La Ventana
Curated by Ruth Ur
Mural installation for train station.
Bahnhof Berlin-Friedrichstraße, Germany, 2021
Sol Calero’s commission for Ausgang Friedrichstrasse presents two views of the same scene: the view through a window looking out to the mountains and the sun; and a view from the outside of the house looking inwards. This view is inspired by the artist’s visits to Los Roques, an archipelago north of Caracas, Venezuela where Calero grew up. The archipelago bears the legacies of colonialism, and the picturesque houses – such as the one depicted here – present a combination of European, indigenous South American and Afro-Caribbean influences. Calero uses the hybrid architecture and its luscious setting to create here in the middle of Berlin a vision of paradise; a vision that in the context of current travel restrictions becomes even more tantalising and unreachable. At the same time, the fragmented image, with its vivid and alluring colours and hints of recognisable forms is destined to remain a puzzle, challenging us to decipher what we see and desire.
Curated by Ruth Ur, this is the second edition of “Ausgang Friedrichstrasse”. Each year a Berlin-based artist is invited to create a site-specific work for these twin spaces. This commission for Deutsche Bahn's Station&Service has been realised in partnership with Villeroy & Boch.
Photos by Joerg Glaescher.
