The Direktorenhaus
Since June 2010, the Direktorenhaus is the new, central venue for Berlin’s design and art scene, where a simulation of a temporary Gesamtkunstwerk, the total artwork, can be explored. This is why we chose this venue for the Helsinki
FRESH! exhibition.
In the Direktorenhaus traditional art and craft methods are coupled with analogue technology and digital media, however they will not just be limited to their aesthetic values. Instead this is an experimental directive with social resonances.
The Exhibitions at the Direktorenhaus play cat and mouse with preconceptions and break down the boundaries between art and design.
The name Direktorenhaus, Director’s House, dates back to when the building was part of the State Mint in Berlin- Mitte, that has been vacant for years. Built in 1935, the wing’s well secured vault was used during World War II. Not just to store minted coins, but also to protect Berlin’s State Museums art works from the threat of bomb damage.
The Direktorenhaus, is centrally located at 2 Am Krögel just between Alexanderplatz and the Nikolaiviertel, it’s directly next to the river Spree and enjoys a view of the old harbor.
The Direktorenhaus is the latest project from gallery owners and Illustrative founders Pascal Johanssen and Katja Kleiss. The house is managed by Illustrative e.V., a non-profit organization based in Berlin. The Illustrative festival was launched in 2006 and is considered to be the most important forum for contemporary illustration and graphic art in the world. The festival has taken place in Berlin as well as in Zurich and Paris.
Since 2009 Illustrative is publisher of the art journal “Objects. Journal for Applied Arts” where, through articles and photographs, innovation in the applied arts are investigated.
The Direktorenhaus is a coherent continuation of these projects and functions as a permanent exhibition space for the whole neo-craft art versus design debate. The Direktorenhaus offers an infrastructure that is flexible enough to facilitate both large and small events. It houses a total of over 1000m2 of space spread over 3 floors, for large events a further 600 m2 of space on the first floor can also be rented.
The facilities include an exhibition and clubroom, a bar and an exhibition’s shop. Most of the rooms have an excellent view of the river Spree and the old harbor.