Transgressions

The exhibition Transgressions brings together the works Exit (2022–24) by Norman Behrendt and Seumes Weg (2022-2023) by Eric Pawlitzky, both of which explore border crossings—spatial, political, and intellectual. Both works understand movement as a process of cognition: whether by exploring the Berlin underground emergency exit system or retracing a historical journey across Europe. In their collaborative project Kyiv Berlin Metro Construction, the artists add an imaginative dimension by envisioning a hidden underground connection between the two cities.
Transgression means crossing boundaries—leaving familiar structures, the breaking of rules and the exploration of spaces in between. It also associates legal and illegal ‘border crossings’. In a time marked by geopolitical tensions, wars, and uncertainty, the works investigate which spaces are open to us—and which remain closed. They intertwine personal experiences with contemporary political developments.
Exit explores the tension between protection and threat. Monochrome photographs show open emergency exits of Berlin’s underground system as silent witnesses to a hidden infrastructure — places that promise safety in moments of crisis but also evoke uncertainty: What has happened here? Who seeks refuge in these spaces? In a time when people are fleeing war and violence—from Ukraine and other war zones, while escape routes remain blocked in besieged Gaza—the work raises
urgent questions about security, sanctuary, and the limits of freedom of movement.
http://www.normanbehrendt.com/projects/exit

Seumes Weg takes up a historical perspective. In 1802, Johann Gottfried Seume walked from Grimma to Syracuse and wrote with analytical acuity about Europe’s political, social and economic conditions in Europe at the beginning of the war-torn 19th century. Pawlitzky reconstructed this route, followed it over 2,160 kilometres by foot and asked himself what Seume would see today—and how he would see it. His photographs, in altered colours, depict a contemporary Europe far from the typical tourist destinations. In accompanying texts, Pawlitzky describes his inner world as a counterpoint to what he sees.
https://seumes-weg.de/

In Kyiv Berlin Metro Construction, the artists envision an imaginary metroline between Kyiv and Berlin—at a time when real infrastructure is being destroyed and escape routes are blocked. Inspired by artists like Martin Kippenberger (Metronet) and Mohammed Abusal (Gaza Metro), Behrendt and Pawlitzky explore the motif of unbuilt infrastructure. Their central object—a seemingly functional building—becomes a metaphor for hope, protection, and the fragility of political realities. Is it an exit, an entrance, or a dead end? A shelter or an illusion? The project presents a vision of social and territorial cohesion a utopian model of solidarity and unity in a redefined Europe. A Europe that must rediscover the borders it needs to overcome.
http://www.normanbehrendt.com/projects/the-kyiv-berlin-metro-construction

Transgressions opens a space for reflection: Which borders do we cross—consciously or unconsciously? Which are real, and which are constructed? In an era of growing geopolitical tensions, overlapping crises, and fragmented truths, the lines between safety and danger, reality and imagination are increasingly blurred. The exhibition invites us to embrace these ambiguities, explore transitions, and imagine new connections.