›Shaking Hands With Ghosts‹ is a participatory audio walk on the grounds of the former Werft AG Weser in Gröpelingen. 8,000 people used to work in what was one of Europe’s largest dockyards. Almost nothing indicates the site’s past anymore. The dockyard was shut down 40 years ago, yet until today this event remains an undigested trauma of the city. The dramatic circumstances of the closure became a myth, fueled by a great longing for solidarity and meaningful, identity-forging work.
In Katrin Bretschneider’s audio walk, participants are guided through the empty premises wearing headphones. Sound collages and projections evoke the dockyard’s past. Ghosts of the past and future shake hands—fleetingly, shadowy, fueled by the power of collective memories and longings. ›Shaking Hands With Ghosts‹ not only raises questions about what once was, but also about what remains and what the future may hold. The highlight of the evening is the ceremonial act of launching a ship imagined collectively by the audience.