Between Art and Politics

The exhibition at Aedes in Berlin focuses on the political statements and the craftsmanship of tapestries from the GDR, which depict scenes from political and proletariat life.

Since early civilization, the decorative tapestry has been a prized interior element in princely courts and ecclesiastical institutions. Starting in the 19th century, architects such as Gottfried Semper, Adolf Loos, and Le Corbusier also investigated the tapestry in an architectural context. But only few people are aware of the special history of tapestries in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), where they featured motifs from politics, sports, and daily working life.

The East German tapestries all commissioned by the SED were very much in demand at political ceremonies, propaganda festivities and sporting events, and their themes were determined by the political agenda of the GDR.

In order to understand the history of the presented works, one should consider the history of the tapestry in general. The tapestry is closely associated with architecture, according to Gottfried Semper. In his early writings, he considered the origin of architecture “to lie in textiles... in the weaving and braiding, in the slight and usually richly decorated tent architecture of the nomads.”

until 19 January 2016
Between Art and Politics. Tapestries from the GDR, 1955 to 1989 – A Discovery
Aedes Architecture Forum
Christinenstr. 18-19, 10119 Berlin

Between Art and Politics

The exhibition at Aedes in Berlin focuses on the political statements and the craftsmanship of tapestries from the GDR, which depict scenes from political and proletariat life.

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