László Moholy-Nagy, Kinetic-constructive system, structure with movement tracks for play and conveyance, 1928, Theaterwissenschaftliche Sammlung, Universität zu Köln, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 20149c. Photography by Svein-Magne Tunli2. Photography by Das Stue Hotel6. Photography by Soho House7. CC: What are some of your favourite places?SB: We always go to the Bauhaus-Archiv; it’s a small museum with so many original Bauhaus pieces. Until January 2015, the museum honours László Moholy-Nagy, a famous Bauhaus teacher and pioneer of multimedia and conceptual art, with the exhibition Sensing the Future: László Moholy-Nagy, the Media and the Arts. and Boxgirls International. In November, programs will be largely focusing on the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Germany is known for functional, leading-edge designs rooted in a manufacturing know-how that we associate with durability and reliability. Heather Cameron, founder of Boxgirls Berlin e.V. As early as 1907, artists and industrialists joined forces in the Deutscher Werkbund, a professional association meant to position the «Made in Germany» label as a benchmark for quality, by integrating the nation’s rich craftsmanship traditions into the mass-production of consumer goods. Corinne Cécilia: When in Berlin, where do you like to stay?Stefan and Byron: We love Das Stue. After much of it was destroyed during WWII, Berlin arose from its ashes serving as the Cold War’s military/political nerve centre. We like the Soho House for drinks. Berlin played a key role in this multidisciplinary approach. At the heart of downtown, the Kaufhaus des Westens is a symbol of Berlin’s resilience both as the country’s capital and a cosmopolitan metropolis. When I first saw Byron and Stefan’s Montreal home, I was amazed by the successful mix between Habitat 67’s universal style and German influences in their interior design. Photography by Kaufhaus des Westens4a. Photography by Svein-Magne Tunli8. Photography by Markus Hawlik, VG-Bild Kunst9a. Closer to home: In addition to offering language courses that lead to the most reputable ‘German as a foreign language’ diploma, the Goethe-Institute organizes a variety of cultural events every month in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. Design is booming; interior design trade shows, festivals, universities, businesses, museums and magazines abound. Corinne’s travel tips: Immerse yourself in German design at the Bauhaus-Archiv. Many leaders either side of the Iron Curtain debated whether art should serve an ideology — pro-Red for some, pro-West for others — until an unstoppable demand for freedom took Eastern Europe by storm, leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. It’s fun to head to Kreuzberg and just stroll around and find new things. Devanture de Want Apothecary, photo courtesy of WANT Agency Inc.5. Photography by Sonny Bengtsson3. Although the city that had become rich as Europe’s biggest industrial town in the 19th century was hit hard by the Great Depression, her bubbling culture made her a force rivalling Paris in those days. László Moholy-Nagy, Construction Z I, 1922-1923, Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin, photography by Hartwig Klappert, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2014
Corinne Cécilia CC: Where do you like to dine, or go for a drink?SB: There are two places we like to go to for dinner: Borchard is a rather casual restaurant, whereas Vau is more formal and has an amazing interior. Photo credits:1. Since then, the city once called «Athens on the Spree» has become a hub for national and international arts.
