Kollaps Plaza
Research and German Architecture
Year: 2024
Material: C-print, framed + construction kit for balloon column
Dimensions: 20 x 30 cm
Edition: Unique
Kollaps Plaza’s Research and German Architecture adopts the form of the balloon column—a decorative element frequently found in shopping malls and on streets to celebrate store openings or anniversaries, aimed at drawing the attention of passersby. Its color scheme is reminiscent of the iconic columns of the Dortmunder Kunstverein’s architecture, a loose imitation of the original. By bringing such artifacts from the realm of consumerist fantasies into the art space, this work not only marks the anniversary of the Kunstverein, but also highlights a particular melancholy—a reflection on how a long tradition of architectural ornamentation has culminated in the balloon column.
Additionally, the “assembly kit” provided with the Kunstverein´s Jahresgabe allows buyers to take a piece of the celebration home, inviting them to place their own balloon column in new architectural contexts, to confront other architectural forms.
Kollaps Plaza (2022) is an artist duo founded by Moritz Englebert and Pitt Wenninger. Their work engages with the politics of public space, architecture, and its remnants. They are particularly interested in privatization and the influence of political and economic structures on our immediate surroundings. Recent projects include exhibitions and collaborations with Rosa Aiello, FLUK, greater forms, Sophie Lee, François Pisapia, Shirin Sabahi, and Julia Scher at Bridging, Cologne (2024); Local, Container, New York (2024); and Little We, Have Little, We Give!, Cittipunkt, Berlin (2023).
This year, as a homage to the rebellious power of the wind, we are presenting kites designed by nine artists. These will be showcased, flown, and subsequently offered as Jahresgaben during the anniversary celebration of the Dortmunder Kunstverein on November 30, 2024. The project was developed in collaboration with the artist Moritz Englebert, kindly supported by Stellfeld & Ernst GmbH.