CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University’s Little Gallery will mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with “Beyond the Wall,” a recreation of a 2017 exhibit by German artist Stefan Roloff that was displayed at the original Berlin Wall site.
The exhibit opens with a reception from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 in Kidder Hall, Room 210, on OSU’s Corvallis campus. At the opening, Roloff will speak about his experience growing up on the “island” of West Berlin, surrounded by the wall, and how that influenced his life and artistic thought. During his talk, footage from the 2017 exhibit will be shown.
Rene Siebenhaar, a representative of the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., will also be on hand to officially open the exhibit and offer brief remarks. The event is free and open to the public.
Roloff’s original “Beyond the Wall” exhibit was a 229-meter panorama that combined still images from video footage of the border area during the wall’s existence with silhouetted portraits of residents of East Germany. The video stills were blown up to the full wall’s height, creating an effect that appears like paintings up close but turns photo realistic from a distance.
For the exhibit at OSU, the space in the Little Gallery will be transformed and the exhibit will be adapted for the walls of Kidder Hall. The gallery walls will be wallpapered with images depicting the still images and silhouettes.
Roloff, an artist and filmmaker, is based in New York and Berlin. He studied painting and video at the Academy of Arts in Berlin.
The exhibit will run through Dec. 13. The Little Gallery is located in 210 Kidder Hall. The gallery is open 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
The exhibit is organized by OSU’s School of Language, Culture and Society with support from the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. Other sponsors include OSU’s School of History, Philosophy and Religion; the School of Writing, Literature and Film; and the Center for Humanities.
College of Liberal Arts
About the OSU College of Liberal Arts: The College of Liberal Arts encompasses seven distinct schools, as well as several interdisciplinary initiatives, that focus on humanities, social sciences, and fine and performing arts. Curriculum developed by the college’s nationally and internationally-renowned faculty prepares students to approach the complex problems of the world ethically and thoughtfully, contributing to a student's academic foundation and helping to build real-world skills for a 21st century career and a purposeful life.
Michelle Klampe, 541-737-0784, [email protected]
Helen Wilhelm, 541-737-2146, [email protected]