The Tiger has been living for some time in Berlin. Sometimes he wanders over here, sometimes over there. In the meantime he has found a few Berliner friends, set up his apartment, done a few mini-jobs, started getting used to the Berliner summer and even tried a Currywurst. The Tiger now knows many people in Berlin, but the Tiger would not say that he knows everyone. Much is still unknown to him in the city. “Foreign people, customs and languages’ … and not to mention the eating habits… But when it comes to celebrating, he thinks that none of that matters. All are equal, all are happy. And you can meet lots of new friends. At the last Ramadan he met some cool people from the Turkish shadow theatre and had a barbecue with them at the Eid ul-Fitr. For Oktoberfest he didn’t quite manage to celebrate at the Wies’n in Munich but here at Alex it was just as good. For Muharrem a friend cooked Aschure for him, so sweet and tasty, and he is already looking forward to Christmas, as always! The Tiger loves celebrating and finds it super. He absolutely wants to discover even more festivals where he is allowed to join in with the celebrations. And what do you celebrate? Take the Party Tiger to your next party!

In a workshop during the autumn holidays we discussed with a mixed group of young children about festivities they know, celebrate or would like to celebrate. Who celebrates what? Do we always know why we celebrate these festivals? Why are there fairs and fêtes? Does Father Christmas come to everyone’s home? Do you eat more sweets at Eid ul-Fitr or Easter? What is a memorial service?

Together with sound recordings and sketch books we explored our city and our festive habits. Inspired by A. Calder’s mechanically moving ‘circus models’ we designed festivals, carousels and swing boats, decorations and costumes. Using basic materials like modelling clay, cardboard and fabric offcuts we build small movable figures, machines and sets for a huge festive landscape in 1:20 scale ant put them into motion with the help of small electric motors.      

This project took place in 2018 and is part of the series The Tiger comes... initiated by Malve Lippmann and Can Sungu. A project of bi'bakwerk in cooperation with Kinderhilfswerk / Hort in der Erika Mann Grundschuleand Friedenskreis Syrien. Sponsored by the project Jugend ins Zentrum! of the Bundesvereinigung Soziokultureller Zentren within the framework of the programme Kultur macht stark. Bündnisse für Bildung operated by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research.

Heather Purcell, born in Glasgow in 1986, studied at the Glasgow School of Art (BA) and the Berlin Univeristät der Künste (MA). She works as an artist and freelance art teacher and runs animation and video workshops. Her work focuses on the combination of analog and digital media.

Tuna Arkun, born in Istanbul, is a visual artist. Since 2007 he works in different projects as a concept developer and instructor of creative activities for children, youth and adults.

The tiger has been in Berlin for several years now and has a lot of positive integration efforts. Once he even passed almost the integration test. But for his chronic problem with the apartments, he has not yet found a solution. Since he arrived in Berlin, he is staying here and there, sometimes with friends, sometimes over the weekend in the zooshop in the shopping center, but sometimes also under the S-Bahn bridge. He has repeatedly tried to apply for apartments, but for several reasons he has always been rejected: his paws would damage the floor, his weight exceeds the total weight per square meter allowed in the house rules or he is simply too wild. However, the tiger does not give up the hope of a safe accommodation. He tigers across Berlin, struggles through neighborhoods where he has never been, and talks to all those who could help him. So be ready: the tiger comes to your neighborhood, to your neighbors, and perhaps to you!

We want to talk in three workshops with children about alternative housing forms and in addition, fantasize how a fair cohabitation in the city could look in the future. Together we make interviews and drawings, explore different neighborhoods, create utopian residential models and build a home for the tiger. We use simple materials such as waste paper, cardboard and wood. The interviews, stories, drawings, designs and models of all the workshops are put together and displayed in a walk-in audio-visual installation.

The project provides a creative contribution to the reflection of the current housing shortage and stimulates playfully to openly reflect on the right living space distribution and transcultural living forms.

This project took place in 2017 and is part of the series The Tiger comes... initiated by Malve Lippmann and Can Sungu. A project of bi'bakwerk in cooperation with the Jugendkunstschule Charlottenburg, Jugendkunstschule Pankow, Kindererde gGmbH und dem Hort der Erika Mann Grundschule. Funded by the Berliner Projektfonds Kulturelle Bildung.

Tuna Arkun, born in Istanbul, is a visual artist. Since 2007 he works in different projects as a concept developer and instructor of creative activities for children, youth and adults.

Heather Purcell, born in Glasgow in 1986, studied at the Glasgow School of Art (BA) and the Berlin Univeristät der Künste (MA). She works as an artist and freelance art teacher and runs animation and video workshops. Her work focuses on the combination of analog and digital media.

The tiger has been in Berlin for many years now. Meanwhile, he loves currywurst, has grown accustomed to the grey weather and has found new friends. In short, he has made many positive efforts towards integration. Once he even almost passed the naturalization test.

And yet he is always asked: Where are you from? Is your fur genuine? Are you dangerous? Can I pet you? Many are afraid of him, others find he is elegant, graceful or somehow interesting. Either way, he is always perceived differently, although he has long since found a new home in Berlin. This makes him sad and he begins to wonder who he really is. In the search for like-minded people, he hears a place where 2 or 3 or even many more other tigers are on their way to meet each other, listen to their stories, and learn something about themselves.

In the workshop, we will meet with a group of children to find out the shape of the tiger, to find out what we really know about him, and how fantasy and projection create his image. The children will use the sketchbook to visit the 2 or 3 Tigers in the exhibition at HKW and get an introduction to exciting artistic techniques and then design their tiger.

The workshops Der Tiger kommt ins HKW took place in Mai/june 2017 as accompanying programmes to the exhibition 2 oder 3 Tiger at HKW and is part of the ongoing project series from bi'bak The tiger comes… initiated by Malve Lippmann and Can Sungu. A project of bi'bakwerk in cooperation with HKW

Tuna Arkun, born in Istanbul, is a visual artist. Since 2007 he works in different projects as a concept developer and instructor of creative activities for children, youth and adults.

Heather Purcell, born in Glasgow in 1986, studied at the Glasgow School of Art (BA) and the Berlin Univeristät der Künste (MA). She works as an artist and freelance art teacher and runs animation and video workshops. Her work focuses on the combination of analog and digital media.

The Tiger has been in Berlin for quite a while, has had many positive integration experiences and almost passed the naturalization test. Walks in nature are now part of his everyday life and he is very happy to collect the wild garlic in the spring. But other than that, as a Carnivore he doesn’t know the vegetable world as well. He has always heard something about people who planted vegetables in bathtubs in parking garages, that in Berlin, besides wild garlic, that there are still 100 varieties of herbs and that even somewhere in the city you can see plantains. In the summer it is time: he wants to get to know the Berlin vegetation world more closely. Why does Mr. Neighbour sow sorrel on the traffic island? What are the differences between rhubarb and banana? How does asparagus grow in the spring? And so the Tiger is coming to the garden.

With a group of children with and without refugee backgrounds, we visit different gardens and garden projects in Berlin and collect inspirations in our sketchbooks. Back in the project room the children create a Veggie-Memory game from the collected sketches, which can now be used as a language learning tool. In the newly developed garden behind bi’bak, we have designed, built, and planted our own garden with self-built raised beds.

Projectdokumentation

Friday, 14.10.2016, at 4pm
For public presentation during a garden party, we invite parents, friends and interested people to the fire and to eat.

In cooperation with NUK Kindererde and Ferienhort der Erika-Mann-Schule.
Funded by Berliner Projektfonds kulturelle Bildung.

Tuna Arkun, born in Istanbul, is a visual artist. Since 2007 he works in different projects as a concept developer and instructor of creative activities for children, youth and adults.

Heather Purcell, born in Glasgow in 1986, studied at the Glasgow School of Art (BA) and the Berlin Univeristät der Künste (MA). She works as an artist and freelance art teacher and runs animation and video workshops. Her work focuses on the combination of analog and digital media.

The adventures of the Tiger in Berlin continue… The Tiger has invited his friends to his house in Soldiner Kiez/ Berlin-Wedding. His friends tell us why and how they came to Berlin, what are they doing here now, and what are they planning to do in the future.

In our workshop we worked on a picture book which tells the story of the Tiger and his friends. The images of “the Other” in our everyday lives was our inspiration. We dealed with the concept of exoticism as well as with stereotypes, stigmatization, orientalism and racism. The children examine product labels which use exoticizing images in their marketing campaigns. In addition to historical examples, we collected some products from the shops in our neighborhood. Found material was combined with stamps and was used for illustrating the book.

This project took place in 2017 and is part of the series The Tiger comes... initiated by Malve Lippmann and Can Sungu. A project of bi'bakwerk in cooperation with Humbolthain-Grundschule and the Gesundbrunnen-Grundschule. Funded by Berliner Projektfonds Kulturelle Bildung.

Malve Lippmann studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart and at the Institute for Art in Context (UdK) in Berlin. As a freelance stage designer and artist, she has been internationally responsible for the design of numerous performances, opera- and theatre productions. Since 2010, Malve Lippmann has been working as a curator and cultural manager, leading artistic workshops and seminars and is active in various cultural- and community projects. She is co-founder and artistic director of bi'bak and SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA.

Tuna Arkun, born in Istanbul, is a visual artist. Since 2007 he works in different projects as a concept developer and instructor of creative activities for children, youth and adults.

A young tiger, who fled to Berlin from a distant country, is looking for a new home. Arriving at Mierendorffplatz, the difficulties of everyday life await him. Together with us he ran through the streets and met the inhabitants of the neighborhood. Some want to help him, some have similar experiences as the tiger, others are afraid of him and just want to get rid of him. Has the tiger managed to find his place and happiness in the new home?

The life of the tiger abroad and his adventures at the Mierendorffplatz are described in our animated film.

projectdocumentation and film

This project is part of the series Der Tiger kommt ... initiated by Malve Lippmann and Can Sungu. A project of bi'bakwerk in cooperation with the Jugendkunstschule Charlottenburg. Funded by the Berliner Projektfonds Kulturelle Bildung

Can Sungu studied film and visual communication design in Istanbul and at the Institute for Art in Context at the Berlin University of the Arts. He has given workshops and seminars in the field of film and published texts on film and migration. As an artist, he participated in numerous exhibitions, including at MMSU Rijeka, Künstlerhaus Vienna and REDCAT Los Angeles. He is co-founder and artistic director of bi‘bak.

Malve Lippmann studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart and at the Institute for Art in Context (UdK) in Berlin. As a freelance stage designer and artist, she has been internationally responsible for the design of numerous performances, opera- and theatre productions. Since 2010, Malve Lippmann has been working as a curator and cultural manager, leading artistic workshops and seminars and is active in various cultural- and community projects. She is co-founder and artistic director of bi'bak and SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA.

The tiger lived in India or Asia in the jungle and rainforest. Everything was green there. He lived in a cave and always had enough food. He ate monkeys, grass and carrion. The tiger was rejected by his mother. A hunting party chased the tiger with tanks and rifles. An agent with a fighter jet fired an atomic bomb and a hydrogen bomb at the tiger. His life was in danger. He had to flee at the speed of sound. The tiger became the pet of a rich sultan. The sultan became poor and had to sell the tiger. He was loaded on a ship that went to Hamburg. He came into a small cage where he felt claustrophobic. On the ship, the tiger only got fish and was always hungry. The tiger got sick and he had to puke. The ship stopped and sunk. The tiger fell into the water and sharks came. He was rescued by a helicopter. The helicopter crashed. The tiger saved himself with a jetpack. He drove with an amphibious jeep to the station.The tiger got on the train to Berlin.
Berlin was a city full of fear of the tiger. People called out of their cars: "Daddy a Tiger" "Help a Tiger" "Ahhh a Tiger". In Berlin, the tiger had to go to the immigration office. There, the tiger was assigned a container by Mr. Porzellan. In it he had but almost nothing that enabled him a tiger-fair life. Not a single piece of furniture, no bed, no oven, no washing machine. During his usual morning jogging gymnastics, he passed a BSR yard. He watched people throw things in the containers and then drive away. There were a lot of things he could do well. He brought his own container and placed him in the yard.Will the Tiger be able to set up a cozy home in the new homeland?

We explored the life of the tiger at the Recyklinghof in a workshop with a group of children. Our research has resulted in a computer game and an animated film.

This project took place in the easter holidays 2012 and is part of the series Der Tiger kommt ... initiated by Malve Lippmann and Can Sungu. A project of bi'bakwerk in cooperation with the Jugendkunstschule Pankow. Funded by the Berliner Projektfonds Kulturelle Bildung

Malve Lippmann studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart and at the Institute for Art in Context (UdK) in Berlin. As a freelance stage designer and artist, she has been internationally responsible for the design of numerous performances, opera- and theatre productions. Since 2010, Malve Lippmann has been working as a curator and cultural manager, leading artistic workshops and seminars and is active in various cultural- and community projects. She is co-founder and artistic director of bi'bak and SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA.

Can Sungu studied film and visual communication design in Istanbul and at the Institute for Art in Context at the Berlin University of the Arts. He has given workshops and seminars in the field of film and published texts on film and migration. As an artist, he participated in numerous exhibitions, including at MMSU Rijeka, Künstlerhaus Vienna and REDCAT Los Angeles. He is co-founder and artistic director of bi‘bak.

Artist, Artmediator

The tiger has just arrived from a distant land in Berlin. He is very surprised to see that people here often treat the dogs better than their fellow human beings. The dogs go to the barber, there are dog kennels, dog vacation, dog runners, dog restaurants, dog playgrounds and even a lot of dog paradises. People cuddle romantically on park benches with their dogs, kisses in the sunset, and many a dog even has a fur coat with cashmere collar, four lined shoes, socks, diapers and his own stroller.

No one feels sorry for the tiger, so that he would like to become a dog, too. He goes to dog psychologist, dog homoeopath, dog-hairdresser, trying everything dog-possible. Will he be able to become a pet in the dog fur and find his luck?

In the workshop with a group of children, we visited various dog places, conducted interviews with dog experts and dog lovers and collected material. The material was further processed into a doghouse town in the Jugendkunstschule Charlottenburg and exhibited as an installation on the Mierendorffplatz.

Projectdocumentation and film

This project took place in the Easter Holiday 2014 and is part of the series Der Tiger kommt ... initiated by Malve Lippmann and Can Sungu. A project of bi'bakwerk in cooperation with the Jugendkunstschule Charlottenburg. Funded by the Berliner Projektfonds Kulturelle Bildung.

Malve Lippmann studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart and at the Institute for Art in Context (UdK) in Berlin. As a freelance stage designer and artist, she has been internationally responsible for the design of numerous performances, opera- and theatre productions. Since 2010, Malve Lippmann has been working as a curator and cultural manager, leading artistic workshops and seminars and is active in various cultural- and community projects. She is co-founder and artistic director of bi'bak and SİNEMA TRANSTOPIA.

Can Sungu studied film and visual communication design in Istanbul and at the Institute for Art in Context at the Berlin University of the Arts. He has given workshops and seminars in the field of film and published texts on film and migration. As an artist, he participated in numerous exhibitions, including at MMSU Rijeka, Künstlerhaus Vienna and REDCAT Los Angeles. He is co-founder and artistic director of bi‘bak.

Artist, Artmediator

Tuna Arkun, born in Istanbul, is a visual artist. Since 2007 he works in different projects as a concept developer and instructor of creative activities for children, youth and adults.

Heather Purcell, born in Glasgow in 1986, studied at the Glasgow School of Art (BA) and the Berlin Univeristät der Künste (MA). She works as an artist and freelance art teacher and runs animation and video workshops. Her work focuses on the combination of analog and digital media.