The idea behind FOOTNOTES¹ was to create a space where our community, readers, artists and musicians could come together beyond the pages of our print magazine. At a time when cultural spaces are disappearing and attending events is becoming increasingly expensive, we wanted to give something back: a hybrid art and music experience that was open, accessible and welcoming to everyone.

And although Berlin’s weather briefly had other plans, our community filled Hobrechtstraße with energy and excitement for the nights. Over the course of four days, works by Ida-Marie Simonsen, Felix Wöller, and Delphine Wigger transformed the wine bar into a walk-through exhibition. Paintings hung between the stage and the passage leading to the outdoor area, while around two dozen black crosses lined a wall-mounted shelf. Smaller objects, drawings, and found objects appeared throughout the space – easy to overlook at first, yet constantly drawing visitors back for a second look.

Felix Wöller and Delphine Wigger immortalized themselves with two small, pillow-like sculptures displayed on the shelf. Roughly the size of a 0,5 bottle, they featured printed versions of the artists’ bodies, each with a heart made of pins positioned on their chest. A black-and-white egg straight out of the Humpty Dumpty universe appeared throughout the room, blending with doll motifs, toy-like aesthetics, animals and portraits to create a visual language that felt both childlike and strikingly pure. It was like stepping into a children’s birthday party, a fairy-tale book and a box of old memories all at once.Many of the works explored themes of intimacy, identity, and vulnerability. 

The exhibition added another layer to the festival, creating moments where visitors would pause between concerts, take a closer look, and strike up conversations. Julius Rückert- vakuum’s fashion editor- not only curated the exhibition but was also responsible for artist booking and the festival’s musical direction, giving FOOTNOTES¹ its distinctive sense of variety:

Thursday kicked things off with a live performance by airwavesaremycigarettes and a DJ set from Notuamiga ft. Baby Wizzi. Hyperpop, post-punk, and new-wave influences provided an energetic opening and set exactly the right tone for the weekend ahead. On Friday, rain rolled across Neukölln. Rather than dampening the mood, it simply made everything feel a little cozier. While raindrops fell onto the pavement outside, a live performance by innerinnerlife and a DJ set from Miszo provided a noticeably calmer soundtrack. Guests lingered outside with drinks in hand or moved through the space between artworks and stage. Saturday became the undeniable highlight of the weekend. With several live acts, including aska presenting their new EP, alongside a DJ set by Amelie Kahl, the program showcased its full range. At times people danced; at others, they listened with complete focus. One performance that stood out in particular was Christopher Loy’s cello set. With carefully styled spikes, total physical commitment and his instrument in hand, he created a performance that blurred the line between concert and performance art. At times he played lying on the floor, moments later he moved through the room, followed by the audience’s gaze wherever he went.

After three days filled with concerts, DJ sets, conversations, art, and drinks, Sunday brought a quieter ending. The stage disappeared from the main room, tables and chairs returned, and Van Hofen slowly began to look like Van Hofen again. Over coffee and cake, visitors, artists and friends gathered one final time to reflect on the weekend and, together, bring it to a close.

For us, FOOTNOTES¹ was an attempt to take the vakuum universe beyond the magazine and translate it into a real, physical space for a few days. A place where art wasn’t only viewed, music wasn’t only heard and community wasn’t only experienced online.