Robert Eysoldt, a Berlin-based creative director and project developer, initiated Farbwerte – SchwarzRotGold (colour values – redblackgold) in March 2009. This initiative is concerned with questions surrounding German identity and its respective forms of public display.

A country’s flag has the ability to invoke a disparate set of sentiments: from pride to nostalgia, nationalism to racism among others. Whether being hoisted up a pole, adorning the clothes and faces of sports enthusiasts or being set alight by racial extremists, a nation’s flag is a powerful, yet polarizing symbol.

For this project, a host of designers and artists were given the task of incorporating the German flag into artworks, thereby using this public object as a medium to illustrate a personal story or point of view. The resulting designs, photographs, illustrations, paintings and more provide a timely means of reflection in a year when Germany marks 60 years of the Bundesrepublik and 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

In addition Robert Eysoldt and photographer Frank Roesner have contributed over 40 large format portraits of people from various areas of the society.

Robert Eysoldt: „The project „Farbwerte – SchwarzRotGold“ reflects skepticism and enthusiasm and the resulting variety of standpoints and opinions. The diversity of the objects, images and the respective texts cause a creative impulse necessary for reflection and discourse.“

After the successful launch of the project during two exhibitions in October 2009 and February 2010 in Berlin, Farbwerte – SchwarzRotGold will kick-off its activities in Shangai with an opening reception. Beginning with the opening of the exhibition, artists and designers from China will be taking part in the further creative development of the project.

Lutz Engelke, Triad Berlin: “The exhibition was a very special political statement. Being a dialog with the flag as the national symbol at first sight, visitors could explore the depth of German identity. 20 years after the wall came down. Farbwerte has closed the gap between the pathos of political speeches and the images of a celebrating nation during the world soccer championship in 2008.
An exhibition about and for modern Germans reflecting on the message of Schwarz Rot Gold in day to day life. Farbwerte means to learn more about Germany.”

Josef Krieg, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: “Would a Creative Director have initiated a project involving the German flag 20 years ago? Unheard of! But in 2009 Robert Eysoldt invites various people from Germany and abroad to reflect their personal relationship towards this national symbol. And the unprecedented happens: they simply do it. This experiment has been successful, because it is unusual, sometimes disturbing but always surprising – visitors react bewildered, they reflect, smile and they begin a discourse. More one can’t possible want.”