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With "This joy", the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG) is showing a work by the artist Tino Sehgal conceived in 2020 in the New Chambers in Potsdam's Sanssouci Park - and thus for the first time in the context of a historical palace room.
Image gallery
Neue Kammern von Sanssouci
Sehgal, who describes his works as "constructed situations", has been dealing with issues of climate protection for many years and is committed to sustainability in the art world.
This discussion underlies his artistic approach, which is based on works that are produced without the use of material resources.
In the context of the exhibition "Re:Generation. Climate change in green world heritage - and what we can do", the artist, who was born in London in 1976 and lives in Berlin, is presenting a work in which he refers to compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827).
“This joy” activates the Blue Gallery, an impressive late work of the Frederickian Rococo, with historical and contemporary sounds and invites visitors into an immersive movement and sound experience.
Excerpts from six pieces of music by Beethoven, including the famous final movement “Ode to Joy” from the 9th Symphony, are reinterpreted in song and movement by two performers. The artist comments on the decision to show “This joy” in a historic castle room as follows:
“This sequence would have been possible in this place - technically speaking - 200 years ago. […] The castle was intended for the king's guests at the time and is now a tourist destination. So if music was played unamplified for an exclusive court society in the past, today we do the same, only for an open […] circle of visitors.”
With this cooperation, the SPSG is breaking new ground and opening up contemporary perspectives on one of its historic castles, which visitors can perceive and experience in a special way in conjunction with the presentation of “This joy”. General Director Prof. Dr. Christoph Martin Vogtherr says, "More than the other palaces in Potsdam, the New Chambers were designed as a social place - for guests and events. [...] You feel that immediately when you walk through the rooms. I am therefore very excited to see how the rooms will feel when you experience 'This joy'."
Sehgal's works, which are shown in museums around the world, create situations of spontaneous encounter in which visitors become participants.
His works do not require objects and exist exclusively in the moment of their performance, as they are neither documented nor reproduced in the media.
