BERLIN.- The "Everything You Can Imagine Is Real" exhibition by Swedish artist Bea Szenfeld reveloves around her collection "Haute Papier - The White Collection." Her elaborate paper costumes are on show at Bikini Berlin from 8th-29th October

Scissors, string and vast amounts of paper – with these materials the Swedish artist Bea Szenfeld has created extraordinary paper couture. A selection of examples from her “Haute Papier – The White Collection” are being shown under the exhibition title “Everything You Can Imagine Is Real” on the first floor of Bikini Berlin. Her creations are the result of a traditional craft, the notion of which Bea Szenfeld is bringing back. And her wish to make society more open and equal is also expressed in the exhibition.

In collaboration with The Royal Swedish Opera and photographers Karolina Henke and Carl Thorborg, as well as the illustrator Stina Wirsén, surreal scenes showing the artist’s designs have been created: a ballerina swinging on a chandelier, a dancer in the arms of a paper monkey and singers dressed in her extravagant paper costumes. Along with illustrations, these and other photographs form the core of the exhibition on show in the concept shopping mall. Ceiling-height, large-format photos and captivating light installations create a magical setting for the selected creations.

The highlight of the exhibition opening was the visit by the Swedish Queen. As part of a state visit, Queen Silvia of Sweden was in attendance to officially open the exhibition together with the artist Bea Szenfeld and curator Pompe Hedengren.

Swedish artist and fashion designer Bea Szenfeld is renowned for her critical observations of fashion from a consumerism perspective. In her artworks she replaces the textiles commonly used in haute couture with contrasting materials such as paper. Szenfeld draws her inspiration from the Italian art movement Arte Povera from the 1960s, during which artists and followers used everyday materials like earth, glass and wood for their artworks.

Opened in 2014, Bikini Berlin Concept Shopping Mall includes a compilation of carefully curated and coordinated boutiques, concept and flagship stores, as well as a selection of gastronomic offerings, and regular, stand-out cultural programming.

Bikini Berlin boasts an impressive roster of local and international retailers, including Anna Kraft; Premiata; Gant; Gestalten; Kusmi Tea; Mykita; Super; and Teufel Raumfeld, among others.

The name Bikini Berlin comes from the name Bikinihaus, which is how local Berliners affectionately christened the building in the 1950s. An open-sided second storey framed by columns, once separated the building into one upper and one lower area. For locals, the two-tier architecture, which today is fully-glazed, reminded Berliners of the daring new swimwear fashion of the time, the bikini.