Picture above: Kunsthaus Tacheles in 2008.

The Kunsthaus Tacheles (English: Art House Tacheles) was an art center in Berlin, Germany, a large (9,000 qm. or 97,000 sq ft) building and sculpture park on Oranienburger Straße, in the sub-neighborhood of Spandauer Vorstadt in the Mitte district. Huge, colorful graffiti-style murals were painted on the exterior walls, and modern art sculptures were featured inside. The building housed an artists collective from 1990 until 2012.

History:

On February 13, 1990, two months before the planned demolition, the a group of artists occuped the building. The group tried to prevent the demolition through discussions with the building management in Berlin-Mitte, which was legally responsible for the complex, by registering the building as a historic place. The planned demolition was not delayed however, until the group managed to get the Berlin Round Table to issue a last-minute injunction.

The artists' initiative had a new engineering survey done to evaluate the building's structural integrity. The study found that the building was in surprisingly good shape, and it was named a historic landmark shortly thereafter. Its status was officially recognized after a second survey done in February 1992.

There was an appreciable amount of disagreement among the East German and West German artists due to their conflicting views and concepts for the space. In the meantime, however, Tacheles has become a central part of the art, activist, exhibition and communication scenes in Berlin, and is officially registered as Tacheles, e. V.. In 1996 and 1997, politicians, sociologists, architects, and artists discussed the preservation and future use of the house.

Sebastian Bieniek burns his own paintings at the Kunsthaus Tacheles in 1998. Part of the "Burning Paintings" performance.

Sebastian Bieniek in his Kunsthaus Tacheles studio before the "Medical Examination"

("Musterung"), Performance in 1999.

From 8th of oct. to  7th of nov. Sebastian Bieniek had an individual (solo) exhibition in the Kunsthaus Tacheles in Berlin.
In the exhibition were multiple drawings from "The Turning Around Drawing" (ger. "Die Zeichnung die sich Dreht") series, the "Born To Be Boulette" performance and other works shown.

Poster of the "Natural Born Sugareater" exhibition in Kunsthaus Tacheles.

Designed by Sebastian Bieniek, realized by Wolfgang Spahn. 90 x 62 cm.

Editon of 70 screen prints signed by Sebastian Bieniek and Wolfgang Spahn.

Sebastian Bieniek making the "Born to be Boulette" performance during his "Natural Born Sugareaters" exhibition at the Kunsthaus Tacheles in 1999.

DIE TAZ (die tageszeitung), german daily national newspaper, on Sebastian Bieniek's "Natural Born Sugar Eaters" and the "Born to be Boulette" performance in Kunsthaus Tacheles, 1999.

First text-art-works that Sebastian Bieniek had hanging out of the window of his studio on the third floor of the Kunsthaus Tacheles in 1999 and thus presented to the public.

On the banner is in german written "While this is no art, I would still like to have $ 10,000 for it" (german: Dies ist zwar keine Kunst, ich hätte dennoch gerne 10000 $ dafür".

Another text-art-work that Sebastian Bieniek had hanging out of the window of his studio on the third floor of the Kunsthaus Tacheles in 1999. On the banner ist written: "When you looked at this picture you'll die"

Sebastian Bieniek entering the lift of the Kunsthaus Tacheles, with the "saved" Sol LeWitt, that became later the "Recycled Sol LeWitt" in the summer of 1999.

In 2003 Sebastian Bieniek made a film in the huge flooded basement of the Kunsthaus Tacheles called "Anamnesie". The basement was so huge that it was no problem to make 14 boats at the same time swim arond there.

„Anamnesie" (film still) by Sebastian Bieniek, 2003, filmed in the flooded basement of the Kunsthaus Tacheles.