Jan Markowsky & barbara caveng in front of Berlin’s smallest laundromat in Jansastraße, Berlin Neukölln©Paolo Gallo
STREETWARE challenges fast-fashion by transforming discarded textiles into prêt-à-porter and creates ‘Social Sculpture’
STREETWARE saved item is a participatory art project and deals with the second skin – clothing. Thereby we navigate between the poles of aesthetic and existential basic needs, ethical demands and the reality of production methods within the fashion industries. In anticipation of Homo Circularis, we question ourselves about sustainability, reuse and, using the example of the Berlin district of Neukölln, we work on global socio-ecological, economic and aesthetic issues.
Our material are textiles disposed of in public space.
Part and parcel of STREETWARE’s ethical concept of creating sustainable norms is the de-colonialisation of everyday life through visible diversity
As ragpickers, we walk through Berlin with laundry racks collecting textiles:
We see material found on the streets as an invitation to think about issues of identity, of how we consume; deliberating modes of production, how we define society and while gaining inspiration from the multitude of forms that up- and re-cycling can take. We investigate how material from the street can be reused and re-evaluated to try to meet community needs.
We intervene with large-scale performances and installations in public spaces. We build up exhibitions.
Our work is rooted in the smallest launderette of Berlin, the ‚Waschsalon‘. In this space, we are free to create, produce and experiment and we are working to grow our network on a local, regional, national, and international level.
STREETWARE functions both as a manufacturer and a source for ideas, a venue and place of exploration, a workshop and facilitator of communication. This activity brings people to an avant-garde laundrette which is inclusive while also being extravagant!
‘STREETWARE saved item’ was initiated in 2020 by visual artist barbara caveng and has since been developed together with costume designer Alice Fassina. ‘STREETWARE saved item’ is supported by the Hans Sauer Foundation and the Fonds Soziokultur Bonn, which also nominated the project for the Innovation Award 2021. Miele & Cie. KG and Almawin are cooperation partners in washing. We cooperate with artists, scientists, universities, initiatives and associations – locally, nationally and internationally.
STREETWARE collects a wide range of resources to create a truly democratic space.
For more information or to arrange a washing appointment please visit the project website