Sentimental in Berlin Blog: Carsten Höller Exhibition

Hello dear Sentimentals!

Have you got your weekend plans?
I brought you this time a badass exhibition that you should really check out before it's gone!
Carsten Höller, the name, with which all the papers across London was full in June due to its biggest ever London exhibition in the soon closing (for refurbishment) Hayward Gallery at the SouthBank.

Carsten Höller, an artist, and agricultural scientist was brought up in Brussels by German parents. He got in to the art scene in the early 90s. Since then he captivated us with his interesting, grandiose exhibitions around the world. Finally back in London with 'Decisions'.

This Carsten Höller exhibition can be entered from 2 different entrances leading to a pitch-black corridor. It is a little bit like 'Alice in Wonderland'. You can decide which entrance you take, however they lead you to the same room with flying mushrooms. This might have an understanding of being high and seeing the flying mushrooms, which is moved by us and connecting cogs and chains.

Carsten_Holler_Decisions_London_Exhibition

Carsten Höller - The entrance

Carsten Höller - Flying Mushrooms

Then another decision to be made! Whether to take a pill or not?! What do you think? Tons of pills dropping from the ceiling to the floor...and you can take or eat one! Would you?

Carsten Höller - Pill clock

After this through couple of other smaller installation you can find yourself in a big room, where you can try the exhibition of the future...people sitting with the cyberworld 3D headsets watching a video about a forest in winter.

Carsten Höller - The forests

While you wait, you can also check out the back wall, which was inspired by perceptual changes triggered by lights after Max Wertheimer.
Or you can check out two...moving on their own...empty...beds in the middle of the room. If you are member of the Gallery, you can apply to stay in one of those intelligent roaming beds for a good night sleep. Just don't be afraid if you wake up in a different location inside the museum!

Carsten Höller - Two roaming beds

We then went upstairs to a room with mirrored walls to allow us observing ourselves and others. I still felt a little bit like 'Alice' you know I took the one of those pills and now I was in a room where there was a dice almost twice as tall as me! Is it real or am I hallucinating?

Carsten Höller - The Dice

Carsten Höller

Following this we stepped into an upside down world! Basically you put a special hat/gear on your head and then tadahhh everything is upside-down! I could walk fine and was stable enough, however other people lost their balances and felt a bit dizzy. I think it was really cool!
(Notice the gallery's name is mounted on the wall upside-down to be read normal once you have this gear on your head)

Carsten Höller - Upside Down Goggles

Wow! Still under the effect of the pill I took or not...but yes we were flying! Still not quite but we were flying 6 rounds above London's Southbank!
Tip: probably you will need to wait here. Easy calculation before you step in the queue...count 5 minutes per 2 people. We had 20 peeps before us. 20 divided by 2 times 5 minutes equalled a 50 minutes wait. It's worth it and you don't really feel it that much. Go for it!

Carsten Höller - Two Flying Machines

Lastly prepare for your last decision in Höller's show! How to exit the exhibition? Would you just walk down the stairs and exit? Or would you slide down Carsten Höller's trademark slides mounted on the gallery's sidewall? We chose the latter...and it was fun!