The Accumulation of Transparency
Group Exhibition: OFFFENCE
Curated by Katharine Wendler and Sophia Scherer
Spoiler.Zone
Berlin 2022
The Accumulation of Transparency draws on Henri Lefebvre’s critique of transparency, which he argued often serves as a facade, masking underlying power structures. According to Lefebvre, the concept of transparency in modern architecture, particularly in glass buildings, is deceptive—it conveys openness and neutrality while concealing the control and alienation inherent in such spaces. This theory emphasizes how these seemingly transparent environments reinforce social hierarchies and limit genuine public interaction.
The installation engages with this paradox, exploring how glass functions both as a physical barrier and as a symbol of openness, freedom, and neutrality. Central to the work are handcrafted glass panels adorned with anthropomorphic handblown glass objects, alongside a video documenting the distorted reflections of passers-by on the façade of the “cube berlin.” This distortion of their bodies in the reflective surface hints at the alienating effect of contemporary urban glass architecture, where transparency obscures the deeper social divisions it fosters.
By aligning spectators’ movements with those captured in the video, the installation prompts reflection on these fleeting social contexts and the often unnoticed ways we are shaped by the urban environments we inhabit. Ultimately, The Accumulation of Transparency calls for a critical re-examination of how public spaces are constructed, subtly advocating for the reclamation of these spaces from the alienation often associated with contemporary glass architecture in urban landscapes.
