Exhibition tip: Science Underground

Matthias Heyde, HU Berlin

23.12.2020
Exhibition tip: Science Underground

Brain City Berlin

The new Unter den Linden underground station is currently teeming with science. An exhibition organised by the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin shows images on such topics as migration, refugees and climate change. The scenarios are not just something to look at while waiting for the next train, but are also designed to stimulate reflection.

Two people doing yoga on the beach, a homeless man sleeping on the street, a robot. Those who change trains at Unter den Linden will have a lot to explore. Because instead of advertising, the station shows art. 16 panels are the core of an exhibition by the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin) in the new train station on U-Bahn line 5. Each of the boards is 6.2 by 1.8 metres and each offers a lot of detail to explore. There are hidden objects in each. The exhibition was designed by Berlin artist Nele Brönner. In terms of content, this unusual exhibition-to-go is about an omnipresent topic: the way in which people influence the earth with their actions. Derived from the ancient Greek word “anthropos” (human) and “cene” (epoch), our current era has been called the “Anthropocene.”

Accordingly, the different scenarios deal with topics such as global warming, displacement and cross-border networks. Terms that are derived from the different scenarios interact with graphic representations. A total of 258 picture elements and 669 terms can be found in the pictures, but tracking them all down is almost impossible.

“We are very happy to bring science into people's everyday lives in what, for us, is a very unusual way. We hope that the passengers, whether young or old, will be encouraged to get involved with science and its topics,” said Sabine Kunst, President of HU Berlin on the occasion of the exhibition opening. Michael Müller, the Governing Mayor of Berlin, sees the underground exhibition as a wonderful way to bring research findings right to the heart of public life: "That is a central claim of our knowledge city and also our goal for 2021, as we celebrate an entire year dedicated to science in Berlin."

The exhibition at the station Unter den Linden/Friedrichstrasse is a joint project of the HU Berlin, the Schiel project company, the exhibition agency TheGreenEyl, and the Büro für prekäre Konzepte, as well as graphic designer Nele Brönner.

Conceptually, the science exhibition in Unter den Linden underground station is part of the university's Open Humboldt strategy, with which HU Berlin is seeking to expand its dialogue with politics, art, culture and society. One of the next projects is the “Humboldt Lab," which is due to open its digital doors in the Humboldt Forum in January 2021. (vdo)