History on a legendary squat
The Kunsthaus Tacheles, simply known as Tacheles or Tacheles Gallery, is a former department store which now houses a self-organized collective of artists on Oranienburger Straße in Berlin-Mitte.
Entrance gate
View from the back
Origin of the name
The word "Tacheles" (Yiddish word for "plain, honest, straightforward talk") is based on censorship problems in the GDR (the squat is located in the former east side of Berlin). As a result of limited freedom of speech, musicians, directors and artists were not permitted to openly express themselves, and they were forced to conceal the true message of the work. The use of Yiddish is probably a result ofthe building's location in the old Jewish quarter (now the Scheunenviertel).
Spiral tribe & mutoid waste
Tacheles was originally occupied by a number of international artists, performers and musicians before becoming an art centre with a cafe, cinema, performancespace, workshops and exhibition space. In the beginning it was run by well-known curator Jochen Sandig who expanded the building considerably. In its early days, Tacheles provided both housing and work space for its artist residents. In 1991, the associated housing burnt down, and there was considerable suspicion that the fire was started deliberately in order to pave the way for a new art centre.
Among the early exhibitors were artist of the Mutoid Waste Company.
This squat became their home, after they were forced to leave the UK.
Also Spiral tribe gave a legendary party in Tacheles, on their european tour!
Check out the flyer below.
This party also featered the legendary mig jetfighters of mutoid's waste company! They used to hang against the backside of the squatted church as decoration for a few years later on. Now they are gone sadly.
The lease with the property owner expired with the end of 2008 and the future of the art house is uncertain. Still, if you're in Berlin, this squat is a must see! I have been there once, even after all those years you can still see the remains of that legendary spiral tribe party..
Read the full story on wikipedia right here
The stuff we collected on the mutoid's can be found here
Learn all about Spiral tribe soundsystem here
