Berlin as a classroom: Aya Soika’s immersive Art History and Architecture class

On a sunny spring Saturday, one of the first of the year, Aya Soika’s class, Witness to the Age of Extremes: Art and Architecture in Berlin, met outside the Hamburger Bahnhof to discuss Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism before heading inside for an ongoing performance. In the large foyer, volunteers read parts of Arendt’s book out loud, a performance coordinated by Tania Brugueira that intends to foster democratic conversations among audience members who witness the scene. Artistic responses related to the 20th century emergence of ‘totalitarian’ regimes come up frequently in the class, which discusses how the long 20th century’s wars and other impactful social events shaped artistic movements and the architectural construction of Berlin.

A week later, the same group of students met with their professor again, this time outside the large glass doors of the Berlinische Galerie, a small museum on the edge of Kreuzberg and Mitte, which used to be a glass warehouse and was renovated in 2004, with a focus on sustainability. It now houses occasional temporary exhibitions with visiting artists as well as a permanent collection of art produced in Berlin in the course of the 20th century. 

Like many BCB classes, this particular one takes place mostly in the city, with most seminars occurring off campus and across different locations. The possibilities are endless when living in a city like Berlin, where history intertwines with the lives of students years after the historical events they learn about in class. Aya Soika grew up in Berlin herself, “in Kreuzberg,” and experienced life in a divided city and after the fall of the wall. After it came down, she shared with the class, “My mom and I rode our bikes over to it and attempted to chip off parts of the wall as souvenirs. This proved to be almost impossible as it was solid concrete., The small chunks on the ground that had fallen off as by-products of more professional drillers had to suffice.”

Intertwined with her own memories of Berlin and her own life in the city is her deep knowledge of its artistic movements and architectural history. Her interests are focused on twentieth-century European modernism and German art, and she often teaches classes using the city as a backdrop. One of her previous seminars, Berlin’s Museum Controversies, looked at the decision-making processes, choices, and public discourse surrounding museums in Berlin, and was taught in collaboration with TU Berlin.

As the semester progresses, the class continues to delve into the intersections of art, architecture, and history within the dynamic landscape of Berlin. This Friday the class will visit the Topography of Terrors, a historical museum housed in the former headquarters of the Gestapo during the second world war. Each excursion offers students a deeper understanding of the city's cultural fabric and its resonance with the themes explored in class.

Post Date: 03-11-2024