There are many questions those living in Berlin may have about Kotti. Musician Cecilia Tosh is also asking questions. One of these is: What does the Kotti sound like? What began with field recordings and interviews, she later developed, with eight other musicians, into an album. A further collaboration with 21 visual artists saw this album grow into a site-specific exhibition at and about the Kottbusser Tor. Who actually lives here? What is it like to work here? What do the people of Charlottenburg think about the place? And the tourists? How is Kotti interpreted cinematically, in literature and music? Can social urban development take place here? And what exactly is that supposed to be? The audiovisual exploration tour of this non-place between transit and home, utopia and limbo, can be experienced in January (06-29.01.2023), and goes by the name “Kotti Island“. The artistic works can be found at nine different locations. For example, a performance by residents under the direction of choreographer Katharina Scheidtmann will take place in the aquarium, a space hosted by Südblock, or you can sample your very own Kottitrack of field recordings in the Paloma Bar. How does Kotti feel? This place of transition, this ecosystem, this slowly pulsating, all devouring animal… How does Kotti think? How does it live, move, breathe? And how do we experience it? Many questions are answered here, many are raised. When I think of Kotti, the first thing that comes to mind is the smell: warm strawberries and urine. Just so very Berlin. Even in winter.
Text: Hilka Dirks / Photos: Hannah Haasenritter & Lai Raw
Kotti Island
Launch-Event 06.01.2023 from 19h. The program for the project and more information can be found here.
@kotti.island
