Editorial Statement
In his series Bunker 10117, Arun Kuplas presents a dead-pan look at the interior of the so-called Reichsbahnbunker Friedrichstrasse. There are an estimated fifty public air raid shelters remaining in Berlin, haunting reminders of the Third Reich. Several are open to visitors to experience the claustrophobic interiors; Kuplas gained special access to this bunker. His research sheds light onto the five-story building’s multiple lives, including its original use as a shelter (1943–45), then as a fruit and vegetable warehouse (1957), its rebirth as a techno dance club (1992–95), and, as the setting of an art exhibit (2002).

At first, it appears as if the same room has been photographed repeatedly, but in fact, the series portrays many rooms in varying states of embellishment. By methodically taking the same vantage point for each image, Kuplas gives the series a hypnotic quality. And, even as each space differs markedly in tone and decor, the repetition emphasizes the ever-present neon lighting from the East German era, and the cold concrete flooring, circa World War II. Kuplas’s stringent “matter of fact” approach included the decision to use only available light; in doing so, he notes that some details remain hidden. Knowing this adds to the tension inherent in the building’s past.

Kuplas cites among his influences Anselm Kiefer whose work delved into Germany’s historical past, as well as cinematography, evident in his stage-like treatment of this subject matter.

As Kuplas completed this series in 2005, which is the first part of a planned Berlin trilogy, the bunker was about to be transformed into a private residence. —SC

Artist’s Bio
Arun Kuplas was born in Chandigarh, India, in 1967. From the age of one, he was raised in Berlin, where he graduated from the Lette-Verein School of Photography in 1994. He has lived and worked in New York City since 1996. He began his photographic career in fashion and portraiture; he is now focusing on his desire to document. More of the Bunker 10117 series can be viewed on his website: www.arunkuplas.com.