Schale

To the east, an abstract, golden city panorama blends into, and artistically extends, the Berlin cityscape. It references the silhouette of Mexico City, one of Berlin’s partner cities. The title ‘Insurgentes Sur’ refers to the longest main street in the city.
The gold used should not be interpreted as decoration: Latin American gold was one of the primary motivators behind the colonial conquest of Mexico in the 16th century. Together with the copper used on the roof of the Humboldt Forum, gold is part of a contemporary global cycle in which economic dependencies and power relations are manifested.
This historical global context directs attention to the exhibits on display under the Humboldt Forum’s roof, and to the questions over their origins and history.