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The project Art on Common Ground reflects the diversity of Germany and sets socio-political priorities. The artworks draw on the distinctive characteristics of cities and regions, building bridges between urban and rural areas and the Californian metropolis.
The artistic presentations aim to make art accessible to a broad audience and to strengthen the visibility of the cultural scene, with the project conveying, in an accessible way, an impression of the outstanding and international significance of Germany's art and culture scene as a whole.
Art on Common Ground – Bitterfeld-Wolfen
With the third edition of Art on Common Ground, Villa Aurora brings artistic works as large-format art posters into the urban space of Bitterfeld-Wolfen and the OSTEN Festival grounds at the Zschornewitz power plant. In public space, a broad audience can encounter the artworks, at times quite by chance.
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Art on Common Ground – Halle (Saale)
Between May 29 and June 8, 2026, Art on Common Ground turned the heart of Halle (Saale) into an open-air gallery. Displayed at various sites, these works aim to forge new links between art, society, and international perspectives. Featuring artworks by Marc Fromm, Fern Liberty Kallenbach Campbell, Christine Matzke, and Klaus Pockrandt.
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Marc Fromm: The Treadmill – How often does history repeat itself!
The installation revisits and reinterprets his 2014 work Winkekatzen (“Lucky Cats”) in light of contemporary social and political developments.
Fern Liberty Kallenbach Campbell: Attack of the 5 foot 3 Woman
Amid Pacific fog and shimmering heat, between the tranquility of Villa Aurora and the relentless sounds of the city, a multilayered field of tension emerges — one of nature, urbanity, silence, noise, and light.
Klaus Pockrandt: GREAT AGAIN
The work poses the question: How do we preserve hope? It addresses the present moment and places a timely artistic commentary on the profound political shifts of our time
Christine Matzke: Bronson Cave, Griffith Park, L.A. 2025/26
The work explores the origins of Hollywood's name. At the heart of the artistic research is the holly — which appears as a central motif in the drawings.
Fern Liberty Kallenbach Campbell: Attack of the 5 foot 3 Woman
The motif at the opera house reappears in an independent presentation and greets and bids farewell to travellers at Halle (Saale) Central Station.
Klaus Pockrandt: Light my fire
The photographs present an abstract photographic exploration of the city of Los Angeles and investigates how urban dynamics intertwine across the Atlantic.
Art in the City – Berlin
From May 12 to 25 and October 6 to 19, we celebrated two editions of twelve Art Posters across five districts of Berlin, showcasing works by Werner Amann, Edgar Arceneaux & Zora Arceneaux, Ulu Braun, Janine Eggert, Lukas Glinkowski, Erik Göngrich, Anna Haifisch, Paul Hutchinson, Wiebke Loeper, Karin Apollonia Müller & Siska.
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Werner Amann: I am Your Temple
Los Angeles–based portrait series captures older bodies in quiet, intimate moments of everyday life in contrast to the youth- and trend-driven beauty industries of Berlin and L.A.
Ulu Braun: Sunset Egonomy
A spiritual overload of West Coast myth, Silicon Valley twilight, and pop-media iconography. Sunset Egonomy is both dreamscape and dissociation, promise and void.
Anna Haifisch: The Artist, Ode an die Feder
For an artist, there's always something to do on an ordinary May day. In her poster Mit diesem besonderen Poster Anna Haifisch offered a playful and personal perspective on life in metropolises like Berlin and L.A.
Paul Hutchinson: Schöneberg 30
The collage brought together texts and images from 2016 to 2025, with much of the material originating from northern Schöneberg, das in Nord Schöneberg, once known by its postal code: Schöneberg 30.
Karin Apollonia Müller: Dreamfactory
The expansive openness of the scene stands in stark contrast to the density of urban space. The work challenges the seductive imagery and promises of the fashion world.
Siska: Freedoom of Speech
The photo series takes a critical look at the shrinking space for free expression in both Germany and the U.S., highlighting the fragility of liberal democracies.
Edgar Arceneaux & Zora Arceneaux: Colors of My Home
Based on the question: What colors remind you of home? a colorful image emerges that visualizes the diverse perspectives on the concept of “home” in the neighborhood.
Janine Eggert: Googie Horizon
Eight examples of Googie architecture from Los Angeles were photographed and assembled into a silhouette. As an imaginary skyline, the artwork becomes both archive and fiction.
Erik Göngrich: ART HEALS
The poster presents art as a cycle. In contrast to the words “ART HEALS.”, clouds of smoke and destruction the question arises as to whether art itself can be understood as a healing process.
Lukas Glinkowski: Connect the Dots
An interactive connect-the-dots image with over 10,000 dots regarding the Palisades Fire. The work is dedicated to the efforts of the firefighters.
Wiebke Loeper: Fotografien, Berlin 1996/97
The photographies were captured in the mid-1990s, in a rapidly changing city. They build a bridge to a bygone era and draw attention to the multi-layered aspects of urban life.
Ulu Braun: Sunset Egonomy
Together with silent green Kulturquartier, we displayed the Sunset Egonomy poster in Wedding, which was already on display in urban spaces during the first edition of Art in the City.
Partner
In cooperation with the OSTEN Festival for the edition in Bitterfeld-Wolfen
In cooperation with the Saxony-Anhalt Arts Foundation for the edition in Halle (Saale)
With generous funding by the Senate Chancellery of Berlin for the edition in Berlin
With the kind support by Kulturplakatierung
Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e. V. is funded by the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
