The new art format “Passage” by the Munich Cultural Department’s Public Art Munich initiative recently celebrated its premiere in Munich’s city center. Projects by national and international artists are exhibited here on a rotating basis. Londoner Karimah Ashadu made the start.
The format
The eponymous passage is located on the corner of Weinstraße and Kaufingerstraße, where you can now view art. Eleven showcases, which have been here since the 1950s, are embedded in the eleven pillars. Behind the glass of the showcases are now monitors that present the works of the exhibiting artists. They have been specially restored for the new format.
The showcases are located on the backs of the pillars, so you can only see them when you walk through the shopping arcade. Easy to miss if you’re just hurrying down Weinstrasse. The exhibition will change two to three times a year; the current one will be on display until May 2026. Karimah Ashadu, who was also present at the opening ceremony on October 24, kicked things off. The London-born artist with Nigerian roots actually lives in Hamburg, London and Lagos.
The story behind “Plateau”
On display are stills from Ashadu’s film “Plateau”, which focuses on the lives of tin miners in the Nigerian Jos Plateau and shows the consequences of British colonialism. Each of the display cases shows a still image, eleven in total. They change every day until it starts all over again after a week. In this way, 77 images from the artist’s film are presented. There are also quotes translated into English behind vinyl foil.
On October 31 at 8 pm, Ashadu will talk about her film at Haus der Kunst, where it will also be shown in full length. If the pictures on Marienplatz arouse your curiosity and you would like to find out more about the project, you should definitely stop by. Everyone else can enjoy the free offer in Munich’s city center, which has been enriched by an art project.