Our artistic method
A provocative poster, a surprising poetry slam, an impressive play or an intimate readong – one thing connects every presentation of Hannover as a bidding city: it’s not the team behind the application which is the center of attention with long speeches or Q&A sessions, it is the art itself. We're supported by many Hannoverian artists, who are contributing their unique strengths as a part of our application to become the European Capital of Culture in 2025.
This will also be the central anchor point of future presentations – so stay tuned.
18 September 2020
Presentation of our second bid book:
Normality is not an option
“We reject the idea of a competition! We say: Cities and their cultural scenes must not see themselves as competition for scarce resources!” Shouts the woman vigorously into a megaphone. "Culture is relevant to the system and must not be linked to victory or defeat!"
She stands on the balcony of the New Town Hall, the entrances below it are covered with three large banners. On the outside, the phrase "NORMALITY IS NOT AN OPTION!" is emblazoned in white on black.
The second bid book was supposed to be presented today. At the moment, however, hundreds of flyers are fluttering from the balcony, on which one sentence in particular makes you prudish: "That's why we're not submitting a second bid book." The journalists exchange irritated looks. Has Hannover not submitted a bid book at all?
The question remains unanswered for the time being, because suddenly a construction site behind the journalists starts to smoke in the middle of Trammplatz and the fire brigade comes onto of the new town hall's forecourt with sirens and flashing lights. After a few minutes it is clear: the journalists cannot stay here. The event must continue inside the new town hall.
Inside, the press awaits a flickering screen. There you can see a man with tousled hair and a construction helmet in the midst of smoke, coughing into the camera. He is very excited because an old pneumatic tube system under the town hall is apparently still working. And it spat out something weird: an orange, futuristic capsule - addressed to the European Capital of Culture team. So the man makes his way, out of the construction site, past the banners and the journalists into the new town hall and puts his find on a pillar in front of the stairs.
It is the second bid book that - according to the fictitious framework narrative - was sent from the year 2059 by the scientist Anna B. Danielewski to 2020. She accidentally discovered the contents of the second bid book in a cloud. Because in 2020, instead of a bid book, Hannover only submitted the manifest "Normality is not an option" and was disqualified.
That's the fiction. In reality, the European Capital of Culture team submitted a bid book.
Nonetheless, the manifesto exemplifies the artistic method with which the city as the European Capital of Culture wants to draw attention to the big issues: “With art and bangs!”, as the management duo of the Hannoverian bid, Melanie Botzki and Inga Samii, emphasizes.
The video shows a trailer of our activistic staging to present our second bid book. You can read the bid book here.
Credits:
Artistic production: Lena Kußmann
Activist & Anna B. Danielewski: Andrea Casabianchi
Scientist: Dennis Pörtner
Video: Stabil & Grazil, Hannover
Photos: Helge Krückeberg, Hannover
10 December 2019
Jury presentation
How can an international jury agree to a concept like ours if they don't even know the people behind it?
We often asked ourselves this question before the jury presentation. It was clear to us that if the jury were to trust us, they would have to get to know us.
For this reason, we started our jury presentation with a presentation of the delegation, i.e. with the people who actually filled the Hannoverian application with life. With very personal statements, artistically embedded in a video, we wanted to show that we created an authentic, Hannoverian application for the European Capital of Culture 2025. Afterwards we wanted to interact with the jury on an honest and emotional level. The delegation gradually entered the room, introduced itself and spoke about their personal agora and why it is important. We then completed the jury circle with our delegation into a small Agora and made it clear:
„Europe, we’re ready to talk.“
Below, you can watch an excerpt of the video we used to introduce the delegation.
Credits:
Design and concept: Sebastian Peetz
Paper cuts: Matthias Hußmann, Ermonis, Ehlershausen
Bookbinding: Hans-Jürgen Vehse, Vehse Feinbuchbinderei, Hannover
Production coordinationn: Christian Lieb, Hannover
Printing: Gutenberg Beuys Feindruckerei, Hannover
Paper: Lessebo Bruk, Schweden
Laser works Cover: Marc Roth, Kremo, Flörsheim
Video: Stabil & Grazil, Hannover
Photos: Julian Winkhaus, Hannover
01 October 2019
Presentation of the official ECoC 2025 candidate cities
Dozens of (inter-)national journalists, many high-ranking politicians: In this setting, the official applicants to become European Capital of Culture 2025 were presented during a press conference and had to introduce themselves with a 3-minute presentation. Thus, it was to no surprise that the other cities sent high-ranking representatives to rhapsodize about their cities: Lord Mayors, project managers, etc.
But, just like we wrote in our bid book, we asked ourselves the questions: Is this what people want? Doesn’t this rob every word of its utopian potential? Doesn’t it need to respond directly to the cultural and political realities of our continent, to the rift running through Europe? Shouldn’t it be about the genuine – and now so urgently necessary – coming together of people as equals?
For us, the answer was clear. That's why we invited British actress Hannah Gibson, who made a passionate appeal for a united Europe and against the tearing abyss. As someone, who is not allowed to stay part of this union. Because who else would be a better fit to showcase our approach? At the end, Hannah quotes the great John Cage: „One of the greatest blessings that [Europe] could receive would be to have a great pause in her world of affairs created. For we should be hushed and silent, and we should have the opportunity to learn that: Other. People. Think.“
And afterwards: Silence.
40. Seconds. Silence.
You can read the whole speech here, and watch a video of the presentation below.
Credits:
Actress: Hannah Gibson
Author: Juan S. Guse
26 September 2019
Bid book Layout Press Conference
Plastic, monochrome, the letters of Hanover "installed", in the middle a "real" recess from the transverse "o" from Hannover, the "Agora", surrounded by fictional buildings, squares and areas: The cover of the artwork "Bid Book" is in its fragmentary topography a tribute to Kurt Schwitters' "Merzbau".
Designed by the artist and typographer Sebastian Peetz, the first application book of Hanover to become European Capital of Culture in 2025 is a unique piece of art. For the artist it's clear: "It's Pprhaps the most sustainable and crafty, but also the thickest and heaviest Bid Book in the history of the competition." The Hanoverian Bid Book weighs 5.8 kilograms including the perfect fit packaging, 2.3 kilograms without, is 7.5 centimeters thick, has 16 hand-glued images per copy and complies with all formal application requirements such as DIN-A4, 60 pages and answers to 38 questions. "We stuck true to every single requirement but tried to do this in the most creative way that was allowed" says Peetz.
This piece of art was developed in close cooperation with the author Juan S. Guse, content and design went hand in hand. Whether paper from recycled coffee-to-go cups, the counting of odd page numbers in all European national languages, headings that deconstruct according to NASA data about the global climate crisis and much more: The book is a massive appearance, but it's characterized by all the small details that went into it. Furthermore, "Agora of Europe" was made entirely locally by hand and with the support of many partners who were just as passionate to become European Capital of Culture as the bidding team itself.
The first contents of the Bid Book can be read here.
Get a closer look at the unique layout:
Credits:
Design and concept: Sebastian Peetz
Paper cuts: Matthias Hußmann, Ermonis, Ehlershausen
Bookbinding: Hans-Jürgen Vehse, Vehse Feinbuchbinderei, Hannover
Production coordinationn: Christian Lieb, Hannover
Printing: Gutenberg Beuys Feindruckerei, Hannover
Paper: Lessebo Bruk, Schweden
Laser works Cover: Marc Roth, Kremo, Flörsheim
Video: Stabil & Grazil, Hannover
Photos: Julian Winkhaus, Hannover
10 September 2019
Bid book content presentation: Agora of Europe
A large red curtain imposes the sight into the inner town hall. In its middle there’s a rostrum, on which the guests take place, curiously looking at two empty, black desks. The otherwise so spacious town hall is suddenly so intimate, nearly as if you’re somewhere completely else. Within this framework, we’re about to announce the first insights into our first Bid Book to become European Capital of Culture in 2025.
Shortly after the start the application team announces the first surprise: The Bid Book, usually a somewhat better PR brochure in which 38 questions need to be answered, was written as a novel, called “Agora of Europe”. Written by no other than Hannoveranian literature laureate Juan S. Guse. It’s an extraordinary premiere in the history of the European Capitals of Culture! Of course the interest afterwards was huge, so we took the opportunity to read out the first few excerpts.
Finally the curtain came down and offered a view on an installation with more than 100 posters and 14 different motives on top of the Trammplatz. Von “Fängt Ändern mit Wundern an?” (“Does Change Start with Wonder?”), to “Macht Macht Arme arm?” (“Does power impoverish the poor?”) to “Wann geht für Heimatlose Heimat los?” (“Wenn does home start for those who have no home?”), the posters address the topics considered in our application to become European CApital of Culture Hannover 2025 in a humorous and unique way – and will soon be seen in Hannover and its surrounding regions.
Watch a video of the highlights here (in German, turn on subtitles):
Credits:
Author: Juan S. Guse
Actors: Sabine Orléans, Mathias Max Herrmann
Posters: peetz & le peetz
06 March 2019
Central idea presentation: Was it all for nothing?
The man on the stage is visibly shocked, behind him are five chairs, small tables, a couple glasses of water. The motto for the European Capital of Culture’s application was supposed to be presented here at the orangery in Hannover-Herrenhausen. But this seems unimportant now. The anchorwoman of Tagesschau, the TV news on public TV broadcast ARD, declared offstage the Gexit. It’s 2023, Germany leaves the EU and Hannover’s application as European Capital of Culture is null and void. Or is it? No, because right now, in 2019, the Gexit is still a dystopia of the future. Everything is possible, the man says – and his hopelessness turns into actionism. Hannover has to discuss the problems, that taint the Union, right NOW with EVERYONE. With the tranquility of a city with the reputation of being mediocre, the ideal place for this dialogue is HERE, in Hanover. What counts is the believe in Europe – with all its urgency. To make it short: HERE NOW EVERYONE for Europe.
Here, you can watch the whole performance (German):
Credits:
Actor: Patrick Güldenberg
Total director and radioplay: Nikolas Darnstädt
Composition radioplay: Lukas Darnstädt
Cut radioplay: Julian Wiesemes
Sound recordings: Berliner MIXWERK
With: Laura Eichten, Felix Knopp, Lola Fuchs
Dramaturgy: Mazlum Nergiz
Text HERE NOW EVERYONE: Anja Menge
16 October 2018
Poetry slam: Hannover is Europe
“Hannover doesn’t have anything that other cities don’t have” – this is how poetry slammer Tobi Kunze started the presentation of the bidding cities at the Cultural Foundation of the Federal States in Berlin. And that is why he would talk about other European cities. Wait, other cities? The audience is visibly irritated.
He starts talking about the open doors in Paris and the diversity of the nations in London, meanwhile showing pictures of Hannoverian artist Uwe Stelter. Only when Kunze talks about diversity the audience starts murmuring. Because the picture titled “Monaco” undeniably shows the Ihme-Zentrum. The question “Where does that leave Hannover?” at the end of the speech is rhetorical. Because the audience already knows what Kunze is about to say: “Everything I said takes place in Hannover” – Hannover is Europe.
Here, you can watch the whole performance (German):
Credits:
Idea & Text: Ninia Binias & Tobias Kunze
Photos: Uwe Stelter
22 June 2017
ECoC conference: provocative prelude
Black letters, white ground – and this inscription! When the team Capital of Culture met with the other applying cities for the first time, the presentation truly was provocative. “Hannover has nothing” is written on the white poster. While other cities flaunt tourism posters, Hannover boasts with its grey image as a mediocre provincial town.
Not really.
Under black light, an artwork of tourist attractions and typical Hannoverian niceties become visible. Because Hannover is not a town that you can assess from afar. Whoever wants to get to know the city’s rugged charms has to take a closer look.
Here, you can see both sides:
Credits:
Idea & layout: Identitätsstiftung / Matthias Veitleder
