With FOREST – WINTERLIGHTS, the art hall, which opened in March 2025, transforms for the first time into a luminous winter wonderland. Berlin-based light and media artist Christopher Bauder composes a poetic forest landscape across 1,000 square meters, featuring over 600 trees, mostly suspended from the ceiling. With more than 250,000 lights the scenery condenses into a shimmering tapestry of color, brilliance, and reflection. The entire space becomes a stage, with light itself as the storytelling protagonist.
A devoted Christmas romantic, Bauder transports the nostalgic warmth of holiday traditions to the present. He turns Berlin’s gray winter days into festive splendor, intertwining classic winter motifs with radically contemporary light art. The result is a fresh perspective on what we call “the contemplative season” - familiar, yet otherworldly.
A central motif is the upside-down fir tree, inspired by an ancient tradition in Eastern Europe and parts of Germany. For centuries, these trees were hung from ceilings during winter as symbols of life, hope, and protection against the dark forces of the cold season. Bauder reinterprets this emblem in a large-scale installation that unites nature, ritual, and modern art. In 45-minute cycles, a layered narrative of light and sound unfolds, returning throughout the evening and offering a new experience with each visit.
The visual composition is accompanied by a soundtrack from Dutch musician Chris Kuijten. His music creates finely tuned soundscapes that oscillate between contemplative silence and subtly danceable rhythms. In this way, it opens a second perceptual layer in which the mirrored forest not only shines, but also resonates.
A particular highlight is the ice rink, integrated for the first time, spanning 400 square meters. Visitors can glide through the light, with their own skates or rentals available on site. Yet also without skates, FOREST – WINTERLIGHTS can be enjoyed in its full diversity: as a parcours of wander, pause, and marvel.
The festive atmosphere is completed by seasonal treats: mulled wine, non-alcoholic punch, and small winter specialties invite visitors to extend their stay and experience the magic of this extraordinary winter forest with all their senses.
Production: WHITEvoid & DARK MATTER
Photos: Ralph Larmann / WHITEvoid
Video: Gerrit Piechowski
CHRISTOPHER BAUDER
Christopher Bauder is a German light and media artist. He creates large-scale art installations and performances that explore the effects of light and sound on human perception and emotionality. In doing so, he consciously leaves the traditional museum framework and uses industrial and historical spaces as authentic stages for his light experiments. His works combine sculpture, space and interaction to create multi-sensory art experiences.
As one of the pioneers, he has been shaping the art genres of "Experience Art" and "Kinetic Light Art" for more than 20 years. International solo exhibitions and projects such as the installation "Lichtgrenze" (Light Limit) on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which inspired millions of visitors, testify to his innovative approach.
Photo: Olivier Rimbon Foeller
CHRIS KUIJTEN
Chris Kuijten, a Dutch composer and producer, delves passionately into the realms of contemporary and electronic music. His musical odyssey commenced with a lot of experience on an array of instruments including piano, flute, saxophone, and clarinet, establishing a sturdy foundation for his artistic expedition. Yet, it was his intrigue with electronic equipment that ignited the flames of his creativity and propelled him into a journey of sonic discovery. The boundless potential presented by samplers, computers, and other electronic tools became his canvas, driving him to perpetually explore novel avenues in music composition.
