Bielefeld
A digital native may know more about the "Bielefeld conspiracy" than about the aforementioned centre of the region Ostwestphalen-Lippe. The principle of 'Bielefeld, the city that does not exist' has been circulating on the net as part of internet folklore since 1994. The urban legend was introduced there after a party by then student and nowadays computer scientist Achim Held. But meanwhile even he admits the existence of the city. Because of the fact that the motorway exit to Bielefeld was closed long-term due to construction work, it wasn't easy to reach the city by motorway. This has been possible again for a while now. The city, whose marketing company launched the official "Bielefeld survey" on the internet at the beginning of 2016, can be easily reached. According to the managing director, "the population can thus participate directly in the development of a new marketing concept for the city". But why? The image of a university and industrial city is not bad at all.
Wolfgang Kienast
Sascha Grewe
Sascha Grewe has liking for objects that talk to him. However, the cuckoo clock is not his passion, but rather all things typographical. But their tendency for two-dimensionality needed to be disestablished first. Calmly, the learned ...
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Cultural Centre Nummer zu Platz
Most essential for all avid ex-schoolyard round the table ping pong players: each Thursday evening from eight at Nr.z.P. there is ping pong with "Open Turntables". In other words: bring or borrow a paddle (or use a latin or math book like old times), line up, hit the little ball and let the games begin. As with all good games, this one also goes on as long as, out of sometimes up to 50 players, only one is left. At midnight, however, the game irrevocably ends - Casino Royale Bielefeld Style. In addition, in Nr.z.P., there are the usual club drinks as well as high-quality to high-pitched conversations in the queue around the table tennis table, or music by DJs, who want to practice their sounds on living objects - mostly convincing. The thursdaily combat around the table is just one of the cornerstones of the vibrant club with the curious name. Carrier of all this is the initiative "The Bielefelder Subkultur e.V." which was created in 2010 in response to the closure of a successful cultural centre and the subsequent coming together of several cultural operators, organisers, DJs, bands and committed citizens of the city. Progressive, urban culture, had to continue to be a self-evident part of urban life. This included, among other, skating, BMX, graffiti, hip-hop and all the somewhat more secluded musical directions and artistic forms of expression in literature and art. The initiative quickly sparked up a debate in the city and soon found a new location. The name of this location, translating in "number to place", refers to the history of this space. "This used to be the car registration office," laughs Klemens Hüttche, board member of the association, "It would go like this: take a number, wait for the number to be called out, and head for the allocated reception desk. The old display panel above the counter is a reminder of this." In these rooms, subculture is mainstream. And out of the youth club, a non-profit professional location for culture-seekers of all ages has sprung. Here, the fine pearls as opposed to the beaten musical and cultural tracks are brought to shine, art forms and artists who are underrepresented in the scene, and not just in Bielefeld, are supported. For almost seven years, a monthly programme with live music from indie, rock and rap to punk and electro has been created this way. Medium-sized acts from all over the world always find their audience in this cozy concert atmosphere. There are exhibitions of photography, street art and painting and at the weekend, DJs make the nights long and the dance floor full – sometimes with electronic music, other times with hard stuff or Italo disco sound. On other evenings, poets and thinkers read out their texts or comics, even specialist books about for example football or music. Accompanied by, of course, music. And then there is always the gateway into the weekend, the Thursday ping pong. Nr.z.P. - simply a good place for good people, who feel comfortable in the niche.
Author: Christian Caravante
Große-Kurfürsten-Straße 81
33615
http://www.nrzp.de/
Kunsthalle
Between the main railway station and the Sparrenburg Castle in Bielefeld stands a building that offers the greatest possible contrast to the Westphalian charm of the Old Town - the Bielefeld Kunsthalle - where modern art has been displayed inside the walls of modern architecture with tremendous success ever since 1968. The building, with its square floor plan and sandstone facade, was designed by the American architect Philip John son, and it remains his only European project. Starting in March 2017, Johnson, who was born i n 1906, will be presented to the public in an exhibition entitled "Partner in Design: Alfred H. Barr Jr. and Philip Johnson." Here visitors can learn much about the "Bauhaus pioneers in America" and their influence on architecture and design. Such specialised concepts are especially appealing and a great opportunity for Bielefeld to use, in fact, must use. For as the only major museum for contemporary art in the area - next to Hannover or Münster - the curators here enjoy conceptual freedom and the trust that has been placed in them from the very beginning. The artists are highly appreciative of the chance being offered to them here. This autumn, for instance, Anohni was a guest, better known as Antony Hegarty, the voice that reconciled heaven and earth. She expressed her sincere gratitude on the homepage of the Kunsthalle for so much support in being able to present her body of art in this special space. The exhibition "Creation in Form and Colour" with works by the German-American painter Hans Hofmann, as well as a selection of works by the painter Else Lohmann, who died in 1984, will be on show until March. During a visit, you should take the time and let the exhibition space itself sink in, not just the art being shown - similar to Rodin’s thinker, squatting in the sculpture garden in front of the museum.
Author: Judith-Pielsticker
Artur-Ladebeck-Straße 5
33602
http://www.kunsthalle-bielefeld.de/