THE AGORA COLLECTIVE

AGORA

Published on Berlin Art Parasites

The city is blooming" says Caique Tizzi, a bearded Brazilian donned in a checkered shirt, obscured by a suede and stylish bomber jacket. Marcela Donato lounges in his lap. These uninhibited displays of friendly affection and the puppy that bounds with excitement from one end of the room to another makes an easy, inviting atmosphere. Caique and Marcela are two of the six figures that have developed Agora into the "project space" that the building finds itself being today. What’s endearing about the pair is that they refuse to adopt a position of superiority, describing the project’s “flat hierarchy” and expressing a frustration at their own “lack of education,” apparently hoping to grow and learn alongside those who come to them seeking something similar. They proclaim that Agora is a “manifestation of what our generation is about;” and perhaps, as a static swarm of people stare into their mac-books in the downstairs cafe, they could be onto something.

Our generation is however much more than that and Agora is fully equipped to cater to its needs. They offer an easily accessible network, acknowledging the presence of a young clientele, unstable and whimsical, seeking a quick fix in terms of building connections for both work and play. They describe the project as an “organic organism” from which “strange bodies are expelled,” sparing them the necessity to ever ask anyone to leave and allowing them to embrace the more proactive inhabitants. We met with one of the latter; Renata Har, who works and lives within the borders of Agora. With feeling, Renata declares “I would never stop coming back, it’s like a home.” 

The softly spoken artist, originally from São Paulo shows us the pearlescent cellophane of her work that drapes gracefully down the window, separating us from the rain outside. She speaks of the trust and freedom that was awarded to her by the Agora community, something which she used to her full advantage in her latest exhibition, occupying the entire top floor, the building’s roof and the sandpit outside. She becomes illustrative of their networking intentions, revelling in an atmosphere where young people roam, liberated from any kind of established code even meeting her gallerist through the project.  

Located in the depths of "up and coming" Neukölln and no stranger to having the term "hipster" used as a casual weapon against them, Agora narrowly escapes falling into the trap of clichéd expat existence by being determinedly forward thinking. They broaden their audience by weaving visual and culinary art as well as adding a Tech and Start up focus to their repertoire. Their programme is relentlessly entertaining ranging from life drawing classes to vintage markets; holding exhibitions as well as weekly cocktail nights.