migrating books explores 70 years of israeli-german cultural relations

migrating books explores 70 years of israeli-german cultural relations
all images courtesy of kawahara krause architects 

on may 10th, 1933 thousands of people gathered in berlin’s opernplatz (now bebelplatz) to listen to nazi minister for popular enlightenment and propaganda joseph goebbels’ tirade against decadence and moral corruption in literature. that day, upwards of 25,000 volumes of books deemed ‘un-german’ were thrown ceremoniously into massive bonfires, setting the stage for the era of state censorship and culture control to follow.

‘migrating books’ 

thankfully, the events of world war II are long past, and the relations between israel and germany have come great lengths. kawahara krause architects’ ‘migrating books’ explores the unbelievable journey of literature through the 70 years since, from book-burning to book-translation. the installation emphasizes cultural connections between germany and israel, showcasing the best examples of the countless books that have been transcribed from hebrew to german, and vise versa.

the minimal structure places all focus on the novels 

‘migrating books’ praises the meaning of literature in society, their stories and narratives an integral piece in the fabric of culture; and also, the importance of communication and sharing between countries, in hopes that mutual understanding and connection will prevent the course of history from ever repeating itself.

gridded structures are composed of transparent drinking straws and acrylic glass joints  

books are held by a spatial structure that plays with viewers’ sense of depth and space. depending on the viewpoint the rods of the gridded structure are either clearly understandable or an ambiguous mass. the interchangeability between two and three-dimensions represents simplicity and complexity, concepts often used simultaneously to justify, understand, and cope with the world’s most devastating conflicts.

viewers are able to wander through the exhibit and explore the translated texts 

the structure consists of transparent drinking straws connected by joints of acrylic glass. the ephemeral net holds books in space, but remains only vaguely defined. depending on viewers’ angle of viewing the grid seems to dissolve, placing all importance directly on the novels. laying open, spectators are invited to read and explore the stories within. a future exhibition is to be held in israel showcasing german literature that has been translated into hebrew. 

interchangeability between two and three-dimensions represents simplicity and complexity

detail of book 

structures 

pre-book installation 

plan 

elevation 

axonometric drawing 

project info:

project year: 2015
type: installation
main use: exhibition
total floor area: 18 m²
structure: drinking straws, acrylic glass
project team: kawahara tatsuya, ellen krisrina krause
collaborators: ron segal
stuructural engineer: b+g ingenieure bollinger, grohmann gmbh

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edited by: nick brink | designboom