Videospace 18000
In June, in collaboration with the Kunstsammlung Neubrandenburg, an innovative intervention took place at the Marktplatzzentrum in Neubrandenburg. Artists Kolja Hohberg and Laura Schöning presented an installation that featured a shopping cart outfitted with two screens and several chairs made of blue-painted chipboard, right in the midst of the everyday shopping hustle. Titled *Video Space 18000*, the installation aimed to provide a platform for local video art, using its unconventional placement in a shopping center to reach a broader audience—one that might not typically engage with such art. This project was conceived to highlight regional art beyond traditional painting, especially in celebration of the anniversary of Caspar David Friedrich. All video works in the program were created by artists who are either current or former students of the Caspar-David-Friedrich Institute.
Concept and Construction
In the conception of Video Space 18000, Kolja Hohberg and Laura Schöning worked closely together, yet distinct elements of the overall concept can be clearly attributed to each artist. The physical realization of the *Video Space*—from the initial digital renderings and color selection to the furniture construction and technical setup of the shopping cart—was primarily the work of Kolja Hohberg. In contrast, the selection of the video works and the accompanying print materials were predominantly curated by Laura Schöning. The project was intentionally designed to leverage the individual strengths of each artist, bringing them together in a cohesive and effective collaboration.
The name Video Space 18000 was chosen after a conversation with the shopping center's manager revealed that approximately 18,000 visitors pass through the center each day. To draw a connection to Caspar David Friedrich, the Video Space is designed to encourage viewers to look into the distance, much like the figure in Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, offering a brief escape from daily life and an invitation to explore other worlds. The seating arrangement invites shoppers to take a moment to pause, rest, and gain a new perspective. The blue color of the installation space is intended to fade the surrounding environment into the background, bringing the video art into focus. Additionally, the color blue creates a clearly defined space within the shopping center and symbolizes dreams, evoking the idea of "blue dreams."
In addition to a well-attended opening reception, which featured a panel discussion with both artists, the local newspaper Nordkorrier covered the exhibition. The article included interviews with artists Kolja Hohberg and Laura Schöning, as well as with the artists who contributed their video works to the program. There are also plans to showcase the installation once again at the State Cultural Conference of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in October 2024, where a panel discussion about the work will be held