Turn it back!

With Turn it back! Folke Köbberling draws attention to the, at times, devastating consequences of recent urban densification for nature and biodiversity. The work references an art project developed by Folke Köbberling together with Martin Kaltwasser for the Skulpturenpark Berlin_Zentrum in 2007. At that time, the two artists climbed down a staircase to be at eye level with the overgrowing flora. Today, due to the sealing of the soil, there is no more room for wild plants to thrive here. In a ritual act, the artist therefore scatters the seeds of the former plants from a mobile staircase onto the paving stones of the surrounding parking lots and the cars parked there, while reading out their Latin names. Köbberling adds a pile of compostable “stones” to the paving stones. When it rains, Köbberling's “stones” begin to sprout, creating a biotope of wild plants. This way, the artist returns a small free space to original vegetation in the densely built-up inner city.

Accompanying her contribution to the Skulpturenpark Berlin_Zentrum, the artist has published a publication (in german) in which all the scattered plants are listed.



21. August 2021


16:00-16:30

Performance Turn it back!

with Folke Köbberling


25. September 2021


17:15 - 18:00

Performance Turn it back!

with Folke Köbberling



Folke Köbberling

Developing intervention models for the urban space, Folke Köbberling repurposes existing structures, thus questioning the usual urban architecture in a subtle, often humorous way. In addition to teaching at the Metropolitan University in London, the University of the Arts in Berlin, the University of Applied Arts Vienna, and others, she has participated in numerous international solo and group exhibitions: including Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin, House of World Cultures, ZKM Karlsruhe, Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz, Ruhrtriennale 2012, and Kunstverein Kassel. Folke Köbberling is professor and director of the Institute for Architecture-Related Art at the TU Braunschweig. She lives in Berlin.