Zu Verschenken
Zu Verschenken is a collaboration between visual artists Hue Hale and George Murray, who decided to bring together their creative processes out of the need for an escape from the monotony they had become accustomed to during the pandemic. “Zu Verschenken” is a common German phrase meaning: “To give away / To be given away.” On the streets of Berlin, you are likely to see boxes of miscellaneous items that no longer hold value to the former owner. These boxes can appear anywhere paired with a note stating “Zu Verschenken”. The items in these boxes are now open for any passerby to take. When Hale and Murray immigrated to Berlin they were shocked to find perfectly good valuables just left on the street for them to take. Thus the idea of Zu Verschenken as a project was born and became the driving force behind this collaboration.
For the purpose of sustainability, all of the clothing used for this project was sourced from the street. After gathering from the street Murray used fabrics from the same box to create a singular finished look to stay true to where the pieces were found, and thus the act of finding influenced how each piece turned out. The makeup that accompanied each look was inspired by urban fantasy and queer club culture to give an element of escapism from the pandemic. Sticking with a zero-waste theme, the accessories that could not be made were second-hand or borrowed from friends. Queer club sensibilities and the want to escape reality were also present in the creative direction of this collaboration. Hale wanted to emulate the vibrant lighting and unique energy found in clubs throughout Berlin. Each look was carefully considered and a set was built around the idea of where the look could be worn out. The backdrops, sets and props were likewise found in the streets and combined in the makeshift home studio where Hale had been confined during the pandemic.
The objective of this collaboration was to create something meaningful out of the insignificant collected items. Testing the self to be able to make a thing of value from items that are considered worthless is the heart of what “Zu Verschenken” means to Hale and Murray. This collaboration is a product of both of their efforts using the items that were being given away. Now Hale and Murray are giving away this collaboration and inviting the viewer while passing by to take part in Zu Verschenken.
This project was debuted and published by Artplay Magazine
Credits:
Hue Hale – Creative Direction + Photography + Editing
George Murray – Designs + MUA + Model
With Special thanks to the following people for donating items to the collaboration:
Marc Wilson – Shoes
Quentin Barthassat – Sword
Jack Batchelor – Accessories