They seek and develop innovative systems, offering alternative realities and remedies to issues at the heart of society. These aims arise with a definite tangibility: Dellbrügge & de Moll focus on the next steps before we have reached them, presenting an experience we hadn’t yet realised was needed.

The studio appears neat and meticulously organised. Natural light floods through big window panes and a huge storage unit keeps the place tidy, reiterating that a clear space is a clear mind. A square desk sits as an island in the middle of the space, with a desktop Mac at the left of two opposite sides, resembling from above the yin-yang symbol as the duo work interdependently together. Everything is in balance and in sync: Dellbrügge & de Moll often say the same things at the same time. The desire to understand, solve and develop has influenced projects that show an acute awareness and reflection of the surrounding world and the people in it.

Understanding artist migration has provided much inspiration and material for Dellbrügge & de Moll, who recognise the significance of ‘place’ for an artist and their practice. Through conducting studies and interviews, they have collated a snapshot of migration fluxes and what it means to find somewhere different to settle and create. In their 2006 video project ‘Artist Migration Berlin,’ Dellbrügge & de Moll documented the stories of artists who had packed their bags with sights set on Berlin: the Emerald City of artistic opportunity. Interviewing 30 international artists revealed circumstances and success stories of moving to Berlin: it also put into perspective the reality of those who weren’t able to find exactly what they were looking for. De Moll joked about the desire in artists to achieve a stamp of ‘Berlin Approved.’ This, he explained, resonates on an international level, and sometimes results in an ‘art-drain’ in the countries left behind.

Unlike many of the interviewed artists who denied being an ‘insider of the Berlin art scene,’ Dellbrügge & de Moll have established a distinct platform for voicing the experiences and needs of artists. Another significant component of their work is the creation of art in public space, which denies the notion of borders. With developing community at the heart of their practice, it seems fitting that Dellbrügge & de Moll would also work with the future in mind. Their concept entitled ‘Camp of the Renegades’ envisions a settlement to which aging or ‘retired’ artists could migrate. The project was realised with the help of 30 artists over 65 years old, who contributed their idea of an ideal retirement settlement. The result was a commune formed with the consideration of self-sustainability, an economic system and most importantly, a new opportunity to fulfil the need to create.

Set up on Tempelhof field in Berlin as part of The World Is Not Fair – The Great World Fair (2012), ‘Camp of the Renegades’ was constructed with hexagonal rooms, for easy expansion and structural stability. The honeycomb shape resonated as natural imagery, reminding of the organic desire to learn together, educate each other and continue with artistic practice. Dellbrügge & de Moll created a ‘Pavilion of Planning,’ with a table of hexagonal multi-coloured building blocks to plan the blueprints of the commune. The ‘Pavilion of References’ reiterated that the idea of an artist commune was not a new one: they displayed historical and contemporary examples such as Sun City in Arizona, Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen and Monte Verità in the Swiss canton of Ticino. They also included a performative element of two actresses, who in the role of the older artists who had been interviewed, interacted with visitors to demonstrate the potential reality ‘Camp of the Renegades’ could be.

During the visit, conversation often wandered back to the topic of Dellbrügge & de Moll’s previous studio, situated in Berlin’s Dahlem district. Originally constructed as The Arno Breker State Atelier, the monumental complex was once home to the creation of sculptures that were the antithesis of degenerate art. In the post-war years, the site was adopted for numerous purposes, from city administration to the home of the Berlin Stonemasons Guild. From 2001 to 2009, it served as a studio for Dellbrügge & de Moll alongside other artists. Again, the importance of ‘place’ for an artist was brought to the surface. The duo held a great nostalgia for where they had worked and developed for almost a decade, before they were required to embark on their own migration when the building couldn’t be saved as a space for production. Converted into Kunsthaus Dahlem, the building now also sits as a small white model on a workbench by Dellbrügge & de Moll’s desk.

Christiane Dellbrügge and Ralf de Moll know what it means to think as citizens of a wider world, where migration is fundamental for our development. They set an example of the human capacity to share without limitation and grow together seamlessly, living alongside one another in hexagonal houses. People are moving: the world is taking on a new form. Dellbrügge and de Moll are already there, waiting for the rest of us to catch up.

Artist Info

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• http://www.berlinartlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/unnamed-2.jpg

  Dellbrügge & de Moll: ‘Artist Migration Berlin,’ 2005 // Copyright Dellbrügge & de Moll VG Bild-Kunst

• http://www.berlinartlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/camp-2.jpg

  Dellbrügge & de Moll: ‘Camp of the Renegades,' 2012 // Copyright Dellbrügge & de Moll VG Bild-Kunst

• http://www.berlinartlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/camp-2-1.jpg

  Dellbrügge & de Moll: ‘Camp of the Renegades,' 2012 // Copyright Dellbrügge & de Moll VG Bild-Kunst

• http://www.berlinartlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/camp.jpg

  Dellbrügge & de Moll: ‘Camp of the Renegades,' 2012 // Copyright Dellbrügge & de Moll VG Bild-Kunst