The Cities Wrapped Around Our Bodies (TCWAOB) is an exhibition series and festival taking place at Kunstquartier Bethanien from January 25 to 29, 2025. Led by Rick Gerardus, it brings together artists from the Kottbusser Tor area with international artists.
The exhibition includes hybrid digital and analog installations, film screenings, photography, sculptures, video art and live music. Themes such as the history of Kreuzberg, digital bodies, counter-surveillance and cultural work in the context of war and authoritarianism will be explored.
During the opening (January 25), Alexandra Gruebler and Mohammed Reza Mortazavi will present soundscapes, while Qusay Awad, Dhia Douss and Rand Abou Fakher will transform the space with a performance. Film screenings will feature works from the Kiarostami Short Film Festival (January 26) and Bill Morrison (January 27). A digital model of the Kottbusser Tor can be experienced in VR, and workshops and discussion platforms will expand the program.
The festival is supported by RECOM: “At recom, we're known for high-end CGI, post-production, and retouching-crafting visual stories with precision and imagination. But sometimes, stepping into unfamiliar territory brings fresh opportunities to explore and grow. This is what drew us to TCWAOB, a project rooted in the vibrant culture of Berlin's Kreuzberg and the complex dynamics of Kottbusser Tor.
Collaborating across branches and with Rick Gerardus working hands-on in the field, we contributed to an initiative that merges creativity with experimentation, analog with digital, and local stories with global perspectives. As the TCWAOB festival unfolds from January 25th to 29th, we're proud to celebrate this milestone with the community that surrounds it-just steps from our recom berlin studio. It's a meaningful way for us to support and connect with the world beyond the screen.” Thorsten Jasper Weese, Managing Partner RECOM GROUP
You can meet the RECOM GROUP and RECOM FILM in person at UPDATE 25 BERLIN on May 16 at Berlin's trendy Telegraphenamt. Creative professionals can register for the event free of charge via the UPDATE website.
The Cities Wrapped Around Our Bodies . Main exhibition: January 25 to 29, 2025 at Kunstquartier Bethanien, Mariannenplatz 2, 10997 Berlin . The exhibition in BABYLON starts in February . The complete program on : www.tcwaob.com
GoSee : tcwaob.com + UPDATE.Salon
CREDITS
Artist Tracey Snelling, KitKat, (photograph, sculpture) 2024, (courtesy of the artist, collection of Kirsten Krüger)
About RECOM GMBH & CO. KG
RECOM is set up in three units (RECOM POST + RECOM CGI + RECOM ART) – by now one of the most renowned and high-capacity ARTWORK/POST- and CGI-STUDIOS worldwide with offices in Stuttgart (Head Office), Berlin, London and New York City.
GoSee : recom.de