20 years after the artist, author, and performer Vaginal Davis moved from Los Angeles to Berlin, the Gropius Bau presents the first comprehensive solo exhibition of her work in Germany. In her groundbreaking creation, punk and glamour, queer activism and Black counterculture, as well as resistance and desire, intertwine. Vaginal Davis: Fabelhaftes Produkt unites large-scale installations, paintings, video and film works, zines, texts, music, and performance, offering a comprehensive overview of Davis' multifaceted practice and her artistic collaborations. As part of the exhibition, the art collective CHEAP presents the installation Choose Mutation with photographs by Annette Frick. Fabelhaftes Produkt invites you into the universe of Vaginal Davis, populated by literary heroines, mythical figures, and real icons.
Initiated by the Moderna Museet, Stockholm, in collaboration with the Gropius Bau, Berlin, and MoMA PS1, New York
 
 
 
 

The series "Grundgesetzliches" looks at the historical roots of our constitution on this evening. Former judge at the European Court of Human Rights Angelika Nußberger and American legal scholar Russell A. Miller, co-author of the illustrated book "Verfassungsorte," discuss with Alexander Thiele events, places, and buildings that shaped the development of German democracy and represent milestones in constitutional history. From the imperial election and the Everlasting Reichstag to the constitutional drafts of the 19th century, the Weimar Constitution, the adoption of the Basic Law 75 years ago, and the incorporation of the German constitution into European institutions. A homage to democracy, illustrated by the impressive photographs from the book showing dozens of historical places across Germany where constitutions were drafted, fought for, interpreted, lost, and applied. History reminds us that we must be determined if we want to enjoy the benefits of constitutionalism: democracy, separation of powers, and the rule of law. Perhaps there is no more important lesson for today. The book project "Verfassungsorte" was generously supported and funded by the Foundation for Places of German Democracy History.

Angelika Nußberger is a professor of international law, public law, and comparative law at the University of Cologne, director of the Academy for European Human Rights Protection, and vice-president of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. From January 2011 to December 2019, she was a judge at the European Court of Human Rights and from February 2017 its vice-president. Additionally, she is a member of the advisory board of the Foreign Office, the Venice Commission, and the Institut de droit international.

Russell Miller is the J.B. Stombock Professor of Law at W&L University (Virginia). He is a respected teacher and scholar in the fields of public law and comparative law with extensive research work on German law and German legal culture. He led the Max Planck Law Network (2020–2022). He has been awarded prizes and scholarships from Fulbright, the DAAD, the Robert Bosch Foundation, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. He is a co-founder and co-editor of the German Law Journal. Miller studied at Washington State University, Duke University, and the University of Frankfurt. He has worked as a research associate at a U.S. federal court and at the Federal Constitutional Court.

Alexander Thiele is a professor of state theory and public law, particularly constitutional and European law, at the BSP Business and Law School – University of Management and Law. His current research focuses on democracy and state theory, where he explores the fundamental functional prerequisites of democratic orders through an interdisciplinary approach. With us, together with his team from the BSP Business and Law School, as part of the series "Grundgesetzliches."

Photo: Old Town Hall of Regensburg, venue of the Everlasting Reichstag from 1663 to 1806, (c) Klaus Bärwinkel, Wikimedia Commons

A woman races incredulously through medical history and is appalled by the centuries-long male gaze on her body. With much humor, Marie Bues' staging dissects persistent myths, exposing their absurdity - and does not shy away from the pain inherent in bodies and systems.

In the past, medicine was entirely oriented towards the male gender. The patient and her body seem to be, even today, an often unknown entity. Meanwhile, people of different genders fall ill with often markedly different symptoms and courses.

"Women still have to fight to break free from the equation of oppression. The three exceptionally versatile and adaptable actresses at the Theater Winkelwiese and director Marie Bues make this clear in a calm and colorful production." - SRF 2 Kultur

Marie Bues is co-director at the Schauspielhaus Vienna. In 2019, she already premiered Julia Haenni's successful piece FRAU VERSCHWINDET (VERSIONEN) at the Bühnen Bern and directed the latest text FRAU HEILT (PARTY) at the Theater Winkelwiese.

WITH Shabnam Chamani / Florentine Krafft / Hanna Eichel TEXT Julia Haenni DIRECTOR Marie Bues DRAMATURGY Fadrina Arpagaus STAGE Heike Mondschein COSTUME Heike Mondschein & Ensemble MUSIC Christine Hasler COACHING MOVEMENT Bahar Meriç ASSISTANCE Bruno Brandes PRODUCTION Theater Winkelwiese PERFORMANCE RIGHTS Verlag der Autoren

MARIE BUES often forgoes classical characters or narrative structures in her productions. Instead, they directly reflect societal conditions as well as current discourses. For her programmatic focus on contemporary drama and experimental forms of theater at the Theater Rampe, she and Martina Grohmann were awarded the Federal Theater Prize in 2019 and the Martin Linzer Theater Prize in 2021.

JULIA HAENNI works as a freelance author, performer, and director in Switzerland and Germany. She works with young people and adults, amateurs and professionals, for the free scene and at state theaters. In the 2018/19 season, she was a resident author at the Konzert Theater Bern, where she wrote FRAU VERSCHWINDET (VERSIONEN), which was awarded the Bern Literary Prize in 2020. For her "quirky, outstanding work," she is awarded the Welti Prize for Drama.

The exhibition presents works from seven decades and traces the development of Ono's innovative, multidisciplinary oeuvre and its ongoing influence to this day. The exhibition showcases more than 200 works, including instructions and scores, installations, films, music, and photographs, highlighting Ono's radical approach to language, art, and participation, which continues to resonate in the present.
Organized by Tate Modern, London, in collaboration with the Gropius Bau, Berlin, and the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf

Curated by Patrizia Dander, Deputy Curatorial Director, Gropius Bau, and Juliet Bingham, Curator, International Art, Tate Modern
 
 
 
 

20 years after the artist, author, and performer Vaginal Davis moved from Los Angeles to Berlin, the Gropius Bau presents the first comprehensive solo exhibition of her work in Germany. In her groundbreaking creation, punk and glamour, queer activism and Black counterculture, as well as resistance and desire, intertwine. Vaginal Davis: Fabelhaftes Produkt unites large-scale installations, paintings, video and film works, zines, texts, music, and performance, offering a comprehensive overview of Davis' multifaceted practice and her artistic collaborations. As part of the exhibition, the art collective CHEAP presents the installation Choose Mutation with photographs by Annette Frick. Fabelhaftes Produkt invites you into the universe of Vaginal Davis, populated by literary heroines, mythical figures, and real icons.
Initiated by the Moderna Museet, Stockholm, in collaboration with the Gropius Bau, Berlin, and MoMA PS1, New York
 
 
 
 

HEIMAT_KUNST Festival week on the theme "War Children"
18.06.2025 - 22.06.2025

GUEST PERFORMANCE

DEMOKRATÌA-PROJEKT
A musical manifesto for democracy
Cast: Iris Siegfried (vocals, violin) and Olga Shkrygunova (piano)

Duration: approx. 1h 50 min. (including a break after approx. 50 min.)

In an extraordinary concert, a Berlin concert pianist and a Hamburg lawyer, who has embarked on a second career as a violinist/singer, explore the profound connection between democracy and music.

Both artists performed together for over ten years with the renowned quartet Salut Salon on international stages.

Their program "Demokratìa-Projekt" includes both original songs and chansons as well as classical works by composers such as Beethoven, C. Schumann, Mozart, Rameau, and Piazzolla. Through musical jewels – such as Beethoven's 9th Symphony – and very personal texts, the development of freedom and human rights is traced.

A musical manifesto for democracy and love!

Box office / Admission starts 60 minutes before the performance begins

The classic of German cabaret

No other nation in the world has produced such a multitude of laws and paragraphs as we Germans. We simply regulate everything: marriage when unconscious (§1314 BGB) and the proper placement of warning triangles during funeral processions (§27 StVO). And the legislator puts it all in a language that even lawyers can hardly understand. There is only one defense against this: laughter! The program sets new standards in punch density, is grandiosely darkly humorous, intelligent, and highly entertaining.

"Am achten Tag..." means: two hours of refreshing humor.

Book: Werner Koczwara
Photo: Dirk Dehmel / Foto Urbschat

3:00 PM

20 years after the artist, author, and performer Vaginal Davis moved from Los Angeles to Berlin, the Gropius Bau presents the first comprehensive solo exhibition of her work in Germany. In her groundbreaking creation, punk and glamour, queer activism and Black counterculture, as well as resistance and desire, intertwine. Vaginal Davis: Fabelhaftes Produkt unites large-scale installations, paintings, video and film works, zines, texts, music, and performance, offering a comprehensive overview of Davis' multifaceted practice and her artistic collaborations. As part of the exhibition, the art collective CHEAP presents the installation Choose Mutation with photographs by Annette Frick. Fabelhaftes Produkt invites you into the universe of Vaginal Davis, populated by literary heroines, mythical figures, and real icons.
Initiated by the Moderna Museet, Stockholm, in collaboration with the Gropius Bau, Berlin, and MoMA PS1, New York
 
 
 
 

Prof. Dr. Langbock gives a lecture on 7 different human types, but his assistant Susie Stör charmingly keeps getting in his way. Eventually, they take the leap into the game together and bring to life those types that everyone knows, loves to ignore, and will simply adore after this evening! A wonderfully funny duo awaits you, filled with lots of fun and the occasional inspiration for more joy in life.

Performers: Marion Martinez & Rainer Eckhardt

When Nathan returns from a business trip, he learns that during his absence, there was an arson attack on his house, and his daughter Recha only managed to escape the flames with the help of a Templar. It is both a stroke of luck and incredible, on one hand because the Templar, a Christian, willingly saved a Jewess, and on the other hand because he himself was spared from execution by the Muslim Sultan, as the only Crusader shortly before.

In search of this Templar, Nathan soon finds himself confronted with his own past, and a dense plot unfolds around the question of the coexistence of the three monotheistic religions, tolerance and its fragility, belonging, community, equality, ultimately culminating in the famous "Ring Parable."

Lessing's work NATHAN THE WISE, published in 1779 and considered one of the main works of the Enlightenment, is set in 1192, after the Muslims, under Sultan Saladin, re-conquered Jerusalem (1187), during the time of the Third Crusade.

Director Max Radestock and his team examine the over 200-year-old material in a distilled version for its relevance today. How far has the idea of Enlightenment come in the last 300 years? Are we living in a tolerant, enlightened age? And what would Nathan say about the current social developments?

With Crossover Slam, the concept of Poetry Slam is taken further: here, different disciplines compete against each other to win the favor of the audience. The audience can admire and applaud not only poetry but also music and a third, free discipline (e.g. acrobatics, painting, yoga, acting, origami, magic, comedy, karate…?). It's less about competition and more about the fun of presenting oneself and one's art, watching others, and having a great evening together.
For six years now, very diverse and unpredictable evenings have been regularly created, where professionals, debutants, and sometimes even real stars take the microphone. The evening is curated, moderated, and held together by Felix Römer.

Felix Römer was one of the first Poetry Slammers. He has toured all over the country and performed at countless slams, knows the scene from the beginning, and has helped shape it. But he is also an author, German Kleinkunst Prize winner (with Luksan Wunder), moderator, organizer, musician, and one of the people who bring people together - on, behind, and in front of the stage.

Moderation: Felix Römer

Photo: Marvin Ruppert

Box office opens at 7:00 p.m.

20 years after the artist, author, and performer Vaginal Davis moved from Los Angeles to Berlin, the Gropius Bau presents the first comprehensive solo exhibition of her work in Germany. In her groundbreaking creation, punk and glamour, queer activism and Black counterculture, as well as resistance and desire, intertwine. Vaginal Davis: Fabelhaftes Produkt unites large-scale installations, paintings, video and film works, zines, texts, music, and performance, offering a comprehensive overview of Davis' multifaceted practice and her artistic collaborations. As part of the exhibition, the art collective CHEAP presents the installation Choose Mutation with photographs by Annette Frick. Fabelhaftes Produkt invites you into the universe of Vaginal Davis, populated by literary heroines, mythical figures, and real icons.
Initiated by the Moderna Museet, Stockholm, in collaboration with the Gropius Bau, Berlin, and MoMA PS1, New York
 
 
 
 

The exhibition presents works from seven decades and traces the development of Ono's innovative, multidisciplinary oeuvre and its ongoing influence to this day. The exhibition showcases more than 200 works, including instructions and scores, installations, films, music, and photographs, highlighting Ono's radical approach to language, art, and participation, which continues to resonate in the present.
Organized by Tate Modern, London, in collaboration with the Gropius Bau, Berlin, and the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf

Curated by Patrizia Dander, Deputy Curatorial Director, Gropius Bau, and Juliet Bingham, Curator, International Art, Tate Modern
 
 
 
 

FALLING | IN LOVE is enchanting beauty. Dive into a swirling sea of colors and emotions – curated by Parisian superstar designer Jean Paul GAULTIER. Berlin's radiant show jewel with the indescribable magic of 100 million Swarovski crystals. A new world record. The crowning of this crystal frenzy on the largest theater stage in the world is the largest Swarovski crystal – in the world.

Experience the sparkliest Grand Show of all time!

Duration approximately 2.5 hours including a 30-minute intermission
Also suitable for guests without German language skills
Recommended from 8 years old

Entry one hour before show start

Possible remaining tickets at the box office on the day/evening

Valéry Haumont (vocals and percussion)
This French singer has participated in many jazz projects in France (in the clubs: “Duc des Lombards”, “Sunset”, “Baiser Salé”, “Pannonica”, “Café universel”, “Café Laurent”, “Autour de midi et minuit”? l in the Festivals: “Jazz au fil de l'Oise”, “Jazz à Vitré”, “Jazz à l'Ouest”, “Jazz au coeur et guitare à l'ame”, “Jazz en Rè”, “Jazz de Mars”, “Jazz sur Lie”, “Dixie Days”, “Touches de Jazz, ‘Les Rendez-vous de l'Erdre’ . ...), but also throughout Europe as for example in Switzerland (“Montreux jazz festival”, “Luzerne Festival”...), in Germany (the clubs: , “A-Trane”, “Be-Bop” in Berlin), or in Holland (The “Pater” club, the auditorium of the “Royal Conservatory” in Den Haag...).
Valery has sung with many musicians of the French and European jazz scene: Tony Rabeson, Jean-Philippe Viret, Ludovic de Preissac, Damien Schmitt, Georges Brown, Oliver Von Essen, Benjamin Moussay, Ninine Garcia, Patrick Saussois, Andrea Michelutti, Franck Avitabile, Yoni Zelnik, Pier Paolo Pozzi, Ahmet Gulbay, Georges Paczynski, Armel Dupas...
With a pure and clean voice, he proposes a universal jazz, based on his roots and his ability to move.

Valéry Haumont (vocals and percussion)
This French singer has participated in many jazz projects in France (in the clubs: “Duc des Lombards”, “Sunset”, “Baiser Salé”, “Pannonica”, “Café universel”, “Café Laurent”, “Autour de midi et minuit”? l in the Festivals: “Jazz au fil de l'Oise”, “Jazz à Vitré”, “Jazz à l'Ouest”, “Jazz au coeur et guitare à l'ame”, “Jazz en Rè”, “Jazz de Mars”, “Jazz sur Lie”, “Dixie Days”, “Touches de Jazz, ‘Les Rendez-vous de l'Erdre’ . ...), but also throughout Europe as for example in Switzerland (“Montreux jazz festival”, “Luzerne Festival”...), in Germany (the clubs: , “A-Trane”, “Be-Bop” in Berlin), or in Holland (The “Pater” club, the auditorium of the “Royal Conservatory” in Den Haag...).
Valery has sung with many musicians of the French and European jazz scene: Tony Rabeson, Jean-Philippe Viret, Ludovic de Preissac, Damien Schmitt, Georges Brown, Oliver Von Essen, Benjamin Moussay, Ninine Garcia, Patrick Saussois, Andrea Michelutti, Franck Avitabile, Yoni Zelnik, Pier Paolo Pozzi, Ahmet Gulbay, Georges Paczynski, Armel Dupas...
With a pure and clean voice, he proposes a universal jazz, based on his roots and his ability to move.

Valéry Haumont (vocals and percussion)
This French singer has participated in many jazz projects in France (in the clubs: “Duc des Lombards”, “Sunset”, “Baiser Salé”, “Pannonica”, “Café universel”, “Café Laurent”, “Autour de midi et minuit”? l in the Festivals: “Jazz au fil de l'Oise”, “Jazz à Vitré”, “Jazz à l'Ouest”, “Jazz au coeur et guitare à l'ame”, “Jazz en Rè”, “Jazz de Mars”, “Jazz sur Lie”, “Dixie Days”, “Touches de Jazz, ‘Les Rendez-vous de l'Erdre’ . ...), but also throughout Europe as for example in Switzerland (“Montreux jazz festival”, “Luzerne Festival”...), in Germany (the clubs: , “A-Trane”, “Be-Bop” in Berlin), or in Holland (The “Pater” club, the auditorium of the “Royal Conservatory” in Den Haag...).
Valery has sung with many musicians of the French and European jazz scene: Tony Rabeson, Jean-Philippe Viret, Ludovic de Preissac, Damien Schmitt, Georges Brown, Oliver Von Essen, Benjamin Moussay, Ninine Garcia, Patrick Saussois, Andrea Michelutti, Franck Avitabile, Yoni Zelnik, Pier Paolo Pozzi, Ahmet Gulbay, Georges Paczynski, Armel Dupas...
With a pure and clean voice, he proposes a universal jazz, based on his roots and his ability to move.

Valéry Haumont (vocals and percussion)
This French singer has participated in many jazz projects in France (in the clubs: “Duc des Lombards”, “Sunset”, “Baiser Salé”, “Pannonica”, “Café universel”, “Café Laurent”, “Autour de midi et minuit”? l in the Festivals: “Jazz au fil de l'Oise”, “Jazz à Vitré”, “Jazz à l'Ouest”, “Jazz au coeur et guitare à l'ame”, “Jazz en Rè”, “Jazz de Mars”, “Jazz sur Lie”, “Dixie Days”, “Touches de Jazz, ‘Les Rendez-vous de l'Erdre’ . ...), but also throughout Europe as for example in Switzerland (“Montreux jazz festival”, “Luzerne Festival”...), in Germany (the clubs: , “A-Trane”, “Be-Bop” in Berlin), or in Holland (The “Pater” club, the auditorium of the “Royal Conservatory” in Den Haag...).
Valery has sung with many musicians of the French and European jazz scene: Tony Rabeson, Jean-Philippe Viret, Ludovic de Preissac, Damien Schmitt, Georges Brown, Oliver Von Essen, Benjamin Moussay, Ninine Garcia, Patrick Saussois, Andrea Michelutti, Franck Avitabile, Yoni Zelnik, Pier Paolo Pozzi, Ahmet Gulbay, Georges Paczynski, Armel Dupas...
With a pure and clean voice, he proposes a universal jazz, based on his roots and his ability to move.

Valéry Haumont (vocals and percussion)
This French singer has participated in many jazz projects in France (in the clubs: “Duc des Lombards”, “Sunset”, “Baiser Salé”, “Pannonica”, “Café universel”, “Café Laurent”, “Autour de midi et minuit”? l in the Festivals: “Jazz au fil de l'Oise”, “Jazz à Vitré”, “Jazz à l'Ouest”, “Jazz au coeur et guitare à l'ame”, “Jazz en Rè”, “Jazz de Mars”, “Jazz sur Lie”, “Dixie Days”, “Touches de Jazz, ‘Les Rendez-vous de l'Erdre’ . ...), but also throughout Europe as for example in Switzerland (“Montreux jazz festival”, “Luzerne Festival”...), in Germany (the clubs: , “A-Trane”, “Be-Bop” in Berlin), or in Holland (The “Pater” club, the auditorium of the “Royal Conservatory” in Den Haag...).
Valery has sung with many musicians of the French and European jazz scene: Tony Rabeson, Jean-Philippe Viret, Ludovic de Preissac, Damien Schmitt, Georges Brown, Oliver Von Essen, Benjamin Moussay, Ninine Garcia, Patrick Saussois, Andrea Michelutti, Franck Avitabile, Yoni Zelnik, Pier Paolo Pozzi, Ahmet Gulbay, Georges Paczynski, Armel Dupas...
With a pure and clean voice, he proposes a universal jazz, based on his roots and his ability to move.