Amelia’s Magazine | Film Preview: Mauerpark, the documentary.

Emily Whitebread interviews Francesca Weber-Newth and Sally Mumby-Croft about their recently completed short documentary film: Mauerpark.

Mauerpark [‘Wall Park’] lies on the former ‘no man’s land’, visit this site which separated Berlin for 27 years. After reunification in 1989 and the fall of The Wall, information pills the area was designated as a public space – hence ‘Wall Park’. Now a private developer intends to build housing on the fallow land, treat which lies at the periphery of the park. The plans are hotly debated, with citizen action groups arguing that building development would damage the unique atmosphere of the park. The film documents the current politics of this “people’s park” and asks individuals why the park is such an important ‘free’ urban space.

There are similarities between Mauerpark and the development of green spaces for the 2012 Olympics in London. Mauerpark, as a short documentary, allows the architect, politicians and concerned groups, to voice their opinions. The park’s architect, Professor Gustav Lange, explains his original concept and his views on its present use.

In March Mauerpark was screened in Berlin, with most of the interviewees present. The short documentary was also screened as part of a regeneration symposium at Goldsmiths College, London and as part of the exhibition Silent City.

What was the response to your depiction of the park by those viewing the documentary?

Fran: In Berlin the interviewees enjoyed seeing the park from mine and Sally’s perspective. The film gave those with different visions for the future of Mauerpark, a chance to see the common ground which they all share – to see themselves as part of a larger group. At the Goldsmiths screening, those debating the Olympics, and its effects on Hackney, were thrilled that citizen groups in Berlin are so active. They drew comparisons between London and Berlin in terms of urban development and the potential for citizen activism to affect the look and use of city space.

Fran was interning in Berlin while researching for her undergraduate dissertation when a friend recommended her to buy a bicycle from the flea market in Mauerpark. “After that first visit, I was obsessed.” Seven months visiting the park culminated in this collaboration.

Sally, as a non-Berliner, what was your immediate feeling when entering the park?

Sally: Straight away I felt a sense of the place’s importance – not only in terms of historical memory but in the day to day activities of the local communities. There are two sections of the park though which are strikingly different – the side designed by Prof. Lange, and the fenced-off side in private ownership which prevents easy access for the residents into the park on their doorstep.

Many Berliners strongly feel that The Wall is still a presence even though it has physically been removed, when crossing from East to West they still feel The Wall is there.

Did you experience this during filming?

Sally: The feeling is inescapable. Mauerpark is one of the final spaces where The Wall stood that has not been built on or turned into a tourist trap. Using Bernd Krüger’s collection of before, and after, the fall of The Wall photographs in the documentary intensified this.


Photo by Sally Mumby-Croft

Did you think that Professor Lange’s vision for the park is in tune today with those who use the space?

Fran: How a park should look is strongly felt in Germany where there is tradition that ‘a park’, as constructed by landscape architects, generally has rigorous structure and regulation. Prof. Lange broke with this cliché. He saw the space as a burst balloon; a pressure zone that was now open. People were excited by the park but his deliberately planned sparseness scared them a little. However, it is precisely this openness, and lack of formal structure, that has become not just accepted, but also cherished by many users.

Not everyone is happy with the park as it. People come to the space with very different notions of what ‘recreation’ is. Stereotypically the elderly want comfort, families want peace and quiet, and youngsters want to socialize. To create a park that meets the needs of all these different user groups and that references the historical importance of the space, is a difficult task!

What was your reaction to the view that there are no historical reference points to the Berlin Wall in the park?

Fran: The issue of history, politics and memory is contentious. People’s experiences of divided Berlin will shape their ideas as to whether it should be remembered, and how this remembrance might look. ‘Historical reference’ can sometimes be taken too literally. The tourist looking for the site of The Wall can find it at the Bernauer Strasse memorial site/museum. Mauerpark’s shape – a thin strip with a central, cobbled path, provides the clues to its history. Many appreciate Prof. Lange’s subtle historical references whilst valuing the park’s potential to provide a social arena for people to make new connections that override the divided history.

If you could influence the fate of the Mauerpark what would you like to see?

Sally: I would love to see Mauerpark completed with open access on all sides.
Fran: My ideal would be for the developers to donate the fallow land to the City and fund the creation of a clean and safe public area.

Mauerpark documents a place that is capable of healing wounds and bringing together people who were once separated. The fate of the park is currently undecided, with debates continuing as to the shape and scale of building development on the fallow land. With government officials, developers and local people in deep discussion for indefinite periods, this rings familiar alarm bells.

Mauerpark will be shown at the Free Range festival in Leicestershire on 30th May and also in London at Goldsmiths on the 27th May 5pm to 8pm

Photographs by Francesca Weber-Newth

Categories ,Francesca Weber-Newth, ,goldsmiths, ,Mauerpark, ,Sally Mumby-Croft, ,Silent City

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Amelia’s Magazine | A review of Silent City, Part One: A Symposium on Climate Change

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of Peggy Sue by Antonia Parker.

Peggy Sue have been around in various incarnations for sometime – previously accompanied by the Pirates – and it comes as a real surprise to discover that their first long player has only just come out, this site so already engrained are they in the indie consciousness: a true band of our internet led times.

Released at the end of April on Wichita Recordings, more about Fossils and Other Phantoms therefore finds the work of an already mature band with a strongly identifiable sound of their own. A combination of indie and folk with a strong streak of the blues and even doo-wop, remedy husky vocalists Katy Klaw and Rosa Rex take turns to lead the tunes against a firm rhythmic backbone courtesy of drummer Olly Joyce, who comes crashing in halfway into opening track Long Division Blues after a slowly spiralling build up. His presence is never far away, even when the girls resort to the glorious simplicity of a simple guitar, kazoo or uke to back their playfully tumbling harmonies – I Read It In The Paper, Green Grow The Rushes and The Shape We Made soon grow into bigger songs with the addition of percussion.

Peggy-Sue-Fossils-And-Other-Phantoms

Single Watchmen is a tuneful favourite that is accompanied by a gorgeous animated video. Soulful lyrics sound heavily influenced by complicated love lives (though I discovered this is not quite the case when I interviewed the band) and render this album the perfect heartbreak sound track, but the point when you most definitely feel it’s time to pick yourself up and stand proudly independent again. Yo Mama sees them stand defiant “I’m gonna go downtown and find myself someone,” they assure us.

The album was launched with a free gig at Rough Trade East, which also happened to fall on Katy’s birthday. Accompanied by extra violin and cello “the one who bought me the cake is my favourite out of our string section” the trio powered through an energetic set in front of a clearly adoring though somewhat coy crowd. Despite problems with feedback and tuning “normally we tune up properly before a gig but we drank beer instead cos it’s my birthday” it was a great showcase for these talented and very individual multi-instrumentalists who are nothing if not prolific.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of the string section by Antonia Parker.

Today they release a new EP. Lover Gone was the result of a road trip to Devon. “Officially we were supposed to be recording demos but we somehow managed to create another EP instead,” explains their website. You can buy the new EP here.

Look out for my interview with the band, coming soon.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of Peggy Sue by Antonia Parker.

Peggy Sue have been around in various incarnations for sometime – previously accompanied by the Pirates – and it comes as a real surprise to discover that their first long player has only just come out, pharmacy so already engrained are they in the indie consciousness: a true band of our internet led times.

Released at the end of April on Wichita Recordings, Fossils and Other Phantoms therefore finds the work of an already mature band with a strongly identifiable sound of their own. A combination of indie and folk with a strong streak of the blues and even doo-wop, husky vocalists Katy Klaw and Rosa Rex take turns to lead the tunes against a firm rhythmic backbone courtesy of drummer Olly Joyce, who comes crashing in halfway into opening track Long Division Blues after a slowly spiralling build up. His presence is never far away, even when the girls resort to the glorious simplicity of a simple guitar, kazoo or uke to back their playfully tumbling harmonies – I Read It In The Paper, Green Grow The Rushes and The Shape We Made soon grow into bigger songs with the addition of percussion.

Peggy-Sue-Fossils-And-Other-Phantoms

Single Watchmen is a tuneful favourite that is accompanied by a gorgeous animated video. Soulful lyrics sound heavily influenced by complicated love lives (though I discovered this is not quite the case when I interviewed the band) and render this album the perfect heartbreak sound track, but the point when you most definitely feel it’s time to pick yourself up and stand proudly independent again. Yo Mama sees them stand defiant “I’m gonna go downtown and find myself someone,” they assure us.

The album was launched with a free gig at Rough Trade East, which also happened to fall on Katy’s birthday. Accompanied by extra violin and cello “the one who bought me the cake is my favourite out of our string section” the trio powered through an energetic set in front of a clearly adoring though somewhat coy crowd. Despite problems with feedback and tuning “normally we tune up properly before a gig but we drank beer instead cos it’s my birthday” it was a great showcase for these talented and very individual multi-instrumentalists who are nothing if not prolific.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of the string section by Antonia Parker.

Today they release a new EP. Lover Gone was the result of a road trip to Devon. “Officially we were supposed to be recording demos but we somehow managed to create another EP instead,” explains their website. You can buy the new EP here.

Look out for my interview with the band, coming soon.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of Peggy Sue by Antonia Parker.

Peggy Sue have been around in various incarnations – previously accompanied by the Pirate – for sometime which means that it comes as a real surprise to discover that their first long player has only just come out, medications so already engrained are they in the indie consciousness: a true band of our internet led times.

Released at the end of April on Wichita Recordings, troche Fossils and Other Phantoms therefore finds the work of an already mature band with a strongly identifiable sound of their own. A combination of indie and folk with a strong streak of the blues and even doo-wop, husky vocalists Katy Klaw and Rosa Rex take turns to lead the tunes against a firm rhythmic backbone courtesy of drummer Olly Joyce, who comes crashing in halfway into opening track Long Division Blues after a slowly spiralling build up. His presence is never far away, even when the girls resort to the glorious simplicity of a simple guitar, kazoo or uke to back their playfully tumbling harmonies – I Read It In The Paper, Green Grow The Rushes and The Shape We Made soon grow into bigger songs with the addition of percussion.

Peggy-Sue-Fossils-And-Other-Phantoms

Single Watchman is a tuneful favourite that is accompanied by a gorgeously surreal animated video by Betsy Dadd. Soulful lyrics sound heavily influenced by complicated love lives (though I discovered this is not quite the case when I interviewed the band) and render this album the perfect heartbreak sound track, but the point when you most definitely feel it’s time to pick yourself up and stand proudly independent again. Yo Mama sees them stand defiant “I’m gonna go downtown and find myself someone,” they assure us.

The album was launched with a free gig at Rough Trade East, which also happened to fall on Katy’s birthday. Accompanied by extra violin and cello “the one who bought me the cake is my favourite out of our string section” the trio powered through an energetic set in front of a clearly adoring though somewhat coy crowd. Despite problems with feedback and tuning “normally we tune up properly before a gig but we drank beer instead cos it’s my birthday” it was a great showcase for these talented and very individual multi-instrumentalists.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of the string section by Antonia Parker.

Look out for my interview with the band, coming soon.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of Peggy Sue by Antonia Parker.

Peggy Sue have been around in various incarnations – previously accompanied by the Pirates – for sometime. So already engrained in the indie consciousness as they are, page it comes as a real surprise to discover that their first long player has only just come out. A true band of our internet led times.

Released at the end of April on Wichita Recordings, Fossils and Other Phantoms therefore finds the work of an already mature band with a strongly identifiable sound of their own. A combination of indie and folk with a strong streak of the blues and even doo-wop, husky vocalists Katy Klaw and Rosa Rex take turns to lead the tunes against a firm rhythmic backbone courtesy of drummer Olly Joyce, who comes crashing in halfway into opening track Long Division Blues after a slowly spiralling build up. His presence is never far away, even when the girls resort to the glorious simplicity of a simple guitar, kazoo or uke to back their playfully tumbling harmonies – I Read It In The Paper, Green Grow The Rushes and The Shape We Made soon grow into bigger songs with the addition of percussion.

Peggy-Sue-Fossils-And-Other-Phantoms

Single Watchman is a tuneful favourite that is accompanied by a gorgeously surreal animated video by Betsy Dadd. Soulful lyrics sound heavily influenced by complicated love lives (though I discovered this is not quite the case when I interviewed the band) and render this album the perfect heartbreak sound track, but the point when you most definitely feel it’s time to pick yourself up and stand proudly independent again. Yo Mama sees them stand defiant “I’m gonna go downtown and find myself someone,” they assure us.

The album was launched with a free gig at Rough Trade East, which also happened to fall on Katy’s birthday. Accompanied by extra violin and cello “the one who bought me the cake is my favourite out of our string section” the trio powered through an energetic set in front of a clearly adoring though somewhat coy crowd. Despite problems with feedback and tuning “normally we tune up properly before a gig but we drank beer instead cos it’s my birthday” it was a great showcase for these talented and very individual multi-instrumentalists.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of the Peggy Sue string section by Antonia Parker.

Look out for my interview with the band, coming soon.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of Peggy Sue by Antonia Parker.

Peggy Sue have been around in various incarnations – previously accompanied by the Pirates – for sometime. This means that it comes as a real surprise to discover that their first long player has only just come out, patient so already engrained are they in the indie consciousness: a true band of our internet led times.

Released at the end of April on Wichita Recordings, web Fossils and Other Phantoms therefore finds the work of an already mature band with a strongly identifiable sound of their own. A combination of indie and folk with a strong streak of the blues and even doo-wop, husky vocalists Katy Klaw and Rosa Rex take turns to lead the tunes against a firm rhythmic backbone courtesy of drummer Olly Joyce, who comes crashing in halfway into opening track Long Division Blues after a slowly spiralling build up. His presence is never far away, even when the girls resort to the glorious simplicity of a simple guitar, kazoo or uke to back their playfully tumbling harmonies – I Read It In The Paper, Green Grow The Rushes and The Shape We Made soon grow into bigger songs with the addition of percussion.

Peggy-Sue-Fossils-And-Other-Phantoms

Single Watchman is a tuneful favourite that is accompanied by a gorgeously surreal animated video by Betsy Dadd. Soulful lyrics sound heavily influenced by complicated love lives (though I discovered this is not quite the case when I interviewed the band) and render this album the perfect heartbreak sound track, but the point when you most definitely feel it’s time to pick yourself up and stand proudly independent again. Yo Mama sees them stand defiant “I’m gonna go downtown and find myself someone,” they assure us.

The album was launched with a free gig at Rough Trade East, which also happened to fall on Katy’s birthday. Accompanied by extra violin and cello “the one who bought me the cake is my favourite out of our string section” the trio powered through an energetic set in front of a clearly adoring though somewhat coy crowd. Despite problems with feedback and tuning “normally we tune up properly before a gig but we drank beer instead cos it’s my birthday” it was a great showcase for these talented and very individual multi-instrumentalists.

Peggy-Sue-Antonia-Parker
Illustration of the Peggy Sue string section by Antonia Parker.

Look out for my interview with the band, coming soon.


Untitled (CCD) by Claire Roberts (detail)

The central premise of Silent City, drug the group comprised of artists Emily Whitebread, Cara Nahaul and Sally Mumby-Croft, whose first exhibition has just opened in Brick Lane, is intriguing. Their starting point was a reaction against what they perceived as the standard Climate Change exhibition. Cara explained the original thinking behind the group:


Wilberforce’s 7000 oaks by Susanna Byrne (detail)

“We went to the RA’s ‘Earth: Art of a Changing World’, and we were completely disappointed. There were one or two standout pieces, for example Lemn Sissay’s performance video ‘What If?’, but on the whole it was a very shallow, one-dimensional show. It didn’t provoke us at all. We found the bright red neon globes and concrete flowers both obvious and pious. The worst thing though, was that it seemed almost entirely from a Western perspective. We’re the ones who caused this mess with our industrialisation, but the Global South is paying the highest price. Bangladesh will be submerged by our actions, but at that show countries that are actually directly affected by climate change didn’t even get a look in.”

They founded Silent City the next day. Their objective was to redress this balance by putting on exhibitions that would seek to present the full implications of Climate Change – especially what it would do to those nearer the equator.

I went along to Brick Lane to see if their exhibition could match her admirable words, and I was suitably impressed. A group show of around 20 artists of various backgrounds whose work all deals with the environment have joined the three founding artists, and the result is a pleasing mix between professionally polished ideas and the kind of activist idealism that was missing from Earth: Art of a Changing World.


Relics of our Past (left) and Vanishing Point (right) and by Tutte Newall

The work, in various mediums from painting and film to dead insects, was of a very high standard. Highlights included Tutte Newall’s beautiful but disturbing paintings of monochrome animals who stand in pools of their own colour, Jools Johnson’s fascinating installations of dystopian cityscapes fashioned out of screws and random computer components, and Claire Robert’s presentation of dead bees, a commentary on the emergence of colony collapse disorder, which threatens bees worldwide, and therefore a third of the world’s food supply.


God Lives in Detail IX by Jools Johnson

Works such as the documentary Drowning By Carbon, by Hazuan Hashim and Phil Maxwell, which featured Bangladeshi children planting the trees that they hoped would one day save them from the looming climate catastrophe, ensured that the original promise that the exhibition would deal with the Global South was kept.

But perhaps the best thing about Silent City was that it managed to put forward a view of Climate Change that was not obvious, in spite of the fact that as a topic it has been talked to death from every angle. Featured documentary Mauerpark, for example, focused on the proposed development of the famous Berlin park. At first glance, this seems more a social than an environmental issue, but after watching the film its relevance to the Climate debate became clear: At its heart the film was about the choice between the short term pursuit of growth and a space that was for everyone, whose benefits could appear more intangible and immeasurable. It became easy to view Mauerpark as microcosm of the natural world itself.


Mauerpark Screening, Photograph by Stuart Sinclair

This outlook on Climate Change that seemed fresh and different, coupled with art that was as well thought out and made, as it was thought-provoking, made Silent City a big success. In fact it was so successful that the closing night film screening was such a scrum that people were camping out on the stairs, able to hear but not see the films. Silent City was apparently just the first of a planned series of exhibitions. It looks like next time they might have to rent out a bigger space.


Photography by Sally Mumby-Croft.

Categories ,Bangladesh, ,Cara Nahual, ,Claire Roberts, ,Climate Change, ,Climate Disaster, ,Colony Collapse Disorder, ,Drowning in Carbon, ,Emily Whitebread, ,film, ,Francesca Weber-Newth, ,Hazuan Hashim and Phil Maxwell, ,Jools Johnson, ,Joseph Beuys, ,Mauerpark, ,Natascha Nanji, ,Sally Mumby-Croft, ,Silent City, ,Tubby Brothers, ,Tutte Newell

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