ became‎ a‎ model‎ for‎ innumerable‎ shore‎ sauna’s‎ across‎ Finland.‎
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⁣I‎ went‎ with‎ architect‎ Teemu‎ Kurkela‎ @teemukurkela of‎ JKMM,‎ artist‎ Pan‎ Jianfeng‎ @inklink,‎ and‎ gallerist‎ Jie‎ Zhao‎ @houseofinkporvoo,‎ and‎ as‎ Jie‎ promised,‎ the‎ experience‎ was‎ magical.‎ Thank‎ you‎ for‎ bringing‎ me‎ there!
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⁣#finnisharchitecture #summerinfinland #finnishsummer #finnishsauna #sauna
⁣ taken in Villinki by @chan.carson

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a month ago

NEWS: Juhani‎ Pallasmaa‎ has‎ donated‎ his‎ entire personal‎ research‎ library‎ to‎ the‎ Museum,‎ and‎ going‎ through‎ his‎ books‎ in‎ the‎ Pallasmaa‎ Research‎ Library‎ at‎ our‎ new‎ project‎ space‎ is‎ surreal,‎ to‎ say‎ the‎ least.
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⁣Building‎ a‎ new‎ museum‎ is‎ not‎ just‎ about‎ making‎ exhibitions.‎ In‎ preparation‎ for‎ the‎ new‎ Architecture‎ &‎ Design‎ Museum‎ Helsinki‎ @arkkitehtuuri_ja_designmuseo @admuseo,‎ we‎ opened‎ a‎ project‎ space‎ across‎ the‎ street‎ from‎ the‎ construction‎ site‎ at‎ Eteläranta‎ 6‎ and‎ have‎ already‎ started‎ programming‎ it.‎ The‎ aim‎ is‎ to‎ understand‎ how‎ the‎ new‎ museum‎ will‎ be‎ contextualized‎ at‎ different‎ scales:‎ the‎ South‎ Harbor‎ neighborhood,‎ Helsinki,‎ Finland,‎ the‎ Nordic-Baltic‎ region,‎ and‎ internationally.
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⁣At‎ the‎ local‎ scale,‎ we’re‎ starting‎ a‎ Community‎ Residency‎ program‎ where‎ local‎ groups‎ and‎ organizations‎ can‎ book‎ space‎ on‎ our‎ premises.‎ This‎ allows‎ us‎ to‎ develop‎ relationships‎ with‎ the‎ community‎ long‎ before‎ the‎ new‎ Museum‎ is‎ completed‎ in‎ 2030.
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⁣At‎ the‎ national‎ scale,‎ we’re‎ collaborating‎ with‎ New Academy to‎ launch‎ a‎ live‎ podcast‎ program,‎ where‎ in-person‎ interviews‎ with‎ architects‎ and‎ designers‎ explore‎ the‎ questions‎ “what‎ is‎ Finnish‎ architecture?”‎ and‎ “what‎ is‎ Finnish‎ design?”‎ These‎ will‎ be‎ edited‎ into‎ podcasts‎ available‎ to‎ audiences‎ around‎ the‎ world.
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⁣At‎ the‎ international‎ scale,‎ we’re‎ collaborating‎ with‎ writer‎ and‎ curator‎ @danielebellerijaforte to‎ develop‎ a‎ workshop‎ exploring‎ how‎ Finland‎ is‎ understood‎ and‎ defined‎ geopolitically,‎ an‎ urgent‎ question‎ given‎ Finland’s‎ historic‎ relationship‎ with‎ neighboring‎ Russia‎ and‎ its‎ increasingly‎ central‎ role‎ in‎ the‎ European‎ project.
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⁣Tonight,‎ we‎ launched‎ the‎ space‎ with‎ the‎ first‎ episode‎ of‎ the‎ podcast,‎ featuring‎ New‎ Academy’s‎ interview‎ with‎ Juhani‎ Pallasmaa,‎ just‎ two‎ weeks‎ shy‎ of‎ his‎ 90th‎ birthday.‎ Congrats‎ to‎ all‎ the‎ Museum‎ colleagues‎ who‎ made‎ Eteläranta‎ 6‎ a‎ reality!
⁣⁣ taken in Helsinki by @chan.carson

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a month ago

Full‎ circle‎ is‎ not‎ the‎ right‎ image,‎ but‎ it‎ was‎ incredible‎ to‎ meet‎ Stuart‎ Wrede‎ @stuart.wrede in‎ person‎ at‎ the‎ Architecture‎ &‎ Design‎ Museum,‎ Helsinki @admuseo.‎ An‎ architect‎ and‎ environmental‎ artist‎ now‎ living‎ in‎ Lisbon,‎ I’ve‎ known‎ Stuart‎ as‎ the‎ Director‎ of‎ Architecture‎ and‎ Design‎ at‎ MoMA‎ from‎ 1988‎ –‎ 1992,‎ succeeding‎ Arthur‎ Drexler‎ (he‎ started‎ in‎ the‎ department‎ in‎ ’85‎ as‎ a‎ Curator).‎ Yes,‎ he’s‎ curated‎ the‎ landmark‎ Mario‎ Botta,‎ Steven‎ Holl,‎ and‎ Louis‎ Kahn‎ shows‎ at‎ MoMA,‎ but‎ many‎ will‎ also‎ remember‎ him‎ as‎ the‎ director‎ who‎ invited‎ Philip‎ Johnson‎ and‎ Mark‎ Wigley‎ to‎ curate‎ the‎ important‎ Deconstructivist‎ Architecture‎ (1988)‎ show,‎ and‎ presided‎ over‎ Cara‎ McCarty’s‎ iconic‎ Information‎ Art:‎ Diagrammatic‎ Microchips‎ (1990)‎ exhibition.‎
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⁣As‎ far‎ as‎ I‎ know,‎ he‎ is‎ the‎ only‎ Finn‎ to‎ have‎ held‎ a‎ directorship‎ position‎ at‎ MoMA‎ (and‎ of‎ the‎ Architecture‎ and‎ Design‎ department,‎ at‎ that!).
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⁣He‎ came‎ by‎ for‎ coffee‎ and‎ to‎ drop‎ off‎ the‎ entire‎ edition‎ of‎ Garland’s‎ Mies‎ drawings‎ at‎ the‎ Museum.‎ Come‎ back‎ any‎ time,‎ Stuart!
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⁣#modernarchitecture #deconstructivistarchitecture #miesvanderrohe #moma #moominmug
⁣ taken in Helsinki by @chan.carson

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a month ago

I‎ can’t‎ think‎ of‎ anything‎ better‎ to‎ experience‎ than‎ Jeremy‎ Shaw’s‎ Phase‎ Shifting‎ Index‎ (2020),‎ a‎ work‎ celebrating‎ the‎ trans-historic,‎ trans-temporal,‎ trans-spatial‎ becoming‎ of‎ humanity’s‎ future,‎ the‎ day‎ after‎ a‎ vicious‎ attempt‎ to‎ dampen‎ the‎ joy‎ of‎ Berlin’s‎ CSD.‎ Many,‎ like‎ myself,‎ find‎ the‎ work‎ moving‎ and‎ it’s‎ doubly‎ so‎ today‎ as‎ a‎ testament‎ to‎ love,‎ unity,‎ and‎ synchronicity.‎ Thank‎ you‎ Jer‎ for‎ this‎ multi-channel‎ masterpiece‎ (and‎ thank‎ you‎ @hamburger_bahnhof for‎ the‎ multi-year‎ exhibition‎ of‎ this‎ work!).‎ If‎ you’re‎ in‎ Berlin,‎ go‎ see‎ it‎ now.‎ It’s‎ the‎ last‎ day‎ to‎ see‎ it.
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#jeremyshaw #videoinstallation #posthuman #synchronicity #berlinart @jeremyshawjeremy
⁣ taken in Hamburger Bahnhof - Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart by @chan.carson

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2 months ago