Over the course of 2023, the library of the Künstlerdorf became a place of encounter, learning and knowledge. During the successive redesign, global perspectives of the authors represented in the library and multilingualism were taken into account on the one hand, while on the other, forms of literature beyond the book format were also considered. The library, with its character between an archive and a „living library“*, is constantly being supplemented and enriched with suggestions and perspectives from participants.
The concept for this redesign was developed and implemented by the author Vera Vorneweg. Overall, the project comprised three intertwining aspects. Firstly, the space was modernized and new furniture was designed and built by students from the Ecosign Academy of Design. As a central measure, the library’s holdings were updated and inventoried. Finally, a series of events included readings by fellows as well as other discussion and discourse formats.
Even beyond the project period, this new „social space“ of the Künstlerdorf now enables a variety of processes, activities, interactions and engagement and is available for the transfer of knowledge between the local community and the international artists. The project also marks the end of a three-year phase of extensive infrastructure measures, which, in addition to the library, also included the refurbishment of the apartments and studios, the workshop and the design of the outdoor area. At the same time, questions regarding the mission, support and program of the Künstlerdorf were addressed as part of a realignment. The results of these processes will be incorporated into the further work and program of the Künstlerdorf, which will focus in particular on learning with and from each other from next year onwards.
*The Living Library is based on the concept of the Human Library and was developed by the Danish youth initiative „Stop Violence!“ and implemented for the first time in 2000. Meanwhile, the Human Library Organization is an independent NGO that already organizes Human Libraries in more than 70 countries.
Over the course of the year, the library’s stock was updated and inventoried. Almost 500 books were sorted out and even more were acquired. In addition, a „seed library“ was created with plant seeds from the adjacent kitchen garden and storytelling objects, such as the „Warrier“ sculpture by artist Sabrina Basten, were added.
To redesign the library, Vera Vorneweg first sorted out a number of works, most of which have been given away. Books with problematic content will initially be kept in a separate part of the library to enable a critical examination in subsequent projects. The remaining books were scanned according to the diversity criteria of the authors, such as gender or backgrounds, in order to compensate for any missing parts.
This was followed by the establishment of the categories Prose / Poetry / Drama and Film / Cultural History / History / Local History / Regional History / Religion / Politics / Nature / Literary Studies / Psychology / Literary Anthologies / Literary Journals / Philosophy / Guides / Künstlerdorf Fellows.
Other important aspects were the inventory of the collection and the establishment of a lending system. As a growing library, this will be continuously supplemented in future, as has already been the case this year, with suggestions from international authors residing in the Künstlerdorf.
Events:
. Stefan Hornbach “Surviving the Dog”
. Charmaine Li – ONEIRIC SPACE Workshop
. Tanja Dückers “My old West-Berlin“
. Vera Vorneweg “Open Library Talk”
. „When the war left and peace came“ by Dorothea Haselkamp
. Sabrina Basten “Conversas Schöppingen”
. Vera Vorneweg “This is Not a Library“
. „Belonging“ with Muna Gurung, Annalee Davis, Maë Schwinghammer, Sass Popoli and Tamar Noort
. Reading and talk with Mia Raben
. „Kindness – we- community, art as a bridge”
with Marija Dejanović and Mayra Citlalli Rojo Gómez
. Opening of the Living Library Schöppingen
With kind support by:
