Located in Berlin’s western district of Charlottenburg, the modern and airy apartment of aaajiao is not as grandiose as its exterior suggests. From the street, the building—a former maternity hospital dating from the early 20th century—is all wrought-iron railings, ornate red brickwork, and arched windows and gateways. The home of the new-media artist, who trained in computer science, doubles as his work space and is in fact on the top floor of a newly built extension to the original architecture. There’s no need to check I have the right number; the googly eyes on his front door—surplus from the installation work Fur (2019–20), which visualizes how people perceive data with a fluffy, unthreatening combination of plush fabric and cartoon peepers—are a clear giveaway.
Aaajiao bought the sun-filled spot in 2017, six months after moving to
