Publisher's Synopsis
Come Here, I Want to Ruin You! is the profound book title for a spectacular picture and text campaign from Berlin artist Runhild Wirth. Featured as the topic is the so-called demolition of the Palace of the Republic, which in all reality was a demolition en face. The campaign, which bears the name Latitudinal 52.5175/Longitudinal 013.4028, encompasses 120 pictures of the demolition process that record its progress while also reporting and commenting on the occurrences. With the authors Peter Wawerzinek (preface) and Matthias BAADER Holst (poems), this subtle commentary on an era will be published by PalmArtPress in 2015 right in time for the 25th anniversary of the building s closing.On the history of the Palace of the Republic: Erich Honecker, who was the chairman of the State Council of the GDR at the time, opened the Palace of the Republic on April 23, 1976. The building housed a plenary hall for the People s Chamber, a multi-purpose hall with foyers and seating for almost 5000, 13 restaurants, cafes with capacity for 1460, a bowling alley, and other features. In September of 1990, the Palace was closed due to asbestos after 13 years in operation. After several years of cost-intensive asbestos removal work, it was demolished between 2006 and the end of 2008 for reasons related to urban planning."
