Fooled by expectations

Dominik Lang- Haus der Wohnirrtümer- Tschechisches Zentrum Berlin

„Where is the art, I see only rubbish”, proclaimed one of the visitors on the opening of Czech artist Dominik Lang’s (1980) exhibition Haus der Wohnirrtümer  in the Tschechisches Zentrum Berlin (TBZ).  The people around him murmured uncomfortably that he stood in the middle of it, that this was the exhibition.

It reminded me of the sticker “Is it art, or can I throw it away”, which I saw for the first time on a wall  in an experimental art fair in the Netherlands in 2011. It seems to have come from a real statement made by a janitor in an art academy, who got (probably rightly so) frustrated doing his job.

If the before mentioned visitor meant it or was just fooling around doesn’t really matter, because he nailed the exhibition theme.  He exactly pointed out what it is about.

ExpectationsHaus der Wohnirrtümer  is about searching, going around corners and never find what you expect.  What at first sight looks like a huge column (spoiler alert!), turns out to be half open on the other side, making it something in between a sculptural object and an architectural setting.

The walls are not real either, you can crawl behind them. They lead to a dead end on one side and on the other to a little bedroom. Although it is hidden from the inside of the gallery, it is totally visible from the outside.

You are standing now in the window display of the TBZ, which is furnished with original objects from the seventies. They are part of the design for the whole embassy, made by the Czech architect couple Věra und Vladimír Machonin. The building is still mostly in its original style, with a lot of wood and bright colors (this is, apart from the exhibition, the second reason why you should definitely go).

The whole exhibition is about expecting to see something. And what that ‘something’ is, totally up to you. Because you see the backs of the supported walls, you’re first reaction is to walk around them to see what’s there. A display of some sort is anticipated.

It is interesting to realize what your reaction is. Are you surprised, disappointed, confused? In this case the real question is: Are you ready to be confronted by your own expectations? I guess the angry visitor was not.

Very contemporaryWhat is important to realize, is that you are walking not only in an exhibition but in an art installation. It is not an exhibition where different kind of objects are put together in a room. Here, the artist takes on the role of the curator. He decides the total atmosphere of the room, which is a very contemporary thing to do.

In that sense, the remark from the angry visitor, would have been great as a line in a performance. With his words, he could have activated the installation as well as the viewer. The gallery space would become a stage with a decor and in doing so even more “genres”(which of course is a term that doesn’t make sense anymore) would be thrown in the mix.  Again, very contemporary!

More info here
On view until April 9th 2016

Manifesto of life

In Hamburger Bahnhof you can enjoy the complex and multi-layered thirteen channel work Manifesto, made by Berlin based artist Julian Rosefeldt (1965). Actress Cate Blanchett explains the viewer in thirteen characters (12 women, 1 man) a century of art history via its manifests, thus becoming one big über-manifesto by itself.

Julian Rosefeldt, Manifesto, 2014/2015
© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2016

In the last century, most of the new art currents came with its own texts, guide books and/or ground rules, written by the protagonists of the movement in question. This were often young men “bursting with testosterone” as Rosefeldt calls them, which makes their embodiment by a woman all the more interesting.

Blanchett personifies these movements in totally different looking characters. For Dadaism she is a speaker at a funeral, Surrealism is embodied by a puppet maker, who makes her own puppet-version. Manifesto’s for genres are also enacted.  Film for example is presented by  a primary school teacher. For architecture,  the actrice is a single mom, riding her scooter to work in a garbage incineration plant.

Julian Rosefeldt, Manifesto, 2014/2015
© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2016

Sometimes, the thirteen voices suddenly come together, when the characters look directly at the viewer and proclaim their statements in a monotone voice. It is a confronting moment where all the parts come together, form a unity for a short time, and fall apart again in their own personal stories.

The unity probably refers to the starting point of most of these manifests, their raison d’être. It’s usually a desire to break away from the past and present a vision for the future.

The word manifesto was first used in a political sense, with The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and published in 1848. Only in the early 20th century, the term made it to the art realm by the use by Filippo Marinetti in his Manifesto of Futurism (1909).

In total, Manifesto addresses 20 art movements  in text experts out of  53 manifests. In an interview (in German) with the Bayerischer Rundfunk, Rosefeldt calls them text collages which are linked to a certain persona. But why is it the funeral speaker that speeches about Dadaism? What has the housewife to do with Pop Art?

Rosefeldt uses the original text out of its written context, and puts it in a theatrical form. By doing so,  the artist points even more to what is actually being said. When the news anchor proclaims that “All current art is fake”, it gets new meaning. But also because the spoken text and the persona can conflict with one another. For example the conservative housewife, who  sits together with her family at the dinner table and starts praying. She presents exactly the scenery that Pop Art wants to break away from.

In that sense, we get thrown back to the origins of the art manifest, the need to break away. Rosefeldt links this statement to the thirteen characters, playing a role one could identify oneself with.

The texts are linked to real life characters, because, in fact, we all make our personal manifesto’s. It’s like a rite of passage, when we enter into adulthood. Everyone goes through the phase of examining ones past and choosing what will accompany us into the future.

So when the housewife is  praying out of Claes Oldenburg’s Manifesto (of which he insists by the way it is not a manifest but a literary effort), instead of the bible, it refers to our personal belief system. She prays: “I am for the majestic art of dog-turds, rising like cathedrals” and her children at the table laugh. But not for long, because when they grow up it is their turn to break free.

Let's talk money - transmediale 2016

"We have to talk". This sentence usually implies it's time to get serious, to get real. The theme of this year’s transmediale, festival for digital art, culture and performance,  called Conversationpiece, aims to do just that. Focused around four directions: Anxious to See, Anxious to Make, Anxious to Share and Anxious to Secure, talking is presented not as something informal, but as a necessity. Two art installations in this 29th edition of the festival, held in Haus der Kulturen der Welt, felt anxious to talk about money.

Precarious Marathon

First of, the media installation by Dutch researcher/designer Femke Herregraven called Precarious Marathon, shows a virtual panel discussion between a moderator, a trader, an artist and a critic. They are each represented by their own screen, where we see lines moving, incarnating the four types. The artist, for example, could be the big knot, where ideas, thinking lines and associations come together in one big chaos. And the moderator has to be the screen with the three lines, trying to balance the input of the other three participants.

What we see is not a real discussion.The four characters are programmed chat-bots who each play their role according to a set of behavioral patterns. It’s a commentary on the changing art market, which is becoming more digital and virtual, where the majority of sales are made online, via a picture on Instagram (for more on this topic, read the excellent article by Marc Spiegler for the Art Newspaper).

Herregraven is interested in these invisible networks that never sleep, but mostly run through  tangible cables. These information streams are digital replacements for trading routes from the old days, like sea routes. Although more and more data is transferred by radio waves, Herregraven says it is good to realize that most of the data still travels through cables. Thus she proposes it looks more like a “never ending plate of spaghetti”, with lines crawling through one another. Now she uses these lines to incarnate four art types.

Interestingly enough, Herregraven includes a trader and not a gallerist. Like Spiegler states in the above mentioned article, it might be time to rethink the whole gallery system because the market as well as the type of collector is changing. It’s no secret the art world is becoming more and more financial. The number of fairs are still rising, accommodating a new type of busy, busy buyers who have no time to visit a gallery on a Saturday afternoon. Thus it may also be time to stop being so secretive about prices.

Market for immaterial Value

This is exactly what Valentina Karga and Pieterjan Grandy want to talk about. Their installation Market for Immaterial Value gives the viewer  the ability to actually participate in the art market, to be part of the making visible of it’s mysterious money streams.

The visitor is invited to buy an equity of an art piece, specially created for the occasion. It’s a small coin shaped object called Valentina and Pieter invest in themselves, made of gold, with the heads of the artists on one side. It can be obtained after discussing it with the artists, at a minimum of 10 euro's. If you buy a share, you get a certificate of the transaction, accompanied by a picture of the art work. This means that the actual art object consists of two parts, which could be sold independently, each creating their own market. Well, and actually there is a third part, a meta vision of how value is created.

At the end of the transmediale, the object was owned by 21 people, who paid together a sum of 324 euro’s for it. If one of the shareholders would want to exhibit it, the other owners would decide via an online referendum on such a request, discussing the terms. In theory, one new buyer could buy the rest out. In such a case the profit would be divided dependent on the original amount paid.

In fact, the project is a way to research a more sustainable way to run an art practice. But it also works the other way around. It inherently contains a vision, a proposal on how to be a future art collector. Why not co-own an artwork (or several) in the private sphere? There should of course be ground rules. For example to divide “hanging time” amongst its shareholders, rules for exhibiting and selling, sharing insurance costs, transport and (possible) maintenance.

It makes art accessible to a broader audience, rescues it from being put in depots and thus increases its visibility. It opens up new trade routes, from one owner's house to the next.

To yearn for

At the same time, it puts yearning back into play. Like the toy that was put away for a while, or the Christmas ornaments that you had to wait another whole year for. In a society with images ready available, it is a nice thing to long for, pine over or crave an image. That gives it new value.

The Berlin Art Year – 2016

In a fascinating essay  that American author, critic and professor of film Chris Kraus wrote last year about what it is an artist can really get out of going to an art school, she mentioned the following:  “I've noticed a trend among students in certain liberal arts undergrad schools to move to New York or Berlin or L.A. after Grinnell or Reed College or Swarthmore. Not applying to grad school or art school is very neo-old school. And this is exciting.”

It is! Although in a different way then she meant here. Kraus named Berlin in the same row as New York and Los Angeles , as one of the most exiting art cities for aspiring artists to go to. She is right of course ( and not only because I live here). Like in NY and LA, there is so much happening here, art wise. And because we don’t want to miss a thing, here is an overview of the main events in the year to come.

transmediale:  February 3-7, in Haus der Kulturen der Welt
Crawle out from under wherever you are hiding for January, because the fun starts pretty soon! In February it is already time for the 29^th edition of transmediale,  a festival of digital art, culture and performance. This edition, named Conversation piece,  promises to be an active one, instead of a fixed programme with a static theme. With four directions called Anxious to See, Anxious to Make, Anxious to Share and Anxious to Secure, the festival aims to explore the space that is created between thinking and acting, the moment just before the jump from the highest diving board. A moment full of potential.

Gallery Weekend: April 29- May 1, various locations

With all this art in town, you would guess there is a booming art market in Berlin, but this is (although growing)not the case. That’s why in 2005 a group of gallery owners got together and invented Gallery Weekend. On a nice weekend in the spring, when the sun finally starts shining and temperatures are rising, art collectors from all over the world are invited, driven around and wooed with diners and parties to get Berlin on the collectors map.  For us normal folks it is a great opportunity to catch up on your gallery cruising because all the participating galleries open with new exhibitions and events at the same time.

9. Berlin Biennale: June 4- September 18, in Kunst Werke…or not.

Yes! And this year it is double fun, because it is biennale time. The ninth edition, curated by the New York based collective DIS, sounds very promising. When a curatorial statement says that the biennale may or may not feature contemporary art , Kunst Werke, which is its main location, may or may not swap square meters with the Berlin Mall and performance may or may not be the future of advanced interior design, you are probably in for a treat.

Berlin Art Prize: early summer or fall

Although there isn’t a definite date yet, due to funding issues, if all goes well, there will also be a Berlin Art Prize this year. It is is an annual award for contemporary art, and, what is really nice, open to all. No focus on young art (drag!), or only open for artist that have finished art school in the last 3 years (also drag!). The only restriction is that you have to live in Berlin. This does not mean, however that the bar is low. The selection is curated by a serious jury and the final exhibition from the first two years showed a great overview of Berlin art.

48 Stunden Neukölln: June 24-26, various locations in Neukölln
Like the Berlin Art Prize, the 48 Stunden (Hours) Neukölln Festival, that was founded in 1999, aims to put a range of art on display that does not have all the “normal”, formal restrictions attached to it.  It’s mission is to connect all forms of art with all layers of society, with an overall focus that it has something to do with or say about Neukölln. This year’s theme, Satt (being full, satisfied, and in a more negative way, that you had enough) explores this notion in for example the overflow of products in our daily life. What do we actually really need to be satisfied?

Rundgang Kunsthochschule Weißensee: July 16-17 and at the Universität der Kunste: July 22-24
This year the two major art school exhibitions are, thank the lord, not in the same weekend.  Now you have all the time to explore both  final exhibitions  a bit more peacefully. At the UdK, for example, there is so much to see every year, so much to take in. Now, if the weather is nice, you can also have a nice beer in the beautiful inner courtyard, instead of running to the next Rundgang.

Project Space Festival: Whole month of August, various locations
The boring summer months, art wise that is, are over! With the coming of the Project Space Festival in 2014, there is something happening every day in August, in a project space somewhere in town. The festival gives you the opportunity to get to know the non- or less-commercial spaces of Berlin. Each of the selected 30 locations get one day to surprise the public with an event, that can be anything from an exhibition to a performance, screening or, as I still don’t get, something with food.

Berlin Art Week: 13-18 september with abc- art berlin contemporary: 15-18 September, and more...

Right after the relaxing and slow summer months, the Berlin art scene kicks you hard with the Berlin Art Week mid-September. This week explodes with events, multiple openings of all the big institutions, talks and several art fairs. Of the latter it’s abc- art berlin contemporary you might want to check out, not only for the location in Station Berlin, but also because you have an overview of what are presumed to be the top galleries of the city. So, prepare yourself. Do not visit any exhibitions in the weeks beforehand, stay hydrated, eat chocolate and most importantly, enjoy.

Preis der Nationalgalerie 2015 - Winning performance is worth it, if you take the time

Until January 17th, you can admire the works of the four contestants for the Preis der Nationalgalerie 2015, on view in Hamburger Bahnhof. Four different bodies of work from the outside, but intrinsically speaking sort of the same: they are all room filling installations in which a specific environment is created to convey a message, by using a multitude of mediums. This is typical of this time: art no longer fits in one specific category, which makes the different fields of study at an art academy rather funny.

Florian Hecker

On show are two soundworks by Florian Hecker (1975, Augsburg), an activating installation by Christian Falsnaes (1980, Copenhagen), a presentation by the artist collective Slavs and Tartars (founded in 2006) and a performance by Anne Imhof (1978, Gießen), with which she won the price.

Slavs and Tartars

Her winning performance is called For ever rage and, as is the thing with performances, it is not on view. What is there is the remainder of the performance, the stage if  you will. In dimmed light (which made the host rather sleepy, he confessed),  concrete basins stand in the space with boxing balls hanging over them. Bottles with energy drink were standing in corners, accompanied by cigarettes. On the wall there are drawings and etchings.  In one of the basins lays a small screen on which you can see an earlier performance.

Anne Imhof, Preis der Nationalgalerie, installation view, Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin, 2015. Photo by galerie Deborah Schamoni

The performance is repeated on eight days during the four month exhibition period.  To really grasp the “what” that has won the price, you have to visit one of these. The last ones are on Friday the 16th and Saturday the 17th of January. The duration is two hours, but an opera normally takes longer, so do not let this hold you back. And be warned: there are performers, turtles and buttermilk involved.

Anne Imhof - Performance

Anne Imhof

Works by the other contestants are on view, of which the interactive installation Moving Images  by Christian Falsnaes is highly entertaining. Upon entering, an employee approaches you, and explains how it works. You are invited to actively participate within the work, therefore you are becoming part of the performance. The room has screens on both ends. Different kinds of images are projected on them. Sometimes a group of people, sometimes only one. The voice -over gives instructions: to walk, to dance, to choose a screen to look at. At certain intervals, the voice-over stops and you are invited by the employee to approach the middle. There, a group discussion is started between the participants that are present. “How do you feel?”, is being asked.

Christian Falsnaes- Moving Image @ Preis der Nationalgalerie 2015. Hamburger Bahnhof

The visitor is confronted with your wish for being in the spotlights or your lack there of. Will you dance? Will you participate? Do you care what the other visitors think? Do you oblige to the voice over? Do you want to share how you feel?

Through this part of the activating installation, you enter part two: a waiting room with chairs. A curtain splits the room. Behind it you can hear mumbling, talking, sometimes walking. Only one person is allowed in. Inside, a personal encounter is waiting for you with a difficult decision to make at the end. I decided “no” and am still not entirely sure why..

Christian Falsnaes- Moving Image @ Preis der Nationalgalerie 2015. Hamburger Bahnhof

In my last blog entry, I talked about the gaze in relation to the work of Fiona Mackay. In her exhibition Close to at Klemm’s, paintings are staring and peeking at you. Here, the artist, although not physically present, takes this role on him.

He persuades you to do stuff. To take action. You have to make a decision. Are you going along with it or not?

Penis alert!

Just in time, I saw Close to by Fiona Mackay at Klemm’s. At first glance, the work by this young (1984) Scottish artist looks rather naive. Big canvases painted in a watercolor technique. Some paintings have a line pattern. Others have a big round spot of paint in the middle, resembling an iris, or tie-dye. The line paintings, made out of shy but attractive colors are  interchanged with these eyeball canvasses. Staring into one of the latter was rather mesmerizing. But no more than that.

On leaving the gallery, there it was…

A giant penis!

I had totally overlooked it. Suddenly, sexually charged images started to emerge from the line paintings.  And their color was no longer shy, it was nude! A gentle curve became a vagina. A swelling could be a nipple. And right beside them, all those staring eyes.

Sebastian Klemm, obviously a leg-person, saw stockings in the line paintings.  He told me that  for Mackay the connection between the work and the exhibition space was imperative. And although she normally asked writer friends to write the gallery text, she had insisted that the gallery staff wrote it this time. The result is a snap shot conversation. Like the glances one throws at someone across a room.

 

The disc- (or eye) paintings tie all the works together. Like observers,  they gaze at one another, male or female. Probing each others “bodies”. The question here, is who (or what) is the gazer and what is it that is being gazed at? The beholder seems to have walked into an intimate party, peeking at each other. It leaves the viewer with the sensation of being a voyeur.

Watcher, or being watched, the visitor is both. This is disturbing, because most paintings don’t look back. It makes the act of looking part of the exhibition.  The gaze could be the wanted object here, the object of desire. Because who doesn’t want to be seen?

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