Apropos… Party: Anniversary at the Museum in Kulturspeicher – Konkrete Fete 3.0

Twenty years ago, the museum in the Kulturspeicher was opened following the work of a citizens' initiative. The Kulturspeicher, a former grain store, was gutted and rebuilt internally. The largest part of the building is now an art museum, which includes, amongst other things, the Peter C. Ruppert collection, Europe's largest collection of concrete art. The current temporary exhibition "Concrete Resistance – Constructivisms of the Global South" takes a look at concrete art in cities such as São Paulo, Caracas, Havana, Cairo and Beirut.

Part of the Friends of the Museum in Kulturspeicher, which emerged from the initial citizens' movement, we are the Young Friends of the Museum.
Mainly students from various faculties, we are united by our interest in art.
For the anniversary of the museum and the friends' circle, there was a day at the museum with many activities, from breakdancing to harp playing everything was there, the conclusion of the day was formed by the Konkrete Fete.
By the second edition in 2019 with 500 party guests at the latest, the Konkrete Fete should no longer be an insider tip, but how had its reputation held up through the pandemic?

The roof terraces of the Kulturspeicher offer a dreamlike backdrop with a wonderful view of the Alter Hafen and the Zellerau.
After the weather forecast threatened rain at the beginning of the week, it turned cloudy first, and on Saturday the sun greeted us in a cloudless sky. Already during set-up, more than one litre of sunscreen flowed.
As an art project, fitting for the anniversary, we built a wall with posters from changing exhibitions of the last 20 years of Kulturspeicher.
During the party, a collage emerged from this, to which everyone could contribute their part.
Already in the late afternoon, DJs Disko Volante and Tim Kernwein began with quieter music, and the roof terraces slowly filled up.

From the steady stream, more and more people arrived towards evening, so the roof terraces were well filled, the bar could barely keep up with the drinks, and there was quite a lot going on on the dance floor despite the heat.
Our aim to introduce many young people to the Kulturspeicher certainly worked out, and the next Konkrete Fete will surely come sooner than the last one!

As Young Friends, we offer a good programme around the museum and art, have a look at Instagram @mikswue.
You are also welcome to get involved yourselves and realise your own ideas.

Sven Bake