A Berlin museum is celebrating its anniversary while radically questioning its own role. With an extraordinary performance commission, the Hamburger Bahnhof is making a statement for community and openness – inviting the audience to participate.
Starting May 1, 2026, Lithuanian artist Lina Lapelytė will transform the Historic Hall of the museum into a vibrant place of collective experience. Her work "We Make Years Out of Hours" is the second installment of the CHANEL Commission, a prestigious series for contemporary art. Lapelytė, known for her meditative works that weave together sound, ritual, and labor, creates an ever-evolving performance that blurs the boundaries between sculpture and action, individual and collective.
"Art can be a way to move forward when you're trying to survive something very complex," Lapelytė said in an interview with Vogue. This idea permeates her entire work and now finds a special resonating space at the Hamburger Bahnhof. Visitors will not only be spectators but active participants in a "living monument for time, care, and coexistence," as stated in the museum's press material.
The opening deliberately coincides with Gallery Weekend Berlin and simultaneously marks the beginning of the 30th anniversary of the National Gallery of Contemporary Art. Since 1996, the former train station in Berlin-Mitte has housed a collection of contemporary art. The director duo Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath has aimed since 2022 to position the institution more as a mediator rather than just an exhibition space.
This realignment comes at a critical time. As reported by the world, the museum faces financial challenges and is experimenting with new funding models. Private partnerships, such as the one with CHANEL, are gaining importance, without the institution aiming to become a "glamour hub," as mentioned in the same article. The participatory nature of Lapelytė's work emphasizes this balance between prestigious sponsorship and democratic access.
The performance runs until January 10, 2027, and evolves over the months. It uses the impressive, historic space not as a neutral container, but as an active participant. Through collective action and singing, a temporary community is formed – a conscious contrast to the often solitary experience of visiting a museum.
For art enthusiasts in Berlin and international guests, the exhibition offers more than just another attraction. It serves as a test case for how museums can operate in the 21st century: open, inviting, and in constant dialogue with their audience. In a city that struggles with its cultural identity, the Hamburger Bahnhof makes a strong statement for the future of shared experiences with this commission.
