What connects us in the diversity of District 4 – our names.

What unites us and at the same time the cultural diversity in District 4 can be shown by looking at the names of the residents. Because: we all have names – but the names we give differ depending on our origin and culture.

From 22 March to 12 April, an interactive video installation with name stories will be on display in the square in front of the 25h Hotel. Larissa Mettler has created the playful and at the same time meaningful work with the intention of facilitating unexpected encounters, arousing curiosity and fostering empathy.

From 22 March to 12 April, an interactive video installation with name stories will be on display in the square in front of the 25h Hotel. Larissa Mettler has created the playful and at the same time meaningful work with the intention of facilitating unexpected encounters, arousing curiosity and fostering empathy.

At the heart of this project are short videos in which people talk about their names. When ringing a touch-screen doorbell, the following stories, among others, can be heard: a divorced woman is plagued by an uneasiness because she still bears her ex-husband’s surname; Ernst attributes it to his name that he hardly laughs; a former “Sans-papiers” has befriended his name because of the recognition of his residence status; the musician Nemo was christened “nobody” in Latin because if he is nobody, he can become anything. And Mari-Lyn tells how each letter of her name comes from a family member and invites visitors to come and talk to her at Café NENI, where she works.

The stories are intended to generate interest in the multi-layered composition of the residents of the neighbourhood. In addition to inviting us to reflect on our own personal names and family naming traditions, the project also encourages us to reflect on what else we have in common in our different approaches. This project is intended to open a door for this.