Where hummingbirds swim

In the GDR, the Baltic Sea marked a space where two realities overlapped: a vacation destination and a state border under deadly guard. While many people spent their summers on the coast, others tried to escape the SED dictatorship across those very same waters. At least 135 people lost their lives in the attempt. The Baltic Sea is thus a space where everyday experiences and political violence intertwine in a unique way.

Artist Marie Jeschke approaches this space of memory in an unusual way: her paintings are created directly in and with the waters that once marked the border between East and West Germany—the Baltic Sea, the Spree River, and the Teltow Canal. The special exhibition features a selection of her works. Accompanying photographs document the unique creative process at the intersection of contemporary painting and the culture of remembrance.

Marie Jeschke’s artistic works are complemented by objects from the collection of the Berlin Wall Foundation: Among other items, a radio, a diving compass, and a paddle are on display—objects that Kurt Rick used during his successful escape across the Baltic Sea in 1963. The combination of art and historical objects offers a glimpse into the experiences and fates of the people who sought to cross these borders.

The exhibition is funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.