2003

"Crossing frontiers"
South Tyneside
– Wuppertal

Dear Pauline, I think the meaning of our German proverb "Gut Ding muss Weile haben" (means something like good things need more time to develop) is the right expression for our long-winded but hopefully successful ending idea of a common cultural project between Wuppertal and South Tyneside.

When we met last year in Wuppertal it seems to be so very near but it doesn’t work. So I tell you now the latest news about it: We are now a group of six artists – three women and three men. Nanny de Ruig, Renate Löbbecke, Regina Friedrich-Körner, Peter Klassen, bodo berheide, Jörg Lange.

We met Monika Bistram, art development officer (you will know her, don’t you?) last week in her office. We made a proposal how to develop our exchange. She was very pleased to hear about our activities and asked me to contact you to ask for your opinion. She has already promised a sum of money for this year and further assistance for the whole project. The whole concept which I will tell you in the following ones could be realized in 2003 and 2004 (which is the 75 year annual party of Wuppertal). And when I will have got your answer she will immediately talk with Marlies Drevermann, the head of the department in our town, for the financial decisions.

So here is our concept, which is of course only a proposal waiting for your ideas to be added ...
1. we want to start our cultural exchange with South Tyneside by sending a "mysterious" art box 1 x 1 x 1 m to introduce ourselves to the artists and to the public. This box can be opened and it’s a big picture for itself – 3 to 4 m – and contains several things concerning personal, creative, informative and communicative things. The unpacking of the box should be done in public and perhaps organized as a little exhibition for a short term (the box will be suitable for an exhibition)

2. an answer from (hopefully) interested artists from the surrounding of South Tyneside will be produced in a way they would like to do (it could be also a box but must not). This “answer” from the artists will be sent to Wuppertal and will also be opened in a public place shown as an exhibition, filmed while unpacking …. (as a result we would have a little artistic documentation which can pass on to a new idea worked out together)

3. the next step is now the personal contact. The artists from Wuppertal will come to you (about one week) to stay with you – perhaps they will bring something new for the box left in South Tyneside or remove it or…. – they want to get into contact with the artists and with the interested public – they want to see the places for cultural activities – they want to know more about the conditions for artists living in the middle of GB etc. – they want to start making plans for the common exchange.