Tegan Forbes /Montréal

The Gropiusstadt Moden Project consists of snapshot images of myself wearing souvenir t-shirts that I have designed. As I explored Berlin I invited random people to take my picture. Through this process the documentation became arbitrary and frequently the images are too small or flawed. I found that by giving away the control of photo documentation my role as the performer/artist became dependent on the actions of strangers. This created a unique performative collaboration as well as unexpected tensions throughout this project.

Taking on the role of Tourist, as an artist, afforded me the unique position of social commentator as an outsider. I chose to advertise Gropiusstadt as a tourist “hotspot” by wearing different commercial style t-shirts. This project was very insightful from a social political standpoint and I feel that with more time in Berlin I will be able to develop it further.

Since the Gropiusstadt residency I have exhibited this work in Montreal, Canada at Studio XX Festival HTMLles 8. The festival explored the influx of mobility and the state of being mobile through the negotiation of systems of inclusion or exclusion.