Area Revisited, Opening Night June 19

Nearly three months of hard work, lots of meetings and not few roller-coaster moments converged on June 19, 21:00 in the Opening Night of AREA REVISITED.

Some days ago, I wrote about the interesting, rewarding experience it has been to back Nina Venus and Cindy Hannes with the event organization. By June 19, the never ending discussions about the site set-up, ranging over time from a huge white cube embracing the projection room and bar to a 20 feet high scaffolding construction recalling a huge archive; the insecurity about dinner sponsoring, the anxiety of putting together “THE” guest list, had been left behind.

The outcome was simply magnificent: a huge table white-clothed for 100 people, tasty (even if simple) food beautifully arranged by Dieck & Depre, over 60 summer-evoking delicate flower bouquets, candle lights and floor spots competing to create a superb illumination, a cool, full-equipped bar and even better music stereo, not to talk about the DJs.

Interestingly enough, all the above, was somehow predictable. Or at least AREA’s team had been working each puzzle-piece so consciously that we knew it would fit together. What it was more difficult to foresee – not to say impossible- was the people. Would they show up, in an evening full of interesting opening and events? On time? Good-humored? And yes, they all show up for dinner on 21:00 sharp (even more than the 100 we have counted with, since several people managed to slip past the, maybe too sweet, doormen) and, as soon as 22:00 dinner was over and party started. And what a party!

AREA HAMBURG, had a lot at stake: first big exhibition, satellite show of the Hamburg Photo Triennial and an unique opportunity to leave a print in Hamburg’s culture landscape and model AREA’s future presentation card. And by all means, what we saw beyond from Volker Hinz’s astonishing large-format Photos, and what we felt, surpassed our most ambitious expectations!