SECOND STORY
The Stories
The Stories
Contributor: Claudia Michaela Kochsmeier
Description: A photo of Claudia’s 18yr old mother on her honeymoon in Tenerife three months pregnant with Claudia.
Reason: “When I think about blasting, fireworks come to my mind. I love the idea of freeing energy, which is bound in some way or another. I expect that the blasting of the photo will set free the capability of life in general, the capability of my mothers life and the capability of my life will become visible. I think this beautiful, very beautiful. My father appears on the photo as a shadow”
Contributor: Claudia Burbaum
Description: Book of beginners guide to philosophy. It has all her notes inside in tiny writing so she can squeeze as much in as possible. There are areas underlined and markers on certain pages. You can see how she was absorbing the information and really studying it. Understanding the human mind is a difficult thing and you can see the excitement of exploring the theories of the philosophers.
Reason: The book really blew her mind so to speak about a whole realm of understanding she never experinced before.
Contributor: Patrick Berg
Description: Guide to Costa Rica
Reason: He always planne dto go to Costa Rica one day. It has been a dream of his for many years. He bought the guide book in order to plan the trip but to this day ( over 8years later) he has never gone. He thinks that if he explodes the book then either he will finally let go of the dream or finaly kick himself into going.
Contributor: Antonia Taubert
Description: paper-folding game
Reason: “I like it. I have lots of them. I am not allowed to do it at home.”
Contributor: Matthias
Description: A4 white paper with HD disk mounted in the centre and a typed explanation at the top.
Reason: As written on the paper:
"Unbenannt: This 3.5 inch hd disk in ms dos fat format contains the electronic correspondence (i.e. 135903 bytes of chat logs) with my ex-girlfriend, whom I first met in an on line chat on 08/21/2004 (first saved log 08/21/2004 23:36:56, last saved log 03/20/2006 17:41:24). After one and a half year we quit talking on-line, for all the misunderstandings this way of communication produced. Two weeks ago we split up after three years of physical, real life relationship, because we were finally unable to communicate in a physical way."
Contributor: Cornelia Durka
Description: Official cheque from the Citibank Corp for $1.20
Reason: “The Citibank closed her account automatically and sent her the check fort he remaining money in the account. This was because she had come to Germany and stayed here for over a year without using her American account. When she received it she planned to cash it when she returned and go to her local dumpling house and buy the $1.20 spring roll they sell there as a kind of symbolic gesture. The day she decided to stay in Germany for good she looked at the dumpling house on Google earth instead of going there. She decided to submit the cheque and kiss good-bye to that symbolic gesture.”
Contributor: Valie Djordjevic
Description: Expired Yugoslavian ID card
Reason: “I was born in Yugoslavia, a country that doesn’t exist anymore. When I was three my parents came to Germany. I went to school here, to university, worked, married, had a child. When I was 23 or so I applied for German citizenship; consequently I had to give up the Yugoslavian one. I still kept the ID though I had no use for it. After a while it just expired. The reason why I want you to blow it up is twofold. National identity is not really important to me, no doubt because of growing up in two different nations. Blasting the ID would make my disesteem of national identity visible. The second reason is that the country that issued this ID does not exist anymore. The ID is a remnant of times irreversibly past. That too should be made evident.”
Contributor: Valie Djordjevic
Description: Portrait of Josip Broz Tito
Reason: “Until his death 1980 Tito’s picture hung in all offices, shops and even a lot of private homes in Yugoslavia. I found the print I’m submitting among my parent’s things in our house in Serbia. I remember vaguely that it hung there until the mid 80s when it was put away because the political climate changed and communism was not very popular. But during his life Tito was the personification of all the characteristics the Yugoslav people admired: he was a strong leader, just and benevolent, but still authoritative and strict enough to keep the country together.
Blasting this picture as a symbolic can be interpreted in many directions: as a critique of left-wing totalitarianism, making visible the failed experiment in workers’ self-management, the destructive forces of national hatred. I’m not commenting on Tito as a person – he stands as a symbol for the lost Yugoslavian nation.”
Contributor: Ingela Evans
Description: A to Z of London
Reason: Each blast marks the location of the birth of her two sons.
Contributor: Eduardo Dede
Description: Immigration requirements for Uruguayans’ to enter the EU via Madrid
Reason: To simply highlight how unreasonable they are
Contributor: Ingken Wagner
Description: Small green hand towel
Reason: This was Ingken's grandmothers hand towel. It was used to nurse her when she had mumps and always reminds her of her grandmother who passed away 26.06.2006. She loves the colour.
Contributor: Christoph Temple
Description: Palast der Republik catalogue
Reason: “I want to blow it up even before it gets rebuilt.”
Contributor: Anonymous
Description: alimentation table, “voodoo card“
Reason: “Ex husband refuses to pay for his ex wife and his kids. The “voodoo card” says that she would love to see he would be treated like he treats others...”
Contributor: Nathalie Cordier
Description: Various application materials, she wants to work at a barbershop
Reason: “I am an artist with a diploma. The application procedure drives me insane.”
Contributor: Hans-Ulrich Strempel
Description: Old West German Military Pass from 1971
Reason: None given- “Please don’t damage the photo.”
Contributor: Anon
Description: Be Magazine #13, 2006, an art magazine form Berlin published by the Künstlerhaus Bethanien (artist space, its mainly purpose are international artists residencies)
Reason: “The item is part of a long-term project of an important Berlin based Art institution. The internal and external staff members have different point of views about the themes and goals, as well as of the administrative and content related challenges with the production of such a publication. I do not look at the act of blasting the magazine as an act of demolition. I expect a healthful and relieving effect. I expect a long awaited release of an impulse.”
Contributor: Dorotea Etzler
Description: Document file filled with my notes from the art class at high school 1978/78
Reason: “By this time I did not think about becoming an artist. I started studying architecture. But I quit. Right now my artwork is based on the notes I took while my architecture studies. The only notes which are left form my school days is this file. All other notes have been thrown away. But not this file. It is 30 years old now. It is a witness of this time period. I found it by chance and I am looking forward that its energy will be soon released.”
Contributor: Anonymous
Description: 2 leaflets, Saab, Alfa
Reason: Private
Contributor: Aoife van Linden Tol
Description: Self portrait
Reason: A self-portrait created for a piece of work for an exhibition at the Freud museum to mark the 100-year anniversary of The Interpretation of Dreams by Freud. The self-portrait was one section of the work and represented a recurring dream. After making and showing the work I never had the dream again. Blowing this photo will blow away the image of that dream...or perhaps bring it back?
Contributor: Claudia
Description: Love/hate Letter stained with blood
Reason: She hopes that blowing up the letter will help to blow away the feelings outlined in the letter.
Contributor: Christine Kriegerowski
Description: A photo of her partner's, Christoph Temple's, grandparents wedding six weeks before his grandfather, Kurt Wahmke, died on July 19th 1934.
Reason: “I want the Second Story to repeat the first one symbolically, the husband being blown up from the arm of his wife. I hope that this act helps my friend to become master of his own destiny setting of the initial detonation himself.”
Contributor: Ulrike Rockland
Description: the BAM chronicle
Reason: “Conglomerated information about the 125 years old BAM. I received the book as a new employee. I was impressed about the tasks and the reputation of my new employer gained over the time. I was proud to be part of this institution.”
Contributor: Annette Taubert
Description: Berlin city map 47. run
Reason: “This was my first city map of Berlin. I bought it 1985 when I moved to Berlin. I always marked all places, which meant something to me. I still use it because the font of the new one is so small. It nerves for some reason, that’s why I don’t want it anymore. I could throw it away. That’s why I let it transform by blasting and let it find new paths.”
Contributor: Laila Taubert
Description: paper ship
Reason: “I folded this ship when my sister was born. Christoph built this ship because I refused to go to the kindergarden. Instead I wanted to play outside and let it swim. But I was not allowed to do so. I want the ship to be blasted to make it more beautiful. I don’t want to let it swim anymore.”
Contributor: Angelica Chio
Description: Paper bags used for an exhibition in which she gave away popcorn in the bags.
Reason: They were used as part of a previous artwork and now no longer have a function. She would like them to have a new function as a new work of art.
Contributor: Tiger Stangl
Description:
1) Various sheets, early art work by Tiger, attached documents letter of recommendation by Prof Bernhard Boes University of the Arts Berlin. Some text examples, very old, which she illustrated. Digital copies of some of her installations and paintings. She studied experimental illustration.
2) Small souvenir book of the Palast der Republik. (The Palace of the Republic)
Reason:
“1) My early artwork was stored in the attic, now it is destroyed. Because a couple of years ago my landlord cleared out my attic without asking or informing me about it. The only things that are left are the attached copies of these art works. The blasting of these copies is my final good bye.
2) I voice my indignation about the demolition of the Palast der Republik.”
Contributor: Anonymous
Description: The Book of E
Reason: “I would like to make a literal representation the experiences induced by recreational drugs during my late teens and early twenties. A truly amazing time of love, freedom, energy and dance. The pages of the book have also been rubbed with MDMA powder.”
Contributor: Claudia Beelitz
Description: One sheet specially made paper, DIN A4, one envelope with ribbon
Reason: “Paper with the following watermark: Geschöpft Bütten Königstein 1569 (something like dipped tub paper). Somebody gave it to me as a gift 30 years ago. I was at school by this time and would have been much happier about lots of other thing than about this paper. It was a typical present out of abashment. Many of those go directly into the garbage and are forgotten soon. But not mine. I have always looked at it. I have carried it from town to town, from flat to flat. Still today I store it in its original box. I cannot remember that I ever used it, but 3 sheets are missing. Although I always had such awe with this paper, it is not meant for writing down unfinished thoughts. I could not tear it in pieces if I fail to find the right words to express my thoughts. The paper is for people who dare to engrave their words into stone. This paper is for people who don’t have the muscles to do so. I prefer to write emails. From time to time I marvel at my paper.”
Contributor: Anon
Description: Pacific Ocean waves, photography
Reason: Private
Contributor: M Prufert
Description: Large photo of a photo of three men in a scene of mountains.
Reason: Marcel was cleaning out his parent’s house after their death and found the photo. He was sitting with his aunts and discovered that no one new anything about this photo at all. No one knows who they are and what they are doing. He hopes that blasting them may lead to some answers someday.
Contributor: Gisa Oelmayer
Description: Allgauer Zeitung newspaper dated 6 Sept 2007
Reason: Gisa gets the paper delivered every morning and is always frustrated with the lack of interesting articles, badly written, badly researched articles. But the one day or two (if it is for the whole weekend) that it does not come her breakfast is not complete and she feels lost. She hopes blowing it up will help ease her dilemma and constant frustration.
Description: A photo of Claudia’s 18yr old mother on her honeymoon in Tenerife three months pregnant with Claudia.
Reason: “When I think about blasting, fireworks come to my mind. I love the idea of freeing energy, which is bound in some way or another. I expect that the blasting of the photo will set free the capability of life in general, the capability of my mothers life and the capability of my life will become visible. I think this beautiful, very beautiful. My father appears on the photo as a shadow”
Contributor: Claudia Burbaum
Description: Book of beginners guide to philosophy. It has all her notes inside in tiny writing so she can squeeze as much in as possible. There are areas underlined and markers on certain pages. You can see how she was absorbing the information and really studying it. Understanding the human mind is a difficult thing and you can see the excitement of exploring the theories of the philosophers.
Reason: The book really blew her mind so to speak about a whole realm of understanding she never experinced before.
Contributor: Patrick Berg
Description: Guide to Costa Rica
Reason: He always planne dto go to Costa Rica one day. It has been a dream of his for many years. He bought the guide book in order to plan the trip but to this day ( over 8years later) he has never gone. He thinks that if he explodes the book then either he will finally let go of the dream or finaly kick himself into going.
Contributor: Antonia Taubert
Description: paper-folding game
Reason: “I like it. I have lots of them. I am not allowed to do it at home.”
Contributor: Matthias
Description: A4 white paper with HD disk mounted in the centre and a typed explanation at the top.
Reason: As written on the paper:
"Unbenannt: This 3.5 inch hd disk in ms dos fat format contains the electronic correspondence (i.e. 135903 bytes of chat logs) with my ex-girlfriend, whom I first met in an on line chat on 08/21/2004 (first saved log 08/21/2004 23:36:56, last saved log 03/20/2006 17:41:24). After one and a half year we quit talking on-line, for all the misunderstandings this way of communication produced. Two weeks ago we split up after three years of physical, real life relationship, because we were finally unable to communicate in a physical way."
Contributor: Cornelia Durka
Description: Official cheque from the Citibank Corp for $1.20
Reason: “The Citibank closed her account automatically and sent her the check fort he remaining money in the account. This was because she had come to Germany and stayed here for over a year without using her American account. When she received it she planned to cash it when she returned and go to her local dumpling house and buy the $1.20 spring roll they sell there as a kind of symbolic gesture. The day she decided to stay in Germany for good she looked at the dumpling house on Google earth instead of going there. She decided to submit the cheque and kiss good-bye to that symbolic gesture.”
Contributor: Valie Djordjevic
Description: Expired Yugoslavian ID card
Reason: “I was born in Yugoslavia, a country that doesn’t exist anymore. When I was three my parents came to Germany. I went to school here, to university, worked, married, had a child. When I was 23 or so I applied for German citizenship; consequently I had to give up the Yugoslavian one. I still kept the ID though I had no use for it. After a while it just expired. The reason why I want you to blow it up is twofold. National identity is not really important to me, no doubt because of growing up in two different nations. Blasting the ID would make my disesteem of national identity visible. The second reason is that the country that issued this ID does not exist anymore. The ID is a remnant of times irreversibly past. That too should be made evident.”
Contributor: Valie Djordjevic
Description: Portrait of Josip Broz Tito
Reason: “Until his death 1980 Tito’s picture hung in all offices, shops and even a lot of private homes in Yugoslavia. I found the print I’m submitting among my parent’s things in our house in Serbia. I remember vaguely that it hung there until the mid 80s when it was put away because the political climate changed and communism was not very popular. But during his life Tito was the personification of all the characteristics the Yugoslav people admired: he was a strong leader, just and benevolent, but still authoritative and strict enough to keep the country together.
Blasting this picture as a symbolic can be interpreted in many directions: as a critique of left-wing totalitarianism, making visible the failed experiment in workers’ self-management, the destructive forces of national hatred. I’m not commenting on Tito as a person – he stands as a symbol for the lost Yugoslavian nation.”
Contributor: Ingela Evans
Description: A to Z of London
Reason: Each blast marks the location of the birth of her two sons.
Contributor: Eduardo Dede
Description: Immigration requirements for Uruguayans’ to enter the EU via Madrid
Reason: To simply highlight how unreasonable they are
Contributor: Ingken Wagner
Description: Small green hand towel
Reason: This was Ingken's grandmothers hand towel. It was used to nurse her when she had mumps and always reminds her of her grandmother who passed away 26.06.2006. She loves the colour.
Contributor: Christoph Temple
Description: Palast der Republik catalogue
Reason: “I want to blow it up even before it gets rebuilt.”
Contributor: Anonymous
Description: alimentation table, “voodoo card“
Reason: “Ex husband refuses to pay for his ex wife and his kids. The “voodoo card” says that she would love to see he would be treated like he treats others...”
Contributor: Nathalie Cordier
Description: Various application materials, she wants to work at a barbershop
Reason: “I am an artist with a diploma. The application procedure drives me insane.”
Contributor: Hans-Ulrich Strempel
Description: Old West German Military Pass from 1971
Reason: None given- “Please don’t damage the photo.”
Contributor: Anon
Description: Be Magazine #13, 2006, an art magazine form Berlin published by the Künstlerhaus Bethanien (artist space, its mainly purpose are international artists residencies)
Reason: “The item is part of a long-term project of an important Berlin based Art institution. The internal and external staff members have different point of views about the themes and goals, as well as of the administrative and content related challenges with the production of such a publication. I do not look at the act of blasting the magazine as an act of demolition. I expect a healthful and relieving effect. I expect a long awaited release of an impulse.”
Contributor: Dorotea Etzler
Description: Document file filled with my notes from the art class at high school 1978/78
Reason: “By this time I did not think about becoming an artist. I started studying architecture. But I quit. Right now my artwork is based on the notes I took while my architecture studies. The only notes which are left form my school days is this file. All other notes have been thrown away. But not this file. It is 30 years old now. It is a witness of this time period. I found it by chance and I am looking forward that its energy will be soon released.”
Contributor: Anonymous
Description: 2 leaflets, Saab, Alfa
Reason: Private
Contributor: Aoife van Linden Tol
Description: Self portrait
Reason: A self-portrait created for a piece of work for an exhibition at the Freud museum to mark the 100-year anniversary of The Interpretation of Dreams by Freud. The self-portrait was one section of the work and represented a recurring dream. After making and showing the work I never had the dream again. Blowing this photo will blow away the image of that dream...or perhaps bring it back?
Contributor: Claudia
Description: Love/hate Letter stained with blood
Reason: She hopes that blowing up the letter will help to blow away the feelings outlined in the letter.
Contributor: Christine Kriegerowski
Description: A photo of her partner's, Christoph Temple's, grandparents wedding six weeks before his grandfather, Kurt Wahmke, died on July 19th 1934.
Reason: “I want the Second Story to repeat the first one symbolically, the husband being blown up from the arm of his wife. I hope that this act helps my friend to become master of his own destiny setting of the initial detonation himself.”
Contributor: Ulrike Rockland
Description: the BAM chronicle
Reason: “Conglomerated information about the 125 years old BAM. I received the book as a new employee. I was impressed about the tasks and the reputation of my new employer gained over the time. I was proud to be part of this institution.”
Contributor: Annette Taubert
Description: Berlin city map 47. run
Reason: “This was my first city map of Berlin. I bought it 1985 when I moved to Berlin. I always marked all places, which meant something to me. I still use it because the font of the new one is so small. It nerves for some reason, that’s why I don’t want it anymore. I could throw it away. That’s why I let it transform by blasting and let it find new paths.”
Contributor: Laila Taubert
Description: paper ship
Reason: “I folded this ship when my sister was born. Christoph built this ship because I refused to go to the kindergarden. Instead I wanted to play outside and let it swim. But I was not allowed to do so. I want the ship to be blasted to make it more beautiful. I don’t want to let it swim anymore.”
Contributor: Angelica Chio
Description: Paper bags used for an exhibition in which she gave away popcorn in the bags.
Reason: They were used as part of a previous artwork and now no longer have a function. She would like them to have a new function as a new work of art.
Contributor: Tiger Stangl
Description:
1) Various sheets, early art work by Tiger, attached documents letter of recommendation by Prof Bernhard Boes University of the Arts Berlin. Some text examples, very old, which she illustrated. Digital copies of some of her installations and paintings. She studied experimental illustration.
2) Small souvenir book of the Palast der Republik. (The Palace of the Republic)
Reason:
“1) My early artwork was stored in the attic, now it is destroyed. Because a couple of years ago my landlord cleared out my attic without asking or informing me about it. The only things that are left are the attached copies of these art works. The blasting of these copies is my final good bye.
2) I voice my indignation about the demolition of the Palast der Republik.”
Contributor: Anonymous
Description: The Book of E
Reason: “I would like to make a literal representation the experiences induced by recreational drugs during my late teens and early twenties. A truly amazing time of love, freedom, energy and dance. The pages of the book have also been rubbed with MDMA powder.”
Contributor: Claudia Beelitz
Description: One sheet specially made paper, DIN A4, one envelope with ribbon
Reason: “Paper with the following watermark: Geschöpft Bütten Königstein 1569 (something like dipped tub paper). Somebody gave it to me as a gift 30 years ago. I was at school by this time and would have been much happier about lots of other thing than about this paper. It was a typical present out of abashment. Many of those go directly into the garbage and are forgotten soon. But not mine. I have always looked at it. I have carried it from town to town, from flat to flat. Still today I store it in its original box. I cannot remember that I ever used it, but 3 sheets are missing. Although I always had such awe with this paper, it is not meant for writing down unfinished thoughts. I could not tear it in pieces if I fail to find the right words to express my thoughts. The paper is for people who dare to engrave their words into stone. This paper is for people who don’t have the muscles to do so. I prefer to write emails. From time to time I marvel at my paper.”
Contributor: Anon
Description: Pacific Ocean waves, photography
Reason: Private
Contributor: M Prufert
Description: Large photo of a photo of three men in a scene of mountains.
Reason: Marcel was cleaning out his parent’s house after their death and found the photo. He was sitting with his aunts and discovered that no one new anything about this photo at all. No one knows who they are and what they are doing. He hopes that blasting them may lead to some answers someday.
Contributor: Gisa Oelmayer
Description: Allgauer Zeitung newspaper dated 6 Sept 2007
Reason: Gisa gets the paper delivered every morning and is always frustrated with the lack of interesting articles, badly written, badly researched articles. But the one day or two (if it is for the whole weekend) that it does not come her breakfast is not complete and she feels lost. She hopes blowing it up will help ease her dilemma and constant frustration.
