Processes of transfer in art and an understanding of exhibition space as a site for social discourse are central themes in the concept for the exhibition “The Sky Opens Twice” by Peles Empire. In the apse of the Künstlerhaus, the Berlin artist duo is reconstructing their “bar sculpture,” which was first seen in 2017 as part of the Skulptur Projekte in Münster. It is here that the “Bar Talks” invite visitors to gather in a relaxed, summery atmosphere to speak with local and international artists about creative activity, failure, and the art scene. In this context, the Künstlerhaus becomes a platform for exploration and encounter. In an informal talk with the audience and the KM– curatorial team, artistic techniques, thematic discourses, and the reception of art will be discussed.
During the first talk in this series, on the evening of the festive opening of the exhibition “The Sky Opens Twice,” Peles Empire will be at their bar. Over a glass of Țuică (Romanian plum brandy), they will chronicle the genesis of their artist duo, their early years working out of their homes, will explain their decades-long fascination with Peleș Castle in Romania, which inspired their name, and will personally show visitors how the sky opens from the inside of the institution. After the talk, the Grrrls DJ Crew will ensure a great atmosphere in the foyer of the Künstlerhaus.

Peles Empire was founded in 2005 in Frankfurt am Main and involves the artists Barbara Wolff (1980 Făgăraș, Romania, lives in Berlin) and Katharina Stöver (1982 Gießen, lives in Berlin). Both artists studied at the Städelschule in Frankfurt under Wolfgang Tillmans, Michael Krebber, and Hermann Nitsch and at the Slade School of Fine Art and the Royal Academy Schools in London. They participate in exhibition projects across the globe as Peles Empire, most recently at Modern One of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh (2019), the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein in Berlin (2019), the Skulptur Projekte in Münster (2017), the Kunstverein Hannover in PRODUKTION: Made in Germany Drei (2017), and the Kunstverein Kassel (2017). Alongside their own artistic activity, the artist duo has been running a project space for over a decade, where people come together for exhibitions and events. Over time, the space “Peles Empire” has had branches in London, Frankfurt, Berlin, and the Romanian city of Cluj.