Byot – Build your own temple: Climbing the trash mountain

Byot –

Urban Art Installation

Climbing the trash mountain

© Jantje Röller, Reichenbergerstraße 6, 10999 Berlin, jantje.roeller@lokwerk.com 

Byot/Build your own temple

Creation resounds from a mountain of bottles. From your lounge chair, gazing up at glittering streamers dancing in the sky, enjoy soundloops which explore the incomprehensibility of the world.In lounge chairs listen to audio guide soundloops, which playfully examine the incomprehensibility of the world and Creation, while you look up to the sky and the dancing silver streamers.

A tall pole rises from the mountain of empty water bottles, at the top a clear globe, dancing in the wind, pulled by small sails and glittering streamers. Out of this „temple of trash“ come the sounds of Haydn’s „Creation“. Visitors can sit in lounge chairs surrounding the „Sound and Trash Temple Mountain“ and listen to audio guides playing soundloops that creatively explore the wonder -- and therefore the incomprehenisibility – of the world. Texts from Ratzinger, Kant, Heidegger, Kleist, Celan, and from the Bible mix with the visitors own thoughts and impressions of the artistic trash heap.

Out of the residue of our society, which always demands something new, a new industry of waste has developed. The idea of reducing waste to protect Creation has become a whole new industry. Not only children in the favelas of Brazil live from what they find in landfills, but also the homeless elsewhere collect bottles „professionally“ for the deposits and organize their own bottle return stations. Finding new value in used items has even become part of the lifestyle of the better-off. The business of selling used goods on internet auction websites seems as natural as the trade in waste rights on exchange markets. Recycling of discarded material has become an economic factor in consumer society, which then itself stimulates more consumption, and therefore more waste. Even attempts to limit the negative effects of our own actions get out of hand. In this sense it is good to take a moment to realize afresh that Creation itself is actually beyond comprehension. To do this we have to try to create a zone for contemplation, beyond the hectic pressure to limit damages, to constantly consume (even trash). A zone for thinking anew and and experiencing aesthetically the unknowable Creation.

An Installation from Jantje Röller & Steffo Jennerich

Sound: Holger Schwark

Voice: Traute Hoess & Axel Werner

Music: Joseph Haydn G-Strings, Rolf Zielke, Stephan Braun

Jantje Röller:

Born in 1969 in Wilhelmshaven, studied philosophy, literature and cultural studies in Konstanz, Hamburg, Baltimore, New York, and Frankfurt/Oder; PhD earned 2001. Has worked since 1988 as directorial assistant and dramaturg, among others with the directors Peter Zadek, Frank Castorf, and Armin Petras at the Berliner Ensemble. Since 1990 she has worked on artistic projects in Hamburg, Mannheim, Berlin and New York, including at the Volksbühne and Staatsbank in Berlin, the Tribecca Lab, Cardozo Law School and Deutschen Haus in New York City. She has been the recipient of a number of prizes and scholarships, including the Altenhein Fellowship in New York, the DFG, the Geothe Institute and the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

Steffo Jennerich Scape

Born in 1960 in Bingen. After training as an electric engineer, studied German and theater studies in Berlin, also working lighting for the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz in Berlin. Served as technical director at the Renaissance Theater in Berlin. Since 1991 engaged as set designer and light designer (Kunstfest Weimar), and technical director at several theaters. Set design among others for the Volksbühne, Distel, staatsbank, and Renaissance Theaters in Berlin; Theater Dortmund; Kleisttheater Frankfurt/Oder; with directors such as Manfred Wekwerth, Joachim Schlömer, Robert Montoto, Peter Ensikat, Lukas-B. Suter, Frank Lüdeke, Hans Holzbecher, Martin Maier Bode.

Holger Schwark

Born in 1969 in Münster. Trained as pianist and organist for ecclesiastical music. Studied sound mixing in Berlin; has worked as sound engineer and sound designer. Sound engineer for the cultural program at the EXPO 2000, numerous musial and artitistic productions, among others with the Berlin Philharmonic and as production director for Bill Viola’s installation „Five Angels for the Millenium,“ and „Soldaten“ for the Ruhrtriennale. Holger Schwark also teaches at the Filmhochschule Babelsberg.

Traute Hoess

Born in Weilheim in Bavaria. Completed her acting training at the Otto-Falckenberg-Schule in Munich. In addition to work at Theater Basel, the Berliner Ensemble, the Vienna Burgtheater, and the Bochum Schauspielhaus, this Nestroy Prize-winning actor (or you can say actress – but it’s more modern to say actor these days for both men and women) has performed in numerous film and television productions such as Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s film »Lili Marleen« und »Berlin Alexanderplatz«.

Axel Werner

Is a longtime member of the Berliner Ensemble, also well known through appearances in film and television, among others in the films of Tom Tykwer and numerous episodes of the series „Tatort.“ Axel Werner’s distinctive voice has marked Jantje Röller’s instiallations since 1995.