𝕶𝖆𝖋𝖋𝖊𝖊𝖘𝖆𝖈𝖍𝖘𝖊𝖓

Marie Donike + Johannes Specks
Kaffeesachsen
walk-through installation

In their artistic practice, Marie Donike and Johannes Specks explore the cultural and historical aspects of cuisine and places of social gathering.

Inspired by Saxon everyday aesthetics and current political normalizations, they developed “Kaffeesachsen,” their participatory installation, which on that Saturday will offer a place to enjoy coffee and coffee substitutes together, to snack on pastries, and to relax, recharge, take a break, laugh, and talk. Of course, there will also be stickers available—for cars, for example.

“Kaffeesachse” is a historical term—both used by others and self-applied—for the residents of Saxony. Marie Donike and Johannes Specks interpret the term in a distinctly discursive way. After all, just like the fluctuating coffee supply situation in Saxony, the term has changed and adapted over time; it is sometimes used mockingly by outsiders, sometimes to foster a sense of identity—but in any case, it has the potential to serve as a designation for a region: “Coffee Saxony,” so to speak.