Theresia Enzensberger cannot sleep. So she writes a book about sleep, following the different stages we pass through during the night. She begins in the tooth-grinding light sleep phase with an essay on the moralisation of sleep, dreams as political metaphors, and the consequences of widespread sleep deprivation. Almost imperceptibly, her text becomes more private and introspective in the deep sleep phase, offering us a more intense and personal view of the world, art, and literature. The dream itself only arrives during the REM phase—here she leaves the realm of reality and ventures into something new.

Part of Enzensberger’s research for her book involved the works of Berlin-based artist Hannah Sophie Dunkelberg. Sleep also plays an integral role in Dunkelberg’s work: for example, in her series Müde Pferde, she lays carved wooden horses—symbolically reminiscent of equestrian statues—down to rest on floral sofas. Instead of gathering in public squares, they recover from former duties. They shake off the ancient expectations placed upon them, free themselves from the pressure to be monumental, and relax in the domestic safety of the underground.

On August 24, 2024, we invite you to "sleepwalk" with us through the Hansaviertel: Inspired by the five human sleep phases, Theresia Enzensberger will read from each of the five chapters of her new book Schlafen (Sleeping, Hanser Berlin) at various locations in the neighbourhood—including the Hansabibliothek, Alvar Aalto House, Kaiser-Friedrich Memorial Church, Oscar Niemeyer House, and the Akademie der Künste. At each stop, a work by Hannah Sophie Dunkelberg will await the group, transforming the walk into a staged reading experience.

Supported by Hans und Charlotte Krull Stiftung