05.11.2024 – 22.03.2025

curated by Masha Isserlis and Magda Komornicka

Renata Rara Kaminska – SPY

Outdoor installation, 12 Flags made of recycled PVC, aluminium poles, spy mirror foil approx. 350 x 200 cm, flexibly installed on the façade

In this installation, the boundaries between observer and observed, between transparency and deception collide in a playful and profound way.10 flexible flags made of reflective, recycled PVC, which swing gently on the façade, transform the urban space into a silent dialogue about visibility and invisibility. These ‘broken mirrors’ reveal more than they conceal – and remind us how fragile our perception of public space is.The term ‘Venetian mirror’ sounds elegant, but it belies its often sinister use: police mirror, spy mirror – permeable and manipulable. Originally an optical masterpiece that reflects light on one side and lets it through on the other, this mirror enables unnoticed surveillance. Authorities such as the STASI or NKVD used it, but also the retail trade. These flags take up the aesthetics of the spy mirror and show us more: they make visible how the public space is secretly withdrawn from us by harmful, often invisible influences. The poisoned air depicted on the flags reflects the reality of Dresden and poses the question: What goes unnoticed?

Who controls and who really owns the public space? The reflective surfaces not only throw back light – they also take a critical look at ourselves and our environment.

https://lipsiusbau.skd.museum/en/visit/

https://lipsiusbau.skd.museum/en/exhibitions/change-to-come/