The Land as Palimpsest - Conflict, Memory, Transformation in Berlin
Final Exhibition
A palimpsest is originally a term from manuscript studies, referring to a surface that has been written on, erased, and reused—while traces of the original writing remain. In a broader, metaphorical sense, it describes something layered with history or meaning, where the past is never fully erased and continues to shape or haunt the present.
Berlin’s facts, frictions, and fictions point to its land narratives, echoing the layered dynamics of conflict, memory, and urban transformation in a city shaped by division, occupation, and reunification.
The final project is a multi-layered design that visually represents the concept of a palimpsest. A three-tiered shelf holds the timeline of my research, unified by the visual language of layering, opacity, transparency, rewriting, and hauntology.
The first tier explores monuments and counter-monuments as physical manifestations of memory and erasure. The second tier—a digital, object-oriented installation—represents Ostalgie, offering a lens into cultural identity, transcendental homelessness, rootedness, and post-reunification tensions. The third tier focuses on the layered space of street art, portraying squatting and street art as grassroots resistance, alongside the lived experiences of migrant workers and the gentrification they have faced.
Presentation Slides
Presentation Script
Cambridge MA, Spring 2025