Clothes exchange in the Kunsthalle Bielefeld: The project "Building bridges – creative and sustainable" was about swapping, repairing and upcycling – and also about talking to each other.
It is shortly after 5 pm in the Kunsthalle Bielefeld. Jackets, dresses, blouses, trousers and sweaters are distributed on tables. People go from table to table, take a closer look, take a piece of clothing in their hands, hold it by themselves. Others come in with bags full of clothes. It is sorted, browsed, tried on and asked in between: ‘Is that up to me?’
"What's going on here today?" asks a surprise visitor to the Kunsthalle.
On August 19, the answer is: After Work Kleidertauschparty. In the framework of the project "Building bridges – creative and sustainable" visitors can bring well-preserved clothes that they no longer wear themselves – and perhaps go home with a new favourite piece.
With every quarter of an hour, more people join. The tables are reviewed again and again, clothes change hands and some disappear quite quickly in a bag brought with them.
Regina is one of the visitors. She likes flea markets and became aware of the event through a newspaper article. Nevertheless, this evening is something different for her:
“Flea markets are also interesting, but this is about exchanges without money playing a role. This makes everything even easier. And you meet people from different groups.”
This is what happens between the tables almost incidentally. People come into conversation, show each other finds or give an opinion. Sometimes a dress that two people discover at the same time is enough for the first set.
What is broken does not have to go away
Ein paar Schritte weiter in der Malstube bekommt der Begriff „Kleidertausch“ noch eine andere Bedeutung. Hier geht es nicht ums Finden, sondern ums Weitermachen mit dem, was schon da ist.
Together with the Repair-Café by Transition Town Bielefeld garments can be repaired or changed on site. After all, an open seam, a hole or a sweater that is no longer worn in this way does not automatically mean the end of a garment.
A visitor brings a broken sweater and ends up with something completely different:
“I actually had a scarf sewn from a broken sweater and I hope my husband will be happy about it.”
Also at the upcycling station, further consideration is given: Found pieces can be changed and individually designed. Something used does not necessarily create something new – but something new for the person who takes it with them.
Daniela learned about the clothes exchange party via a WhatsApp group in Bielefeld. She comes early and therefore still has time to unpack her brought things in peace. A little later, the atmosphere changes.
“There is always something to be found, and if not? Then you might go home without a new piece of clothing, but with an idea of what can still be made of an old one. Or with the idea of not immediately thinking about the used clothing container the next time you sort it out”, says Daniela.
Because that evening things don't move on anonymously. Sometimes you can even see who discovers your jacket or blouse, tries it on – and finally takes it with you. ‘I am no longer wearing this’ becomes ‘I am taking this with me’ in someone else’s case.
Around 8 p.m., the Kunsthalle slowly empties again. The last pieces are considered, bags packed. And somewhere in between, a broken sweater leaves the Kunsthalle as a scarf.
