THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONFINEMENT

Curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, The Architecture of Confinement is the second chapter of the exhibition trilogy “The Architecture of…”, conceived for BNKR in Munich. BNKR is housed in a former WWII air-raid bunker, and each of the three parts relates directly to different episodes in the evolving history of the exhibition building from 1940 until today. The first one, titled The Architecture of Deception, referenced the building’s external camouflage residential features, and was on view from March 2020 until April 2021. The trilogy will conclude with The Architecture of Transformation later this year, exploring the building’s current use as a mixed residential and exhibition space.

The Architecture of Confinement is the second chapter of this trilogy, and takes its conceptual cue from the building’s usage as an internment camp during the denazification policy period from 1945 to 1948. At the same time, it evokes the current global experience of isolation. Six artists relate to the exhibition concept through existing or commissioned works. A site-specific installation by Nadia Kaabi-Linke references the architecture of imprisonment. Özgür Kar‘s video installation shows the effects of isolation on the individual. In her photographic works, Joanna Piotrowska examines the complex relationship between the human body and its physical environment. A sculpture by Mona Hatoum playfully tackles the interdependence of two closely connected individuals. Ramzi Ben Sliman‘s film is a reflection on art as a means of transcending the confines of socio-economic boundaries. A new work by Annika Kahrs, specifically commissioned for this exhibition explores the connections between space and sound in a period of isolation.

A comprehensive archives wall, which is presented at the center of the exhibition, complements the featured artistic positions. It illustrates both the historical context of the original use of the building as a bunker during the Second World War, as well as its importance in the post-war period, and the conversion of the architecture into its current state. The exhibition is conceived as a dialogue between the featured artistic positions, the confined architecture of the exhibition space, and the history of the building. Through creating a holistic experience, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the effects of physical and social restrictions, and their impact on the individual.