Anta Helena Recke
Edition Arena, 2021
Due to its consistent separation to the outside, the gallery space can be defined as a construction of normativity. Usually, the gaze is directed from the outside to the inside, whereas the access represents for many people a social barrier, or is not even considered as an option. Instead of turning the spaces of Klosterfelde Edition into an elitist stage of exchange, Anta Helena Recke reverses the perspective. Using fictitious bets, that refer to the visual axis from Klosterfelde Edition on Potsdamer Straße, the attention is being redirected onto the agents on the street, in the apartments or stores. Thereby the gallery embodies the fictitious counterpart to the betting office Bar Arena across the street. The edition turnes into a ticket or entrance into a matrix, where the coincidence is the enactment and the enactment turns into the day-to-day-world. – Text by Elisa Maria Schmitt
Anta Helena Recke
Edition Arena, 2021
Inkjet print on fine paper 100g, laid paper
43 x 30,5 cm, framed
Framed
Signed and dated
Series of 10
“On April 27, 3087 your 15-year-old grandmother enters „Bar Arena“ at Potsdamer Straße in Berlin Schöneberg between 3.36 pm and 3.48 pm and encounters a man, who wears a belly free t-shirt and holds a chunky e-cigarette in his left hand. Edition Arena bets against you, that in the moment their glances meet, he drops the e-cigarette. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case the cigarette doesn’t fall out of the man’s hand, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. If the e-cigarette falls out of his hand, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“On June 3, 1983 your 15-year-old self will ride in the bus xyz from right to left of your current visual field. The destination is the Brocken in Harz, which is at that point covered in blossoming xyz in magnificent purple. At the destination your 15-year-old self will question the landscape and ask for permission to pick flowers for the 15-year-old self of your mother. Edition Arena bets against you, that the landscape will give you permission, while the delivery of the bouquet will happen soon after, on June 5, 1983 at 6.37 pm. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case the delivery won’t take place, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. If the delivery takes place, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“On May 23, 1994 at 3.36 am, the three-year-old cat jumps off the second floor window at the building Potsdamer Straße 106 in Berlin Schöneberg. In this exact moment your father‘s 27-year-old self walks past the house, the cat hits him and panics. In a brief shrill sounding fight, your 27-year-old father looses his right eye, the cat survives. Edition Arena bets against you, that four months later, on September 23, 1994, the cat goes fully blind as well. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case the cat doesn’t go blind, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. If the cat goes blind at the specified moment, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“On August 18, 1962 a wrong-way driver drives in her wheelchair in your current visual field from left to right in front of the house at Potsdamer Straße 106 in Berlin Schöneberg. She parks on one of the disabled parking spots, that are laid out for cars only. It is raining, which is why she has a paper tissue wrapped around the wheelchair’s steering, located at the right armrest. In this moment, at 12.23 am, your 94-year-old self will come out of the button store, in which is now „WETT ARENA“ and you will give a purple umbrella to the woman in the wheelchair. Edition Arena bets against you, that the moment the woman opens the umbrella, it breaks. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case the umbrella doesn’t break on August 18, 1962 at 12.23 am, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. In the described event, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“On December 5, 1961 at 7.13 am a red-haired woman with a small dog on the leash will throw a stubbed cigarette in the trash can in front of the house Potsdamer Straße 106 in Berlin Schöneberg. The trash can will exactly be, where the parking meter is located now. 48 minutes later, at 8.01 am, the ground in front of the house breaks open and exposes a 68 cm high mound. Edition Arena bets against you, that smoke will appear from the trash can at the same moment – the woman might have not fully stubbed the cigarette. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case no smoke rises from the trash can on December 5, 1961, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. In the described event, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“In the blue hour on December 24, 2018, a woman will step on the road in front of the house at Potsdamer Straße 106 in Berlin Schöneberg, and stop a car, in which your 17-year-old mother will sit. The woman will try to give an ananas to the driver. Edition Arena bets against you, that the driver will not accept the present, due to mistrust. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case the driver accepts the ananas, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. If the gift delivery won’t take place, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“In the night of May 9, 1998 at around 3 am, a man appears in front of the store at Potsdamer Straße 106 in Berlin Schöneberg, where today „BAR ARENA“ is located. He arrives by bike and transports an axe on his carrier. On the left side next to the tree, that is recognizable from the gallery, there will be a third tree, an elder tree. Edition Arena bets against you, that the man will twist and injure his ankle, while cutting down the tree at 3.44 am. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case the man’s foot stays intact until the moment, the tree buckles and tips over, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. If the man injures his foot, while cutting down the tree, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“On February 2, 1947 at 5.47 pm, a small black boy runs in a bear costume from left to right of your current visual field, past the trees in front of the bombed house at Potsdamer Straße 106 in Berlin Schöneberg. In the same moment, the 15-year-old self of your grandmother walks towards him and lets out a short yell, as she briefly takes the boy for a real animal. Edition Arena bets against you, that your grandmother’s yell wakes up a homeless woman, that snoozed, sitting at the side of the road. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case the woman keeps snoozing undisturbed, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. If your grandmother’s yell wakes her up, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“On January 25, 1989 your 15-year-old self enters the store at Potsdamer Straße 106 in Berlin Schöneberg, in which „WETT ARENA“ is located today. Another teenager is already there, who sells licorice from his vendor’s tray. Edition Arena bets against you, that the 15-year-old version of yourself falls in love with the seller, as he gives her a cherry candy at 1.59 pm. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case she won’t fall in love, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. If amore starts flowing, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”
“On July 24, 2433, your 23-year-old grandfather encountered a corpulent man on roller skates, that wears solely green clothes at Potsdamer Straße 106 in Berlin Schöneberg at 12.14 am. The man stops, holds on to a tree on the right with his left hand and stretches his right hand in a high five towards your grandfather. Edition Arena bets against you, that the 23-year-old version of your grandfather gives the man a high five. The bet amounts 111,11 Euro. In case he turnes down the invitation, the bet of 111,11 Euro can be cashed at Edition Arena. If the high five takes place, the bet remains at Edition Arena.”