An exhibition I will only get to see in Berlin!
The exhibition presents 700 records, arranged in ten chapters, to explore the development of the record as an artistic medium from the post-war period to the present and draws links with the fields of music in composition and improvisation, pop, punk and techno. The exhibition’s panorama is expanded by sound works from the National Gallery's extensive collection, including spacious sound installations and immersive media works. By highlighting the interactions between the record and the fields of music, performance and sound art, colours are transformed into sounds and sounds into pictures. The show features iconic covers by artists from Andy Warhol to Barbara Kruger as well as intensive sound installations by Christina Kubisch and Susan Philipsz; recorded performances and readings from Anne Imhof to Jimmie Durham make the records come alive for a contemporary audience.
Once a mass product, the record seems to have been written off in the digital age, but it has never lost its fascination. Today, it is once again gaining growing popularity as a niche product and a collector’s item. In many ways, Broken Music Vol. 2 celebrates the resilience of the vinyl record. At the same time, the exhibition is also a tribute to all the artists and vinyl enthusiasts in Berlin and beyond who continue to be devoted to this object.
