In August 2018, the exhibition EX-EMBASSY took place in the former embassy of Australia to the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The exhibition unpacked an archive of cultural and diplomatic legacies between GDR and Australia. The project was part of Berlin’s Project Space Festival 2018 and was hosted by the Atelierhaus Australische Botschaft Ost.
The former Australian embassy to GDR was built in Berlin’s district of Pankow – a synonym for the GDR government. The building itself was designed by an architect Horst Bauer and became abandoned couple of years before the fall of the wall. The low-lying three-floor building, and a vast garden with a tennis court was leased for 99-years from the GDR. The former Australian embassy is located in the proximity to its “architectural twin’ – the former Iraqi embassy.
The exhibition provided a rich insight on history of Australia – German relations, while visiting the site was like taking a walk down memory lane.
