Started early to get in-line for the Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller Alter Bahnhof video walk at the train station. Armed with an ipod and headphones, you are taken through the station and as events unfold on screen you get increasingly confused as to what is real and what is not.
Taken to the memorial for the Jews who were sent from this station to the concentration camps - completely missed this the previous day.
Just to make it even more confusing I started to video my walk.
I also liked that it wasn't a purely a linear walk - a couple of dream sequences took you to Kassel's forest and its bunkers, both of which were locations for the exhibition, at one point the batteries on the ipod warned they were near to the end but it turns out these were the artists video camera batteries and you go through a black screen while these are changed, and also a challenge by the cinema security guard as to whether you'd taken his image, leading to rewinding the film.
My next video is when I thought I had turned my camera off but it has a nice 'in the spirit of the artists' feel about it.
A fellow walker in a one of those back exits you only find in the cinema/theatre.
Last of my videos following a virtual brass band , watching the virtual ballerina be attacked by the virtual dog ... or was it all real ?
Ipod returning centre where they are recharged ready for the next art enthusiast.
Really enjoyed the 12 Ballads for the Huguenot House by Theaster Gates - great name - he has activated an old dilapidated hotel into a venue and permanent sculpture. He employed a number of development in-training builders from Chicago and Kassel and has in making this work at the same time mended some of the damage done from the bombings in the war.
Opposite to this, was a room full of books on walls by Paul Chan.
Also in a nearby vacated bakery were some small paintings by Francis Alys - liked the building more than the work, which was a shame as I normall love his stuff, full of humour and observation.
Stopped for a coffee and the chance to tick off number 3 on the Susan Hiller jukebox trail - Frank Zappa duly selected.
The Neue Galerie had a few exciting pieces - not sure if this was one of them.
Leaves of Grass by Geoffrey Farmer, is almost 40 metres long and comprises cut out images from Life magazine, from 1935 to 1985, on sticks.
More books, this time blocking up the library door ...
Found number 4 on the Susan Hiller jukebox hunt, this time complete with lyrics of all the songs, including Frank's.
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