Benjamin Haupt / Group XXI, Oct 05 - Mar 06

LOVE AFTER THE COLD WAR IN AN OPEN HOUSE OF A (RE) CONSTRUCTED BABYLON BY A POPULAR MECHANIC

3/10/06 to 3/12/06

MAK Center at the Mackey Apartments, 1137 - 1141 South Cochran Avenue, Los Angeles, CA

In appreciation of the hospitality they felt from art and architecture professionals, the residents presented – beside their final projects – works by Los Angeles colleagues in the Mackey Penthouse, a guest apartment. Exhibition artists included Jonathan Ballak, Mika Cho, Zoe Crosher, Skylar Haskard, Nicholas Kersulis, Mayumi Date, Arthur Ou, Nicola Stäglich, Melissa Tolar, Sergio Torres and Richard Wearn. Rob Faucette performed the Heartsink Sound of Amy Radio, which was broadcast with an FM-sender throughout the apartments.

The Berlin-based Grupposenza, represented in L.A. by Benjamin Haupt, Robert Huebser, and David Emmer, worked on a project called "(Re-) Constructing Babylon." In the first phase of the project, they conducted field research into Los Angeles' strip clubs, brothels, casinos, bars, and cults, investigating their architectural manifestations. In the second phase, they collaborated with Heidi Fleiss to design the first brothel for women, to be located in Crystal, Nevada. In the exhibition, they presented day-to-day documentation of their research, design development, and collaborative process with Ms. Fleiss.