Calla Henkel & Max Pitegoff at Les Bains-Douches, Alençon

Key Takeaways

• Paradise exhibition runs Feb 14–Apr 26 at Les Bains‑Douches, Alençon.
• Series filmed in Berlin's TV Bar, shot on 16 mm film.
• Artists planned to hand bar to employees before lease termination.
• Building owner favors insurance agency, ending the bar's cultural use.
• Soundtrack by former bartender M.K. Frøslev accompanies the projected film.

Pulse Analysis

The *Paradise* exhibition marks a rare convergence of venue‑based performance and cinematic narrative, building on the legacy of Berlin’s TV Bar—a hybrid bar, studio, and stage that operated from 2020 to 2022. By filming on 16 mm, Henkel and Pitegoff invoke a tactile aesthetic that resonates with contemporary audiences seeking authentic, analog experiences amid a digital‑first landscape. The series’ speculative setting—an imagined 2023 bar‑newsroom—offers a commentary on labor precarity, positioning the bartenders as both performers and reluctant messengers of an out‑of‑touch hierarchy.

Beyond its artistic merits, *Paradise* serves as a case study in how real‑estate dynamics can dictate the lifespan of cultural ecosystems. The artists’ plan to hand the bar over to its employees was upended when the building’s owner, eyeing higher‑yield tenants, signaled a conversion to an insurance agency. This abrupt shift underscores a broader trend where rising property values and commercial redevelopment threaten the continuity of experimental spaces, prompting creators to embed such uncertainties directly into their work.

For cultural entrepreneurs and investors, the exhibition highlights both risk and opportunity. While venue‑driven projects can generate unique community engagement and cross‑disciplinary revenue streams, they remain vulnerable to lease volatility. The inclusion of a soundtrack by former bartender‑musician M.K. Frøslev and multilingual subtitles expands the work’s marketability, positioning it for festival circuits and institutional partnerships. As cities grapple with balancing economic development and cultural vitality, *Paradise* exemplifies how artists can turn structural constraints into compelling narrative assets, offering a blueprint for resilient, adaptable programming.