Once a place for GDR cocktail parties, the Schinkel Pavillon now hosts cutting-edge art exhibitions. This octagonal glass building offers panoramic views of Berlin’s ever-changing historic center. Construction cranes turn beside the Television Tower and Berlin Cathedral. A foil dummy advertises the rebuilding of Schinkel’s architecture academy.
The Schinkel Pavillon stands in the Crown Prince’s Palace garden. This palace housed the world’s first museum of contemporary art starting in 1919. It was called the “Galerie der Lebenden”. The gallery showcased Expressionist works. The Nazis closed it in 1933. They destroyed or sold the paintings abroad.
In the late 1960s, architect Richard Paulick reconstructed the war-damaged palace. He added the Garden Pavilion, now a landmark. The East Berlin city council used this rotunda for receptions until 1989. After reunification, it stood vacant. Then, it was rediscovered for art. Chandeliers in GDR design add to the pavilion’s magic. Terra-cotta reliefs from Schinkel’s architecture academy are original rescues.
Eva Wilson, the Schinkel Pavilion director, enjoys its hybrid quality. The mix of styles and eras creates exciting friction for artists. Cyprien Gaillard had steam shovels dance in the excavation pit beside the pavilion. Thomas Hirschhorn created a cardboard installation simulating a ceiling collapse. Young artists also find a platform here. Camille Henrot presented seemingly harmless floral arrangements.
The Schinkel Pavillon promotes contemporary sculpture and media art. It offers impressive views of surrounding buildings. See the Friedrichwerder Church and the TV Tower. The pavilion’s location in the Kronprinzenpalais garden adds to its allure.
The Schinkel Pavillon connects with the “Galerie der Lebenden” tradition. It inspires, amazes, disturbs, and entertains. It is more than just a platform for discourse. The Schinkel Pavillon is a place of encounter. People meet, develop ideas, and exchange thoughts here. Summer is especially lovely when the terrace can be used.
The Schinkel Pavillon hosts works by well-known artists. These include Anselm Reyle, Sylvie Fleury, and Isa Genzken. Mike Kelley and Thomas Scheibitz have also exhibited here. The pavilion stood empty for twenty years before its art renaissance. Richard Paulick rebuilt the structure in 1968. It served as the city of Berlin’s official guesthouse. Paulick is known for his classicist-modernist architecture on Karl Marx Allee.
Eva Wilson says the exhibition program relies on an international network. This network is built on friendship and a passion for art. New forms of collaboration are a focus. The Schinkel Pavillon is transforming from a showroom to an open space. It encourages work and production. They want art to arise before the eyes of visitors.
Being able to respond independently is an advantage. A long-term rental contract does not exist. The exhibitions are funded by art association members and project sponsorships. The goal is long-term financial security. The Schinkel Pavillon is an energy-charged venue for contemporary art.