City of Angels, 2023

HD Video Installation presented as part of the group exhibition The Breath of a House is the Sound of Voices Within at the Akademie der Künste, Berlin March 1 - April 1 2024

This work draws inspiration from architect John Hejduk in tandem with the artist's personal experiences in the city and at the Akademie der Künste for his video "City of Angels" and mixed media sculpture "Upstairs Downstairs Architecture (Modellbau after Hejduk)". Like Hejduk, Turgeon intertwines in his artistic practice architecture and poetry, exploring the intricate relationship between language and the built environment. The video delves into Turgeon's personal connection to Berlin, using Hejduk's Kreuzberg tower built in 1987 as a metaphor for the artist himself. Depicting the tower's anatomy with dual significance, mirroring both a building and a human body, the narrative remains elusive, blurring perspectives and referring to a queer experience of looking for a home. Turgeon is further symbolizing this duality in life by juxtaposing the structured rationality of canonized institutions, exemplified by the Akademie der Künste's archives, against the messy, sensuous, and expressive ambiance of the Bilderkeller at Pariser Platz. Elevating this concept to an architectural and spiritual realm, Turgeon introduces the symbolism of "upper" and "lower", portraying a celestial hand orchestrating movements within the self-built model. This echoes Hejduk's architectural metaphor, where ladders for angels to ascend symbolize a threshold between mortal and immortal worlds.

Also pictured: Upstairs Downstairs Architecture (Modellbau after Hejduk), 2023
Mixed Media

With special thanks to thank Dr. Angela Lammert, Carolin Schönemann, Clara Herrmann, and Lukas Zerbst for their insight, skills, and support in the realization of this work.

With fellows from the programmes:
Berlin Fellowship, Saarland Fellowship, Villa Serpentara Fellowship (Olevano/Romano, Italy), Ellen Auerbach Fellowship for Photography, Werner Düttmann Fellowship.

Exhibiting Artists: Emma Adler, Mahsa Aleph, Andrey Anro, Mark Barker, Amin Behroozzadeh, Covadonga Blasco, Yannik Böhmer, Kristina Buch & Robert Logan, Oleksandr Burlaka, Nina Dragičević, Alina Gorlova, Anna Hetzer, Moshtari Hilal, Aušra Kaziliūnaitė, Fumiko Kikuchi, Alketa Ramaj, Maissa Maatouk, Vasilisa Palianina, Joanna Piotrowska, Sol-i So, Alex Turgeon, Lukas Zerbst

Event programme: Mohammed Almughanni, Aboozar Amini, Yannik Böhmer, Claire Fercak, Lillah Halla, Kim de l'Horizon, Mina Keshavarz, Melissa Makele, Zsófia Lili Orbán, Elnaz Seyedi, Sol-i So, Oliver Thurley, Haotian Yu

Curated by Clara Herrmann and Tomke Braun