About • Various & Gould

Bio

Various & Gould

The art duo Various & Gould has been an integral part of Berlin’s urban art scene for almost twenty years. The two artists are known for their posters, murals and public interventions. They deal with social issues and urbanity, and always see art as a societal contribution: “We participate and add something to the city”.

Various & Gould’s series of works are influenced by (political) poster art, Dada and activism. Their collages are often about challenging stereotypes and celebrating human diversity.

With large-scale and site-specific murals, the duo refers to the context and finds a painterly translation for paper and silkscreen aesthetics. Their first mural “Face Time” in Berlin (2015) paved the way for this. Other examples include their murals at the Museum Utopie und Alltag (Beeskow 2019) and at the Genezareth Church (Berlin 2023).

From 2006 to 2010, Various & Gould initiated and led the “Papergirl” project, which found offshoots around the world. In collective happenings, art was distributed to random passersby from a bicycle.

In 2014, the duo began working intensively on public interventions on monuments. In 2021, together with Colonial Neighbours (SAVVY Contemporary), Various & Gould molded the Bismarck Monument in Berlin with paper and symbolically removed the cast from the pedestal. This was the launch of the participatory project series “Monumental Shadows”, which focuses on colonial traces in the European culture of remembrance.

Various (she/her, *1982, Palo Alto, USA) and Gould (he/him, *1978, Düsseldorf) graduated from the Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee (KHB) in 2010 with Prof. Alex Jordan (Kollektiv Grapus). Their first solo exhibition took them to New York in 2008. Numerous international exhibitions followed. Their work can be found in collections such as Urban Nation – Museum for Urban Contemporary Art (Berlin), BLMK – Kunstmuseum Dieselkraftwerk (Cottbus) and Museum für Gestaltung (Zurich).

Exhibitions

@ Brandenburgisches Landesmuseum für moderne Kunst (BLMK Dieselkraftwerk), Cottbus 2020

2024

The Versus Project V | Layer Cake | URBAN NATION Satellite Gallery | Berlin
The following exhibition from the previous year is also still running:
TALKING … & OTHER BANANA SKINS (until August 2024)

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

Hexensabbat | Solo | 30works Galerie | Cologne

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

Time Machine | Solo | Brooklynite Gallery | New York

Workshops, Seminars and Lectures

(Urban) Art Workshops, Seminars and Lectures

In addition to their artistic work, Various & Gould have been running workshops and seminars, giving talks and taking part in discussion panels for over ten years now.

The art workshops are aimed at children and young people, school classes, students and adults. The events always take place in collaboration with external partners and institutions. The respective concept is developed individually. Topics can include street art, collage, identity or team building. The workshops are carried out in a way that is critical of racism and sensitive to diversity.

The aim is to encourage and empower people (including those without an artistic background) to develop their creativity. Participants are taught the basics and, above all, how to have fun with various techniques such as stencils, screen printing and collages. At the same time, certain themes are explored together in an artistic way. In addition to the individual results, the focus of the workshop is always on the collective work and the exchange with each other. The results have an impact beyond the workshop and can be presented afterwards.

Quotes:
“If you take a look at the workshops they’ve held, you’ll realise how fundamental the communicative aspect of art is for Various & Gould. They told me about some of their experiences and particularly stressed how inspiring and enriching it’s been for them to introduce children, adolescents and young adults to art – and to their own creativity as well.”

Anna Martini, ARTCONNECT BERLIN, 2015

“[…] One of the most exciting moments for everyone was the time when we posted the posters. As for every artist, the exhibition is very important; we did ours in an open space, on the walls of Prizren. What could be more satisfying than to have our ‘gallery’ admired by locals and tourists every day?”

Doris Manu, Participant, DE/CONSTRUCTING Identities, 2011

List of workshops, seminars and lectures (selection)

2024

Bismarck-Dispute (exhibition tour) – Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin

2023

Netzwerkveranstaltung: Urbane Praxis in den Bezirken (talk) – Berliner Projektfonds Urbane Praxis (BPUP), Berlin

Endurance (talk) – CreativeMornings Berlin, Berlin

Monumental Shadows (talk) – DAICOR / Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin

Monumental Shadows (talk) – HfMT Hamburg, Kultur- und Medienmanagement (excursion), Berlin

Wir alle hier gehören zum Wir (workshop) – Stiftung Berliner Leben / Staakkato Kinder- und Jugend e.V. / STEIG Jugendzentrum, Berlin

Passport (school workshop) – initiated by Georg Zolchow, Berlin

2022

Tertele – An artistic memorial project (workshop) – initiated by Seçil Yersel & Nadin Reschke, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Museum (FHXB), Berlin

stadt_formen Konferenz (panel) – Berliner Projektfonds Urbane Praxis (BPUP), Berlin

Cut ’n’ Paste (course) – BAI (Berlin Art Institute), Berlin

KunstRaumWelt (workshop) – Brandenburgisches Landesmuseum Moderne Kunst (BLMK), Cottbus

Face Time Collagen (workshop) – Goethe-Institut Brüssel / LaVallée, Brussels

VR Heroes (hybrid workshop) – Goethe-Institut Moskau, Goethe-Institut Warschau, Instituto Cervantes, Berlin

2021

Monumental Shadows (seminar) – BAI (Berlin Art Institute), Berlin

Identikit Posters (workshop) – Schule ohne Rassismus, Schule mit Courage, Berlin

Panel with Ellen Blumenstein (curator) and Corinna Tell (Deutsches Nationalkomitee für Denkmalschutz) on the (artistic) treatment of colonial monuments – Conference: Zugang Gestalten! – Schwieriges Erbe, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, Frankfurt am Main

Shell we talk? (artist talk about Monumental Shadows) – Laura Seidel / Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin

Permanently Improvised (online talk) – BAI (Berlin Art Institute), Berlin

2020

Passport (workshop) – Schule ohne Rassismus, Schule mit Courage, Berlin

30 Years of German Unity (workshop) – Brandenburgisches Landesmuseum für moderne Kunst (BLMK), Cottbus

Children’s rights. What does that have to do with me? (workshop) – Walls Can Dance / Urban Art Institute / Globales Lernen Harburg / Christina Castillón, Hamburg

We the Artist – collaborative art practice (seminar) – BAI (Berlin Art Institute), Berlin

2019

Gender Equality and Stereotypes (workshops) – Goethe-Institut London / Jugendzentren in Manchester und Luton

Break, Broke, Broken (seminar) – BAI (Berlin Art Institute), Berlin

Familien – Bande (collage wall at the spring camp) – DT (Deutsches Theater), Berlin

2018

Revolte (collage wall at the children’s festival) – Museum in der Kulturbrauerei / Haus der Geschichte, Berlin

Workshop and panel – Prof. Cinara Barbosa / Goethe-Zentrum, Brasília

monYOUment (seminar) – BAI (Berlin Art Institut), Berlin

Treffpunkt: Denkmal / City Skins, Lumumba (workshop) – Annika Hirsekorn / neurotitan / Lessing Gymnasium, Berlin

Guest lecture – BTK Illustration / UE University of Applied Sciences Europe, Campus Berlin

Studio visit with silkscreen talk – Prof. Doreen Schulz / Prof. Clara Leskovar / Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin (KHB)

2017

Let’s Go Public! (seminar) – BAI (Berlin Art Institut), Berlin

Mural workshop – Gemeinschaftsunterkunft Maxie-Wander-Straße / Jugendclub U5 / Integrationsmanagement BENN Boulevard Kastanienallee, Berlin

Mural workshop – Eltern-Kinder-Tagesstätte „eene meene mopel“, Berlin

Urban Art ist Kunst am Bau?! (panel) – Wir gestalten Dresden e. V. / Lackstreichekleber Urban Art Festival, Dresden

Discursive Dinner – Prof. Markus Bader / ZKR (Zentrum für Kunst und öffentlichen Raum Schloss Biesdorf), Berlin

City Skins – Layer by Layer (talk + workshop) – BAI (Berlin Art Institut), Berlin

2016

Ausnahme – Zustand (collage wall at Autumn Camp) – DT (Deutsches Theater), Berlin

Mural workshop – Millerntor Gallery / Viva con Agua / Hanseatic Help, Hamburg

Kiez-Kultur-Sommer (workshop), LOA Berlin – Notunterkunft Ruschestraße, Berlin

Mittenmang Kunst (workshop) – Groth Gruppe, Berlin

2015

Conference CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) – Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin

Workshop – Neusicht Kunst & Kulturfestival / Viva con Agua, Luzern

Leadership seminar – ESMT (European School of Management and Technology), Berlin

Junior Lab (workshop) – Kiezkönner (Backjumps) – Kunstraum Kreuzberg / Bethanien, Berlin

Passport workshop – DFJW (Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk), Berlin

2014

Discursive Dinner – Prof. Markus Bader / Tristan Lannuzel / Fachbereich Architektur, Stadt- und Landschaftsplanung der Universität Kassel

Silkscreen workshop – All in a Day’s Work (Druck Berlin) – Mother Drucker, Berlin

City Skins workshop project (in cooperation with Archiv der Jugendkulturen / Graffitiarchiv), Berlin

Netzwerke (workshops) – Werk-Stadt-Schloss, Wolfsburg

Wünsch Dir Was! (workshop) – Graffiti im Museum – Museum Berggruen / Sammlung Scharf-Gerstenberg, Berlin

Workshop – Pottfiction / anschlaege.de, Dortmund

2013

Street Meets Art (workshop) – LOA Berlin (Lichtenberg Open ART), Berlin

Kunstherbst für Kids – Dada Workshop – Martin-Gropius-Bau / FU-Berlin, Berlin

2012

Backjumps, Junior Issue (workshop) – Kunstraum Kreuzberg / Bethanien, Berlin

Open Air Kunst Lichtenberg (workshop) – LOA Berlin / Atelier Christian Awe, Berlin

Monsterworkshop – ROCK THE BLOCK (Backjumps), Berlin

Gender and Graffiti (discussion) – Prof. Ilaria Hoppe / Humboldt-Universität, Berlin

2011

Workshop: DE/CONSTRUCTING Identities – forumZFD, Prizren (Kosovo)

Press

“Double Vision – Street art duo Various & Gould […]”
The Berliner, May 2024, by Anna Gyulai Gaál (article)

“Various & Gould go to church to spread colorful ‘Strahlen’ with project ‘Startbahn’”
brooklynstreetart.com (BSA), November 30th, 2023, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

“Wandbild in Gefahr”
taz fotoblog streetart, September 23rd, 2023, by Caro Eickhoff (article)

“Various & Gould go face-to-face with community in Berlin-Spandau”
brooklynstreetart.com (BSA), September 12th, 2023, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

“Politische Statements: Paste-ups, Stencils, Interventionen”
WDR, October 24th, 2022, documentation by Katja Lüber (video)

“Fantastic Playground Berlin Opening Recap”
iheartberlin.de, June 09th, 2022, by Frank R. Schröder (article)

“Sechs Künstlerinnen, die ihr im Blick behalten solltet”
Business Punk, June 03rd, 2022 (instagram tip)

“12 Kunst-Filme, die sich im Dezember lohnen”
monopol-magazin.de, December 01st, 2021 (streaming tip)

“Various & Gould: ‘Farbstrahlen’ are heavy”
brooklynstreetart.com (BSA), October 18th, 2021, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

“Various & Gould tackle racism and colonialism in Berlin with ‘Monumental Shadows’”
brooklynstreetart.com (BSA), October 16th, 2021, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

“Bildersturz, denkmalschutzgerecht”
Süddeutsche Zeitung, August 19th, 2021, by Peter Richter (article)

“Des Bismarcks neue Kleider”
monopol-magazin.de, August 18th, 2021 by Saskia Trebing (article)

“BLMK startet mit Morgner-Kathedrale und Gruppen-Plakaten”
Förderverein: Landesmuseum für Moderne Kunst im Dieselkraftwerk, February 26th, 2020 (article)

“Various & Gould and a Collaged Human Future: Permanently Improvised”
brooklynstreetart.com (BSA), November 30th, 2019, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (book review)

“After fall of the Berlin Wall, a thriving arts scene has emerged”
N Lifestyle, November 11th, 2019, Jamie Lafferty (article/interview)

“Street Art trifft DDR-Kunst”
Märkische Oderzeitung (MOZ), May 22nd, 2019, by Larissa Benz (article)

“Interview with Various & Gould on VantagepointRadio”
VantagepointRadio, April 01st, 2019, by James Bullough & Tom Auto64 (interview/podcast)

“‘Broken Screens’ Various & Gould bringen gesprungene Smartphone Displays in groß auf die Straße”
Urbanshit, March 14th, 2019, by Rudolf D. Klöckner (article)

“Various & Gould: Broken screens, shattered social scenes”
brooklynstreetart.com (BSA), March 12th, 2019, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

“Marx al final del túnel: cuando el arte callejero es generador de debate político”
El Observador, September 26th, 2018, by Nahima Maciel (article)

“Mehr Berlin: Various & Gould”
Der Tagesspiegel, March 17th, 2018 (photos)

“Die Preisträgerinnen und Preisträger der Kunstwettbewerbe 2018”
Willi Münzberg Forum, August 31st, 2018, by Daniela Schmidtke (article)

“Dupla de grafiteiros alemães faz intervenção na Asa Sul”
Correio Braziliense, September 14th, 2018, by Nahima Maciel (article)

“Various & Gould malen zweites großes Wandbild ‘Dedicated to’” in Berlin”
Urbanshit, October 11th, 2017, by Rudolf D. Klöckner (article)

“Marx And Engels Statues Re-Skinned & Re-Located: Various & Gould”
The Huffington Post, June 08th, 2017, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

“‘Stars and Bricks’ Go Up On A Berlin Wall from Various & Gould”
The Huffington Post, 09. Feb 2017, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

“‘Stars and Bricks’ by Various and Gould in Berlin”
Juxtapoz, January 31st, 2017 (article)

“Berliinin katujen taide ihastuttaa, mutta harva tuntee sen tekijöitä”
Helsingin Sanomat, July 28th, 2016, by Kaisa Viljanen (article)

“Various & Gould”
Widewalls, July 01st, 2015, by Milja Ficpatrik (article)

“‘Wanted Witches’-Projekt: Zur Hexenjagd durch Kreuzberg”
Tagesspiegel, 19. November 2013, by Christoph Spangenberg (article)

“Von Straßenkunst und modernen Heiligen”
kleinerdrei, August 12th, 2013, by Anne Wizorek (interview)

“Pulling Strings in Berlin; ‘Heinrich’ The Public Marionette”
The Huffington Post, 18. Juli 2012, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

“A moment with Various & Gould”
Vimeo, 2012, by Studio Nura (video)

“Various And Gould Perform ‘Guest Work’ On The Street In Istanbul”
The Huffington Post, April 18th, 2012, by Steven P. Harrington & Jaime Rojo (article)

Publications

BAUKUNST #2 | Exhibition magazine | Galerie Borchardt | 2023

#Direkte Auktion | Catalog | Zentrale Intelligenz Agentur | Friebe, Sommer, Jeschke van Vliet | 2020

Kollektive Signaturen. Komplizenschaft und kooperative Produktion im Plakat | Catalog | BLMK | 2020

Various & Gould – Permanently Improvised | Monograph | Seltmann Publishers | 2019

bitch MATERial – Mutter.schafft.neu.denken. | Catalog | Saralisa Volm, Britta Helbig | 2018

2te Elfte Interventionale | Exhibition magazine | Jan Kage | 2016

Street Art in Berlin – Version 7.0 | Kai Jakob | Jaron Verlag | 2016

Berlin what? 102 contemporary artists. | Uwe Neu, Oliver Thoben | Neue Sachlichkeit | 2012

Es geht UM die WELT | Catalog | Kunstmuseum Dieselkraftwerk | 2012

Street Art Cookbook – A Guide to Techniques and Materials | Benke Carlsson, Hop Louie | Dokument Verlag | Schweden 2010

Urban Interventions – Personal Projects in Public Spaces | Robert Klanten, Matthias Hübner | Gestalten Verlag | Berlin 2010

Untitled II – The beautiful Renaissance | Gary Shove | Pro-Actif Communications | Darlington 2009

Help! – Soziale Appelle | Catalog | Museum für Gestaltung | Zurich 2009

Street Art – Legenden zur Straße | Katrin Klitzke, Christian Schmidt | Archiv der Jugendkulturen Verlag | 2009

100 Beste Plakate 07 | Verlag Hermann Schmidt | Mainz 2008

Urban Art Photography | Jürgen Große | Gestalten | 2008

Untitled – Street Art in the Counter Culture | Gary Shove | Pro-Actif Communications | Darlington 2008

Urban Illustration Berlin. Street Art Cityguide | Benjamin Wolbergs | Gingko Press | 2007

Sticker City – Paper Graffiti Art | Claudia Walde | Thames & Hudson, London 2007

Street Art – Die Stadt als Spielplatz | Daniela Krause, Christian Heinicke | Archiv der Jugendkulturen Verlag | 2006

The Art of Rebellion 2 | Christian Hundertmark (C100) | publikat | 2006