One Objekt, Many Questions

In the early 1990s, the debate to demolish the Palace of the Republic and reconstruct the historical Prussian palace instead was an abstract one. Newspapers articles, panel discussions and interviews layed out arguments verbally, not visually. Thus, the commission of a huge tarpaulin with a life-size image of the historical facade by the palace’s friends’ association was a game changer.

This month’s edition of the series “One Object, Many Questions” looks at a fragment of this tarpaulin which is part of the Humboldt Forum’s Flashbacks on the History of the Site. French artist Catherine Feff who created the palace simulation with her team in 1992/93 talks with Curator of Science and Research Uta Kornmeier on topics such as: How do you paint 8,500 sqm of canvas? What makes illusionistic art so effective? How does the artist see her role in the discussion about reconstructing the palace in retrospect?