Soft serve, carousels, “Grilletta” and wide-eyed children: when Kulturpark Plänterwald opened in Treptow in 1969, it became the first and only amusement park in the GDR. The “Kulti”, as it’s affectionately known, attracts one and a half million visitors yearly. After reunification, the park continued to operate, but visitor numbers fell drastically. Since 2001, the rides have stood still, nature reclaiming the site. The dilapidated Ferris wheel and dinosaur figures became an adventure playground for photographers and ravers who sought to awaken this slumbering corner of Berlin. Now, the eventful history of Kulturpark is being revisited by artists at Spreepark Art Space.
They approach this nostalgic site from different perspectives, questioning the state-controlled amusement and looking behind the scenes. In her photo series “Kulturpark,” Christiane Eisler followed a group of young punks through the rides and stalls in the 1980s. In a three-part installation, Andrea Pichl used the park’s small-scale architecture to tell the story of its transformation, while Anselm Reyle photographed the site after its closure. These artistic explorations are tied together by first-hand memories: for her audio piece “Leben unterm Riesenrad,” author Anne Waak interviewed former visitors and operators. Her accounts guide us through the rooms, offering a glimpse of the “Kulti” lifestyle.*
Text: Laura Storfner / Credit: Nachlass VEB Kulturpark, Dieter Möller; Christiane Eisler, Kulturpark, Fotoserie, 1982/83; X. Weltfestspiele der Jugend, 1973, Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-M0802-405 / Wolfgang Thieme
Spreepark Art Space, Eierhäuschen / Spreepark, Kiehnwerder Allee 2, 12437 Berlin; map
10.11.2024–23.02.2025
@spreeparkartspace
