carsten nicolai: autoR
temporäre kunsthalle berlin
on now until august 31st, 2010

detail of 'autor'
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by benjamin pritzkuleit


'autoR' by german artist carsten nicolai (aka alva noto) is a project realized on the façade
of the temporäre kunsthalle berlin. the piece is conceived as a self-organizing process
to which visitors actively contribute by applying stickers, designed by nicolai, to the
building's exterior. the installation's title is derived from the greek auto (founded on itself),
plus the letter 'R', creating the author who brings forth something new. in the context of
the project, the visitors take on the role of author, combining personal decisions with the
tools provided by the artist to drive forward this interactive, creative design process.
the regular geometric shape produced in seven different colors becomes a module that
can be combined on the façade of the kunsthalle into freely designed forms, clusters
and structures. 'autoR' foregrounds the decisive influence of randomness and process in
determining the overall appearance of the work.



'autoR' at the temporäre kunsthalle berlin
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by benjamin pritzkuleit



'autoR' at the temporäre kunsthalle berlin
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by benjamin pritzkuleit



up close of 'autoR'
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by benjamin pritzkuleit



general view of temporäre kunsthalle berlin with 'autoR' in progress
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by benjamin pritzkuleit



general view of temporäre kunsthalle berlin with 'autoR' in progress
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by benjamin pritzkuleit



temporäre kunsthalle berlin - phase 1
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by benjamin pritzkuleit


the project in total consists of three phases. it is currently in the final phase.
during phase 1, the kunsthalle was covered with sheets of white PVC. the resulting
empty surface contrasted with the numerous advertising images and architectural
projections on the schlossplatz in which it is located - the 'blank exterior' represented
a kind of zero state, a space of possibility.



temporäre kunsthalle berlin - phase 1
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by benjamin pritzkuleit



temporäre kunsthalle berlin - phase 2
image courtesy of carsten nicolai


phase 2 invited visitors to use aerial work platforms to begin applying the stickers to the
façade to a height of up to eleven meters.



visitors on aerial platforms applying stickers to the building's exterior
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by rené zieger



young visitors engaging in the 'autoR' project
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by rené zieger



visitors become 'authors' of the work by participating
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by rené zieger


the stickers are a regular geometric shape produced in seven different colors
© carsten nicolai, VG bild-kunst, bonn 2010
courtesy galerie EIGEN + ART, leipzig/berlin und pacewildenstein
photo by rené zieger


currently, 'autoR' is in phase 3 in which visitors are invited to continue applying
more stickers to the exterior of the building until the conclusion of the project.
the result is a permanently changing surface whose appearance is shaped by a dynamic,
interactive process that is open to the public.



detail of the constantly transforming façade
image courtesy of carsten nicolai