Mannequins Escape Berlin Department Store

Some mannequins escaped from a Berlin Department Store. They are part of an art instalation called "The Rise of the Mannequins." Let's take a look.

People walking past this Berlin department store can't quite believe their
eyes.

Where you'd expect to see the latest products - is instead an unusual kind
of theatre.

And the actors on this special stage? Shop dummies.

The project is called "The Rise of the Mannequins" and has been
stage-managed by French theatre group Royal de Luxe.

The art installation consists of 11 stories, displayed in 11 of the shop
windows of the KaDeWe department store.

Brigitte Fuerle from the Berliner Festspiele, organizers of cultural events
in Berlin.

[Brigitte Fuerle, Artistic Director]: (German, female, soundbite)
"Royal de Luxe perform theatre for free or street theatre and are
always talking about dreams, or nightmares. This time with mannequins. Of
course it's perfect that we're able to do it this time in a luxury department
store, as dreams begin there and also become nightmares."

For Royal de Luxe's artistic director Jean Luc Courcoult, the installation
is all about life imitating art - or vice versa.

[Jean Luc Courcoult, Director]: (French, Male soundbite)
"These mannequins, which we have colonised, do exist. They all have
a soul. After all, why do we put mannequins which look like us into shop
windows? Because we look like them."

While Courcoult might say the dummies have a soul, they're not yet able to
move themselves.

Instead, Royal de Luxe artists move the mannequins around overnight.

That way, new scenes constantly appear, and the mannequins have slowly
broken out of the shop windows.

Some passers-by weren't sure what to make of the installation:

[Astrid Schlender, Passer-by]: (German, female soundbite)
"We're thrilled. I'm here for the second time, it's great."

[Figen Iskender, Passer-by]: (German soundbite)
"I think the pictures are awful. They're really off-putting. When
you look in a shop window, you really want to enjoy it."

Whatever their reaction, spectators can't deny that this installation is
bringing theatre to the street.

Category:

Entertainment

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