We are a members club in support of the KW Institute for Contemporary Art and the Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art and thereby promote arts and culture. Become a member, participate in the program and activities of both institutions and help to secure their place in society!
The Friends Hoodie – an homage on te legendary KW Hoodie: now available in the KW Shop on site and online. Benefit from your members discount!
Trip to Sharjah Biennial 16 curated by Hoor Al-Qasimi | 6–9 February 2024
PREVIEW: BPA// Exhibition 2024 'Half-Light' with Curators' Tour by Linda Franken and Sophia Yvette Scherer | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 15 November 2024 | 5.30 pm
Visit of the Exhibition 'Sarah Ancelle Schönfeld – Labor Lab' with Curator Christina Landbrecht and the Artist | Schering Stiftung Project Space | 7 November 2024 | 6 pm
Exclusive Visit of the Exhibition 'Calla Henkel & Max Pitegoff – THEATER' with Markus Hannebauer and the Fluentum Team | Fluentum | 23 Oktober 2024 | 6.30 pm
Studio Visit "Emma's Choice": Jenna Sutela | with Emma Enderby | 30 September 2024 | 6.30 pm
Exclusive Preview of the Group Show 'Ghost Image' curated by Krist Gruijthuijsen | Galerie Judin | 8 September 2024 | noon–2 pm
Pogo Bar: Liina Magnea – 'Wakey Wakey Sleeping Beauty' | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 15 August 2024 | 9 pm
Double guided tour 'Pia Arke – Arctic Hysteria' & 'Luiz Roque – Estufa' with the curators Sofie Krogh Christensen and Léon Kruijswijk + welcome drink by FREIMEISTERKOLLEKTIV | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 15 August 2024 | 5.30 pm
Open House and Public Farewell for Gabriele Horn & Krist Gruijthuijsen | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 6 July 2024 | 7–10 pm
KW x DITTRICH & SCHLECHTRIEM Afterparty with DJ Westfa, NAS TEA, Dede, Riotbutt | MARMORBAR | 5 July 2024 | midnight–7 am (VIP hour 11 pm–midnight)
Preview Tour through the Exhibitions 'Luiz Roque. Estufa', 'Pia Arke. Arctic Hysteria', 'Jimmy DeSana & Paul P. Ruins of Rooms' with Krist Gruijthuijsen | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 5 July 2024 | 6 pm
KW Friends Farewell Reception for Gabriele Horn, Director Berlin Biennale, and Krist Gruijthuijsen, Director KW Institute for Contemporary Art | Café Bravo | 5 July 2024 | 5–6 pm
Visit of the Jochheim Collection | 10 June 2024 | 6 pm
Pause: Billy Bultheel & James Richards "Workers in Song" | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 7–9 June 2024 | daily 8.30 pm
Curator's Tour through the Exhibition "Séance" with Juliet Kothe | HOUSE | 28 May 2024 | 6.30 pm
Members trip to Lisboa | 22–25 May 2024
Auction Preview with Apéro Riche | Auktionshaus am Grunewald | 2 May 2024 | 7 pm
Gallery Weekend Berlin Preview Tour with ChertLüdde, Noah Klink, Klosterfelde Edition | 20 April 2024 | 3–7 pm
Guided Tour through the Exhibition 'School of Casablanca' with Inka Gressel and Krist Gruijthuijsen | ifa-Galerie | 26 March 2024 | 5.30 pm
Guided Tours through the Picture Cellar and the JUNGE AKADEMIE Exhibition 'The Breath of a House is the Sound of Voices Within' with the Curators Tomke Braun and Clara Herrmann | Akademie der Künste | 9 March 2024 | 1.30 pm
Guided Tour through the Exhibition BLAST! with Artist Karim Aïnouz and Curator Felix von Boehm | daadgalerie | 22 February 2024 | 6 pm
PREVIEW: Poetics of Encryption with Curator's Tour by Nadim Samman | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 16 February 2024 | 5.30 pm
Festive New Year's Night | 18 January 2023 | 7.30 pm | KUNST-WERKE BERLIN e. V.
Curator's tour with Clémentine Deliss "SKIN IN THE GAME"| KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 21 December 23 | 5.30 pm
aerocircus – eine circensische karnevaleske mit planwagen / entgegen aller linearitäten | RambaZamba Theater & Tomás Saraceno | Haus der Berliner Festspiele | 9 December 2023 | 7.30 pm
Mulled Wine x KW & BB Book Sale | 9 December 2023 | 4 to 6 pm | KW Institute for Contemporary Art
PREVIEW: BPA// Exhibition Amid the Alien Corn with curator's tour by Sofie Krogh Christensen | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 24 November 2023 | 5.30pm
Guided tour through the exhibitions "The Struggle of Memory – Sammlung Deutsche Bank" as well as "La Chola Poblete: Guaymallén Deutsche Bank “Artist of the Year” 2023" | PalaisPopulaire by Deutsche Bank | 9 November 23 | 7pm
Invitation to the Seibert Collection | 19 October 2023 | 7pm
Cooperation with the Salon on Intellectual Property – panel on "Art and AI" with Katharina Garbers-von Boehm, Henning Grosse Ruse - Khan, Christopher Kulendran Thomas, Nadim Samman, Moderation: Annika von Taube | Studio of KW Institute for Contemporary Art (front house, 1st floor) | 20 September 2023 | 7 pm
Schering Stiftung Award for Artistic Research 2022: Kameelah Janan Rasheed in the coherence, we weep | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 17 September 2023
Guided tour with Krist Gruijthuijsen through the exhibitions Coco Fusco – Tomorrow I Will Become an Island, Schering Stiftung Award for Artistic Research 2022: Kameelah Janan Rasheed – in the coherence, we weep and SKIN IN THE GAME – Ruth Buchanan, Otobong Nkanga, Rosemarie Trockel, Joëlle Tuerlinckx, Andrea Zittel at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 15 September 2023, 5.30 pm
PREVIEW of the exhibitions Coco Fusco – Tomorrow I Will Become an Island, Schering Stiftung Award for Artistic Research 2022: Kameelah Janan Rasheed – in the coherence, we weep and SKIN IN THE GAME – Ruth Buchanan, Otobong Nkanga, Rosemarie Trockel, Joëlle Tuerlinckx, Andrea Zittel at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 13 September 2023, 5.30 pm
PREVIEW of the group exhibition "PLEATS" with Hasan Aksaygın (The Veil) at Virgil B/G Taylor (Heavy Body) at BPA//Raum | 10 September 2023 | 5pm
KW Freunde Summer Dinner | 30 August 2023 | 7.30pm | KW Institute for Contemporary Art
Pause: The Noa Eshkol Chamber Dance Group | 25 August 2023 at 7.30 pm and 27 August 2023 at 2pm | KW Institute for Contemporary Art
Guided tour through Haubrok Foundation | 25 June 2023 | 4pm
PREVIEW of the exhibitions Enrico David – Destroyed Men Come and Go, KW Production Series: Emily Wardill – Identical und Hervé Guibert – This and More with a tour by director and curator Krist Gruijthuijsen | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 9 June 2023
Exploring the Archive of KUNST-WERKE BERLIN e. V. with Gabriele Horn, Jenny Dirksen and Martin Heller | Studio of KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 25 May 2023, 7.30pm
Exclusive curator's tour with Anna Gritz through the exhibition 'Margaret Raspé – Automatik' at Haus am Waldsee | 13 May 2023
Studio Visit with Katharina Grosse | 25 April 2023
Exclusive guided tour with Leiko Ikemura through her exhibition „Witty Witches“ at Georg Kolbe Museum | 27 March 2023 | 6.30pm
Visit of the BPA// Raum with Willem de Rooij and Anna-Lisa Scherfose | 25 March 2023
PREVIEW of the exhibitions: Martin Wong – Malicious Mischief, Win McCarthy – Innenportrait and Karen Lamassonne – Ruido / Noise with a tour by director and curator Krist Gruijthuijsen | KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 24 February 2023
Cocktail reception on the occasion of the premiere of "Inside" with Willem Dafoe | 22 February 2023 | Café Bravo, KW Institute for Contemporary Art
Trip to Sharjah Biennial 15 curated by Hoor Al-Qasimi | 7 to 9 February 2023
Pause: Alexis Blake Crack Nerve Boogie Swerve | 27–29 January 23, 3pm | KW Institute for Contemporary Art
Friends x Pogo Bar "Talks & Songs" – An evening for, by and with the Friends | 10 January 2023, 7.30pm
Studio visit with Omer Fast | 8 December 2022
Annual Dinner of the Friends at Café Bravo with a performance by Marianna Simnett | 3 December 2022
PREVIEW: BPA//Berlin program for artists Exhibition with a curator's tour by Léon Kruijswijk | 2 December 2022
Studio Visit with Christopher Kulendran Thomas | 12 November 2022
PREVIEW of the exhibitions: Michel Majerus – Early Works, Christopher Kulendran Thomas – Another World, Atiéna R. Kilfa – The Unhomely at KW Institute for Contemporary Art with tours by the curators Krist Gruijthuijsen, Léon Kruijswijk and Sofie Krogh Christensen | 21 Oktober 2022
Visit to Michel Majerus Estate with a guided tour by Ruth Kißling | 8 Oktober 2022
Pause: Lydia Ourahmane sync | 1 and 2 October 2022
Exclusive tours through Château Royal with Krist Gruijthuijsen and Kirsten Landwehr | 20 and 21 September 2022
Exklusive curator tour by Nadim Samman through the exhibition Rachel Rossin THE MAW OF, Tieranatomisches Theater | 17 September 2022
PREVIEW: Rachel Rossin THE MAW OF, curated by Nadim Samman and Linda Franken, Tieranatomisches Theater | 14. September 22
Exhibition tour through the 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art at Akademie der Künste, Hanseatenweg, followed by a conversation with the curator Kader Attia | 11 September 2022
A Year with... BLESS N°72 Collective Rausch | 27 August 2022
Trip to documenta15 curated by ruangrupa | 12 to 14 August 2022
Exhibition tour through the 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art curated by Kader Attia at KW Institute for Contemporary Art and lunch with Gabriele Horn, director of the Berlin Biennale, at Café Bravo | 16 July 2022
Guided tour through the 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, Hamburger Bahnhof – Museum für Gegenwart – Berlin | 9 July 2022
Opening reception on the occasion of the opening of the 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art at Akademie der Künste at Pariser Platz | 10 June 2022
Trip to Tirana | 3 to 5 June 2022
From Politics to Gambling: Our Trip to Tirana
While all our trips aim at offering experiences beyond the ordinary, even for us being hosted by a head of state is a truly outstanding experience. In Tirana, however, this is exactly what happened. We did not only get the chance to meet Albania’s prime minister Edi Rama, who happens to be a trained artist, at his official government office, (which next to politics, he also uses as a drawing studio). Moreover, Edi Rama invited us to have lunch with him at the government’s guest villa, an astounding building hosting and exhibiting a vast number of objects from art to memorabilia placed in a tasteful interior design setting, thereby illustrating Albania’s complex and conflicted political past.
Further proof of the legendary Albanian sense of hospitality was delivered by one of Albania’s most prominent artists, Edi Hila, who invited us to his studio, while the team members of public art platform Harabel depicted the dynamics of an emerging local art scene already having an impact on the city’s sociocultural ecosystem. Through a presentation of his work, one of Harabel’s founders, artist Driant Zeneli, provided us with some insights into the Albanian history and mentality, which resonated while we were exploring Tirana: From strolling through the city (and seeing some contemporary architecture that we just wish Berlin would be daring enough to build), over eating our way through the extensive culinary landscape to ending up at the casino and playing Black Jack with strangers who were more interested in sharing drinks with us than winning at cards.
Our thanks go to all those who welcomed us in Tirana and who helped us organize this trip (you know who you are) as well as to all participants who were such good travel companions and made this trip a truly enjoyable experience for all of those involved.
Excursion to "Das Kleine Grosz Museum" | 28 May 2022
Talk with Kader Attia, Curator of the 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art | 11 May 2022
Farewell party Anna Gritz | 30 April 2022
BLESS N°72 Saunarider in collaboration with Sam Chermayeff Office, Gallery Weekend Berlin, 29 April – 1 May 2022
Brunch and guided tour by Krist Gruijthuijsen through the exhibitions "Peter Friedl Report 1964-2022," "the Schering Stiftung Award for Artistic Research 2020: Rabih Mroué: Under the Carpet" as well as "Oraib Toukan What Then" | 9 April 2022
Preview of the exhibitions "Peter Friedl Report 1964-2022," "the Schering Stiftung Award for Artistic Research 2020: Rabih Mroué: Under the Carpet" as well as "Oraib Toukan What Then" with a tour by Krist Gruijthuijsen and Nadim Samman | 18. Februar 2022
Zoom Lecture with Nadim Samman, Curator Digital Sphere at KW Institute for Contemporary Art | 2 February 2022
Opening: "A Year with ... BLESS N°72 BLESSlet" | 19 Januar 2022
Opening: Pause: Tobias Spichtig "Die Matratzen" | 19 Januar 2022
30 Years KW Anniversary Auction at Villa Grisebach | 3 Dezember 2021
Preview: Renée Green "Inevitable Distances" und "Understudies: I, Myself Will Exhibit Nothing" | 21 Oktober 2021
Pause: Michele Rizzo REACHING | 1–3 October 2021
30 Years of KW: Anniversary Weekend | 18–19 September 2021
Pre-Book Launch "KW, a history" | 15 September 2021
BPA Brunch with Willem De Rooij and artists | 12 September 2021
Studio Visit with Michael Stevenson | 1 September 2021
Summer Concert by Freunde | Wednesday, 25 August 2021
11 August 2021
Visit of STUDIO BERLIN/Berghain with a personal tour by Juliet Kothe
17 March – 24 May 2021
Amelie von Wulffen and Leonilson “Drawn 1975–1993”
28 October 2020
Final visit of the 11th Berlin Biennale and personal introduction by Gabriele Horn, director of the Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art
8 September 2020
OPEN DOORS by Freunde for the opening of the 11th Berlin Biennale at KW Institute for Contemporary Art
31 May 2020
Reopening of KW Institute for Contemporary Art: Mophradat’s Consortium Commissions: Jasmina Metwaly & Yazan Khalili (30 May–19 July 2020)
Front middle: Hassan Sharif, Slippers and Wire, 2009; back left: Wood, 2016; Napoli Green, 2012; back right: Broom, 2016; Installation view of I Am The Single Work Artist at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 2020; Courtesy Sharjah Art Foundation Collection; Photo: Frank Sperling
28 Februar 2020
Preview and tour with curators Krist Gruijthuijsen and Cathrin Mayer for Hassan Sharif I Am The Single Work Artist and Kris Lemsalu Malone & Kyp Malone Lemsalu Love Song Sing-Along (30 May–19 July 2020 and 29 February–3 May 2020)
exp. 3: Affect Archives. Sinthujan Varatharajah – Osías Yanov, 11th Berlin Biennale c/o ExRotaprint, 22.2.–2.5.2020, extended until 25.7.2020, Installation view, Photo: Mathias Völzke
21 February 2020
Visit of exp. 3: Affect Archives. Sinthujan Varatharajah – Osías Yanov of the 11th Berlin Biennale c/o ExRotaprint (22 February–2 May 2020 (extended until 25 July 2020))
Esther Ferrer, Piano con alas, 1986, Courtesy Archivio Conz, Berlin, Foto: Giorgia Palmisano
15 January 2020
Preview and tour with curators Stefania Palumbo and Krist Gruijthuijsen for the exhibition Pause: Broken Sounds / Remote Music – Prepared Pianos from the Archivio Conz Collection (16–19 January 2020)
4 December 2019
Studio Visit Tomás Saraceno
30 November 2019–8 February 2020
Visiting exp. 2: Virginia de Medeiros – Feminist Health Care Research Group of the 11th Berlin Biennale c/o ExRotaprint
30 November 2019
Annual Dinner 2019 at KW Institute for Contemporary Art with many thanks to our wonderful members, the Café Bravo team and Battle-ax via The Performance Agency
27 September 2019
Preview and tour with director of KW and curator Krist Gruijthuijsen for the exhibition Hreinn Friðfinnsson To Catch a Fish with a Song: 1964–Today (28 September 2019–5 January 2020)
13 September 2019
Preview and tour with curator Anna Gritz for the exhibition The Making of Husbands: Christina Ramberg in Dialogue (14 September 2019–5 January 2020)
6 September 2019
Visiting exp. 1: The Bones of the World of the 11th Berlin Biennale c/o ExRotaprint (7 September–9 November 2019)
22 August 2019
Summer Dinner 2019 at KW with our wonderful members, the support of the Café Bravo team and Dan Bodan via The Performance Agency
21 June 2019
Preview and tour through the exhibitions Heike-Karin Föll speed and Image Bank with artist Heike-Karin Föll, curators Maurin Dietrich and Kathrin Bentele and our members (22 June–1 September 2019)
5 June 2019
Attendance of the Schering Stiftung Art Award 2018: Anna Daučíková (7 June–18 August 2019)