Museum der Dinge, Werkbundarchiv

1. Allgemeine Informationen
1.1 Überblick


Titel: „Museum der Produktkultur“


Ort: Museum der Dinge, Oranienstraße 25, 10999 Berlin

Zeitraum: Dauerausstellung

Thema: Die Ordnung und Systematisierung von Sammlungen

Ziel/Schwerpunkt: Systematische Anordnung von Materialien

Objekte: Industriell gefertigte Massen-und Warenproduktion

Zielgruppe: Natürlich offen für jedermann, jedoch besonders spannend für Kuratoren, vor allem in Hinsicht auf Erzeugung von Bedeutung durch Ordnung im Raum

1.2 Impressum

Kuratoren: Renate Flagmeier und Imke Volkers

2. Analyse
2.1 Klassifikation


Kategorie: Offenes Depot

Ausstellungsraum: Innenraum

Zeitraum: Dauerausstellung

Budget: M

2.2 Gestalterische Mittel

Objektpräsentation: Vorzüglich, Vitrinen

Inszenierung: Der extreme Überfluss an maschinell gefertigten Produkten war eindeutig. Eine bewusst gewählte Reizüberflutung, die zunächst bei Betreten des Raumes entsteht. Durch die Anordnungen nach materiellen Unterschieden verflacht das „Zu-viel“ schnell wieder und nähert sich der Ordnung. Die nach längerem Wandeln durch die Gänge aus Vitrinen sichtbar wird.

Thematische Struktur: Nach Materialien sortiert. Plastik steht neben Plastik. Holz neben Holz.
Aber auch Ordnung nach Funktionen in Lebensbereichen.
Beispiel: Messutensilien bei Messutensilien

Besuchermanagement: enge Gässchen, ein kleiner Raum.

Vermittlungskonzept: Es gilt es den Museumsraum, die Auswirkungen der spezifischen musealen Struktur auf den Objektstatus und die Konstruktion von Wahrnehmung sowie die Möglichkeiten von ästhetischer Bildung in Museen und Ausstellungen zu erforschen. Das Museum versteht sich dabei selbst als Experimentierfeld und Labor.

Druckproduktion: Massenware

3. Bewertung
3.1 Qualitäten

Dauerhaftigkeit: Ist in einem Prozess eingebettet. Meint, die Systematisierung der Dinge im Raum ändert sich Anmut, Ästhetik, Schönheit: Wer denn die Ordnung versteht, der wird sich darauf verstehen, die kleinen anmutigen Dinge, zwischen den Massenprodukten zu finden.
Die Ästhetik liegt allerdings eher in dem systematischen Aufbau

Originalität, Attraktivität: Originell wird die Ausstellung durch philosophische Grundfragen, die eng an die Materie und die Anordnung von Materie im Raum gebunden ist.

3.2 Fragenkatalog

Was ist der Anlass der Ausstellung?
Die Ausstellung setzt sich kritisch mit dem Thema auseinander, inwiefern sich die Produktkultur und den in seinen extremen Formen (Warenfetischismus) noch in der Zukunft rechtfertigen lassen können.
„Das Werkbund-Programm war es, der eigenen, durch die industrielle Massenproduktion geprägten Zeit ein Gesicht zu geben, das auf einer aus der Technik abgeleiteten Funktionalität basierte. Dinge sollten schlicht und nützlich sein, sie sollten als stumme Diener das Leben der Menschen erleichtern, statt es als verführende, eigenmächtige Warenfetische zu dominieren.“

Welche Rolle spielen die Objekte?
Die Objekte sind der Anlass der Existenz des Museums. Sie sind zentral.

Wie werden Bedeutungen kommuniziert?
Durch genaues beobachten der Anordnung

Welche atmosphärische Stimmung entsteht?
Es kann durchaus zu Überforderungen kommen, die dann durch eine Schaffung eines Überblickes und die Einsicht in die Ordnung der Dinge abgebaut wird. Zuletzt wird die Atmosphäre sehr fein, denn sortiert wird bis ins kleinste Detail. Allerdings bleibt die Anonymität vorhanden.

Wie verläuft die Dramaturgie des Ausstellungsganges?
Einheitlich gewählte Vitrinen. Enge Gässchen.

Wie werden Themen und Inhalte umgesetzt?
Oberflächlich kommt das Thema gar nicht zur Geltung, es können dann reine Produkte betrachtet werden. Die unter Anderem vielleicht als ästhetisch Bezeichnet werden. Allerdings dann auch nur unter dem Aspekt des Warenfetischismus. Es wird vom Betrachter schon ein genauer Blick gefordert.
Zusammenfassend wird der Inhalt versteckter umgesetzt.

Was sind die Kernaussagen? Welche Erkenntnisse können gewonnen werden?

Die Kernaussage bleibt bei der Struktur und Anordnung der Dinge im Raum und die dadurch erzeugte Wirkung auf den Besucher. Die Aufmerksamkeit geht also von den Dingen selbst weg und wird auf die zugrundeliegende Ordnung gelenkt. Genau dort entstehen die Erkenntnisse zunächst von der Existenz verschiedener Ordnungssysteme und Anordnungen von Materialsammlungen im Allgemeinen. Erkenntnis über eine sinnvolle Anordnung kann gewonnen werden. Die Frage ist auch immer an das Ziel einer Ausstellung gebunden. Dem Museum der Dinge würde ich eine kantische Klassifikation unterstellen. Die zunächst rein materiell ordnet. Holz zu Holz, Eisen zu Eisen, usw. Heißt die Ordnung an sich thematisiert sich im Ausdruck der Ordnung. Ändern wir das Ziel, ändert sich das Ordnungssystem.
Eine Erkenntnis wäre dahingehend auch, inwiefern Telos und Ordnung aneinander geknüpft sind und wie sich die Ordnung durch Verschiebung des Ziels ändert.

Lohnt sich ein zweiter Besuch?
Durch den prozesshaften Charakter der Ausstellung ist ein zweiter Besuch empfehlenswert.

Text Kim Salm
Bildnachweis Prof. Ulrich Schwarz, Sonderausstellung “Masse und Klasse. Gebrauchsgrafik in der DDR”, Museum der Dinge

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

Exkursion
Julian Rosefeldt. Manifesto, Hamburger Bahnhof

First time you enter the gallery space in Hamburger Bahnhof to see the solo exhibition of Julian Rosefeldt you have to go up the stairs. On the right side you come across the portraits of the well-known actress Cate Blanchett in different roles and different costumes. Somehow it reminds you that the work will be mostly about her face and about this collaboration to attach the spectator’s view from other point of view, it also seems to be an intro for the show. On the other hand Cate Blanchett often cooperates with underground artists and not so „great names“. Before you enter the whole installation on the left side of the staircase top, there are the papers reflecting to the exhibition, I mean the Manifestos from various artists from various times. This archive of documents could be mention as a map through the whole artwork of Julian where he depicts on thirteen screens these manifests acted by Cate Blanchett in multiple daily life situations in Berlin districts. When you enter the room the entire space is covered with black carpet all over the walls and floor, there are also sound reflective spikes on the sides. I think it was a professional step to do it like this to get as much as possible from the concentration and attention of the viewers. The room is also separated into two different spaces because of the sound mixing. The sound is also well separated thanks to the speakers which are directional and aren’t so much disturbing other signals together. Technically the videos are projected via high quality projectors that are hanging in the air altogether with the directional speakers. Invisible and simple as much as possible.On the other hand installation is not so risking making the projections in a different way. We could say that it is only a collection of the short films projected in the room similar to the cinema space and we would be right. However the thing that is making this artwork an installation is the time of the video loops when the manifests and speeches are singing together. In this time everything connects the work in one piece and it is also atmospherical change in the mood of the room. In front of each projection there is a bench for the spectators to enjoy the view in a comfortable way, thanks to the carpet it is also possible to sit on the ground.

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

From my point of view the videos are sorted in a well prepared order. The beginning is the intro with the manifest of communism prepared as a slow motion lightning of a fuse. On the left side there is a poor man walking in some abandoned satellite base in Berlin, on the right side there is a manifest of futurism sequenced in a picture of a broker in financial market. Other videos in the second part of the installation are worker in a garbage incineration plant that depicts the architecture manifest. Funeral speaker which is the conclusion of dadaism manifest, pupeteer which is connected to surrealism manifest. Teacher that talks about the film theory. There is also a punker, some party introducer, some scientist, ballet choreographer „From another world“ theatre show. In the end there is a conservative family mother who reproduces the manifest of pop art, this combination is really interesting and a reporter and news speaker that both talk about conceptual and minimal art. This video is maybe depicting a funny way of using one actress for different roles in one frame.

The artwork is full of humor because it tries to implement these intellectual ideas into daily life situations. However the actress tries to make these situations as much theatrical as possible, also it is obvious that the film language is still visible thanks to the extras. It depends what Julian Rosefeldt wanted to show in the film, anyway it seems that it was done to be more promotional than bringing something new in a different way. However from my point of view it is a successful event.

Text Ondřej Vicena

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

Die schwarzen Jahre. Geschichte einer Sammlung 1933–1945, Hamburger Bahnhof

The exhibition showcases a selection of artworks from the period when Germany was ruled by the Nazis. The artworks are carefully chosen and curated by Dieter Scholz and the help of Maria Obenaus from the National Gallery (Nationalgalerie ) collection.
The exhibition design is conceptually based on the painting by Karl Hofer “Die Schwarzen Zimmer (1943) – The Black Room” and has a visual and thematically coherent approach. The painting is immediately visible in the middle after the preface part of the exhibition.
The black wall is a visual extension of the black walls on the painting, connecting its space to the three-dimensional space of the exhibition. This black wall piece stands in the middle dividing the interior into seven different topics ( like The dispute over modern art, Emigration, Prosecution, etc…)The walls of the exhibition are going from gray to black, giving each topic a different shade of gray.
The artworks are paintings, sculptures and other collected objects (books, photos and newspaper cutouts) are arranged thematically instead of visually. With this approach the exhibition curators putting emphasize on the core problems of the era for example how artists struggle in dictatorial regimes.
The additional elements of the exhibition like the newspapers, documents are placed in cabinets these elements are contextualizing the artworks of the exhibition. Text panels next to the artworks are providing historical facts and background informations on the artists and the art-pieces.
Overall the exhibition design and its theme was coherent and consistent contextualizing the artworks of the nazi era. The curators decision to arrange the exhibition thematically instead of chronologically was helpful to get a fuller overview and understanding for the visitor.

Text Fiona Belousz
Bildnachweis Prof. Ulrich Schwarz

All that Jazz – Plakatkunst von Niklaus Troxler – Blackbox #1, Bröhan Museum

Titel: All that Jazz – Plakatkunst von Niklaus Troxler – Blackbox #1

Web: http://www.broehan-museum.de/aktuelles/all-that-jazz-plakatkunst-von-niklaus-troxler/


Ort: Bröhan-Museum, Schloßstraße 1a, 14059 Berlin (am Schloß Charlottenburg)

Zeitraum: 23.01. – 17.07.2016


Thema: Jazzgeschichte und die Entwicklung der Plakatgeschichte


Ziel: Überblick über das gestalterische Schaffen Troxlers

Zielgruppe: Jazz und Grafik-Affines Publikum jeden Alters


Direktoren / Kuratoren: Dr. Tobias Hoffmann, Dr. Anna Grosskopf

Inhalt
Das Bröhan-Museum zeigt die Jazzplakate des Schweizer Grafikdesigners Niklaus Troxler. Er gründete 1966 ein Jazz Festival in seiner Heimatstat Willisau in der Schweiz und gestaltet noch bis heute für dieses alle Plakate. Die Schau gibt einen Überblick über das Schaffen Troxlers. All That Jazz“ ist der erste Teil der Ausstellungsreihe „Black box“ und befindet sich im dritten Stock des Museums.

2.1 Klassifikation
International ausgerichtetes Spezial- und Epochenmuseum für die Kunstrichtungen Jugendstil, Art Deco und Funktionalismus (1889-1939).

Kategorie: thematische Kunstausstellung


Ausstellungsraum: innen 


Zeitraum: temporär

2.2 Präsentation
Auf weißen- und anthrazitfarbenden Hintergründen werden die Troxlers Plakate auf eine schlichte Art und Weise präsentiert. Sie sind an den Wänden befestigt und in loser Reihenfolge zu betrachten. Die Ausstellung beginnt beim Eintritt in den Flurs im dritten Stock mit ein einleitender Text und gibt einen ersten Eindruck über das Gesamtbild. In zwei weiteren kleinen leeren Räumen befinden sich weitere Plakate.
Es gibt keine eigene Inszenierung der Ausstellungsräume und keine baulichen Veränderungen.

2.3 Gestalterische Mittel
– zusätzliche Farbe: anthrazit
– keine weiteren unterstützenden grafischen Mittel ( wie z.B. Jahreszahlen)

2.4 Vermittlungskonzept
Dem Besucher werden vielfältige Plakate gezeigt. Neutralweißes Halogenlicht an den Decken sorgen für eine angenehme Umgebung. Doch die Räumlichkeiten wirken eher nüchtern, büroähnlich und ermüdend. Das Betrachten der Plakate steht im Fokus.

3. Bewertung
3.1 Gesamtbeschaffenheit
Die Ausstellung ist simpel und schlicht gehalten. Die Räume sind klein. Die Beleuchtung ist ausreichend.

Résumé
Die Ausstellung setzt ihren Fokus auf die zeitlose Reihenfolge. Die Plakate stehen im Vordergrund. Doch die wirkliche Entwicklung und Stile der Plakatgeschichte werden nicht wirklich deutlich. Auch die kleinen mit Teppich ausgelegten Räumlichkeiten und die einfache Anbringung, die Plakate an die Wand zu hängen, lässt die Ausstellung etwas ermüdend wirken. Auf den ersten Blick ist es nicht ersichtlich aus welchem Jahr die Plakate sind. Einen genauen Blick auf den Credit verrät das Jahr. Die wirkliche Entwicklung der Plakatkunst ist nicht wirklich spürbar. Vielleicht wäre es trotz der kleinen Räumlichkeiten, möglich gewesen, die Plakate auf eine kreativere Art und Weise zu präsentieren.

Text Sandra Stiehler
Bildnachweis Sandra Stiehler

Deutschland gegen Frankreich: Der Kampf um den Stil, Bröhan Museum 

On 16th June 2016, we visited the Bröhan Museum to view the exhibition ‘Germany against France: The struggle over style, 1900 – 1930’

Prologue 
Our guided tour begins in a room which has two contrasting wardrobes in its center, representing the contrast between German Jugendstil and French Art Nouveau. While the French style represents the product designers as artists, who create expensive ornamental, decorative and one-of-a-kind pieces, the German style emphasises on a practical and more affordable, machine built IKEA-style constructions developed by engineers. The latter approach has proven its durability over time and is still used today, while the French delicate furnitures can mostly be found exhibited and untouched.

Note about exhibition design: Objects are showcased on black backdrop and homogenous lighting, which is ideal for presentational purposes but not in a person’s home. Another interesting point, which has also sparked disagreement among the museum staff are the printed writings stuck to the walls with a single piece of blue tape – a strong contrastcontrast to te finised style of the furnitures.

Ecole de Nancy 
The School of Nancy was central to artistic development in the Art Nouveau age of France. It was formed by Lorraine artists, craftsmen and architects, who created luxury handmade wooden furnitures and glasswork imitating nature. They were also influenced by japanese design, also referred
to as Japonismus, and were known for signing their furniture like a painter would.

Darmstadt 
A royal named Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hessen, who was fond of modern art, founded an artist colony in Mathildenhoehe. He invited 7 artists, including Behrens, Buerck, Bosselt and Huber, to design a city based on the principles of “Gesamtkunstwerk”, which was a popular design-ideology in Germany. The artists would design everything from houses to furniture and small everyday objects to achieve ultimate consistency of everything designed. His goal of building this cult, as to reet is wealth and increase economy, however the emphasis on beauty of the designed objects defied their function and failed to serve people in their every- day lives. The houses also turned out to be too expensive for anyone to buy and the city has been abandoned by the seven artists, leaving it for future visitors to see.

Berlin: Functionalism 
Modernism in Berlin started with classical functionalism, lead
by Alfred Grenader and Bruno Moehring, who are both known for their architecture such as Hermannplatz and Bülowstrasse U-bahn stations. Based on military structure, their style emphases the new steel manufacturing and deliberately opposed french design by revealing the under- lying construction to the public eye. As part o te final design te included ornamental elements (influence of the french Art Nouveau), but more sparingly and usually with a function behind it.

Paris 
The French hated showing steel construction and preferred the imitation of nature, which they interpreted as beauty. Hector Guimard created decorative paradisiacal gar- den-like entrances for the Paris Metro, which opened in 1900. At this time Art Nouveau set aesthetic standards and France became one of Europe’s most advanced country.

Berlin: Industrial Design
In 1907, Peter Behrens was named the art consultant of AEG (Allgemeine Elektricitäts- Gesellschaft), and although he was not an ‘absolute designer’, he transferred his focus to the function of objects and created forms for things which didn’t exist before, such as kettle, fan, architecture, worker’s clothes. By unification of his designs he developed a signature style, by this giving birth to corporate identity. Heinrich Vogeler has attempted to serve the needs of poor workers by setting up a furniture factory with his brother. He created simple machine-built furnitures with hand- crafted ornamentals. Unfortunately he was not successful as his products were still
too expensive for the low-earning people.

Art Deco 
German and French styles became mixed, however after the
war, there was a new division in style. The French became very rich and developed Art Deco, which demanded expensive and delicate materials such as silver, ivory or even fish leather and beautiful furnitures were created for viewings only. We have seen furnitures from Ludwig Troost, Sue et Mare, Bruno Paul and Jacques Emile Ruhlman. Later it was questioned, whether it is crime to use art for the purposes of creating something functional such as furniture.

Deutscher Werkbund
The Germans became poor, but still needed furniture for the newly built apartments after the war, so Ernst May developed a minimalistic modular system
for furnitures, called Moebel Schuster. Another notable design is the Frankfurter kitchen designed by Schuette-Lihotzky and strongly influenced by Bauhaus. She designed in a peculiar way, playing out kitchen scenarios and drawing the lines she walked on the floor. She created the very first built-in kitchen, which featured labeled metal drawers (not so successful) and wooden drawers from softwood (for salt) and cedric (or our) is is one of the most sought after element by furniture design collectors and hunters.

Comment: In many ways German and French styles have deliberately opposed or criticised the other style, but have also taken inspiration and have realised the flaws in their own designs. According to the French “ There is always a group of elite creatives who invent designs for the rest of the people.” however the German mentality states that “If it works for the elite, then it can be mass-produced.”

Text Sophia Tai
Bildnachweis Prof. Ulrich Schwarz

Tchoban Foundation, Michaela Schöpke

Exkursion

Meisterzeichnungen der Architektur aus der Albertina, Tchoban Foundation – Museum für Architekturzeichnung

1. General Information 
Overview 

title Architectural Master Drawings from the Albertina.

location Tchoban Foundation, Museum for Architectural Drawing Christinenstraße 18A, 10119 Berlin.

time period 12.3. – 10.7.2016

subject Architectonic hand drawings from both the Architecture and the Graphic Collections of the Albertina museum in Vienna.

objective/ focus  Give an insight into a collection of hand drawn architecture of renowned artists and present both the historical development of the Albertina’s Architecture Collection.

objects Sketchs, drafts, drawings,vedute.

target audience Architects, designers, artists , or basically anyone interested.

Imprint

curators Director of the Albertina’s Architectural Collection, Dr. Christian Benedik.

2. Analysis
2.1 Classification 

carriers Tchoban Foundation . Private Museum for Architectural Drawing

categories Historical, art exhibition

exhibition space Interior

time period  Temporary exhibition

budget L

2.2 Presentation

museal Available original objects of a collection.

current Reference to contemporary thinking.

didactic Originals with the aim to explain a story/context.

contemplative Offerings and spaces for tranquil inspection and calmness.

Tchoban Foundation, Michaela Schöpke

2.3 Artistic medium (Gestalterische Mittel) 

object Presentation in different picture frames, mostly i gray-black tones, prior-decided from Albertina Museum with a special security system attached to their back.

staging Equally transmitted light, Color of the walls painted in order to fit the concept and to showcase the paintings, color of exhibit labels same as the wall.

thematic structure Chronological, selection of masterwork categorized according the artists, offering diverse examples in the field in terms of technique, geometry, art, history and theory.

visitor management Round tour, guided tour if requested.

accessibility Fully accessible, elevator connecting all the levels of the building.

communication concept Texts, language: english-german. Typography follows the corporate identity of Tchoban Foundation, legends and exhibit.

color concept Light grey, wooden parquet floors.

material concept Concrete, wood.

lighting concept Linear led lighting offers a harmonious lighting and doesn‘t affect the structure of the paper , indirect lighting, dimmed for conservation reasons and to reduce glare. Linear led lighting is one of the buildings concepts.

2.4 Technical details

painter For the walls.

exhibition construction Repaint the walls. System for the exhibit fixation.

exhibit fixation Exhibits hanged by hooks on the back of their frame attach to „L“ hooks on the museum wall. At the bottom center of the painting, a metal boiler plate screws into both the frame and the wall. The frames include an individual security system for each painting.

print production Printed exhibit labels, explanatory wall text when entering the room in same font.

conservations aspects No direct lighting, security and preservation system through the frame.

3. Evaluation
3.1 Qualities-evaluation criteria 

durability This exhibition is a temporary exhibition. However the exhibition is optimally designed for its purposes.

appearance,aesthetics,beauty Good overview of the artworks, clean and simple exhibition design with focus on the paintings, drawings, sketches. Color of the walls/labels in harmony with the wooden floors. It fits the minimalistic concept of the whole building.

adequacy of resources The nature of the Tchoban Foundation Museum’s gallery spaces only allow for a select choice of architectural masterworks to be exhibited.

logic of allocation Organisation according the artists and chronologically gives a good overview of the different architectural concepts/idea/techniques developed from the 15th century till the present days.

Tchoban Foundation, Michaela Schöpke

3.2 Questionnaire 

What is the occasion of the exhibition?
The historical development of the Albertina’s Architecture Collection in Vienna. The Albertina is one of the most prominent collections of the world with over one million works covering six centuries of art history, from the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the present day.

What are the most important exhibits? 
Paul Eduard Sprenger (1798–1854) Interior perspective of a design for the Military Exercise and Industrial Exhibition Hall in Vienna,1853. Pencil, watercolor. Albertina, Vienna.

Otto Wagner (1841–1918). Front elevation of the main façade of Berlin Dome, 1891. Pen- cil, black ink. Albertina, Vienna.

Zaha Hadid Österreich, Wien, Projekt für Donaukanalbebauung Spittelau, Perspektive, 1994, Gouache auf schwarzem Papier, Albertina, Vienna.

Hans Hollein (1934 – 2014) A Dagger into the Heart of the City, 2003/2005. Marker, pencil,

Are those being presented adequately? 
There is not particular differentiation in the way these exhibits are presented. During the guided tour these 4 among several others were highlighted.
Especially the Interior perspective of a design for the Military Exercise and Industrial Exhibition Hall in Vienna from Paul Eduard Sprenger has been chosen as the main picture for the advertisement mediums (flyers, posters) of the exhibition, putting an extra focus on it.

How is the interaction between individual parts and the entirety? 
They harmonize perfectly due the colors and the materials used.

What role do the objects play? 
Each exhibit is unique. They offer diverse examples in the field of architecture in terms of technique, geometry, art history and theory.

How are meanings being communicated? 
With the exhibit labels and the introductory wall text in the beginning of each room.

Which atmospherical mood emerges? 
Decent, calm, serious.

How does the dramaturgy take place during the exhibition? 
The exhibition has a clear structure and let the visitor experience a story through the history of architectural drawings from known and unknown artists. The visitor through the lighting and the closed spaces stay completely focused.

How are the topics and contents being transported?
The order of the exhibits shows the evolution of use of color and graphic techniques.

What are the key elements/which knowledge can be gained?
An understanding and a historical evaluation of the methods used at that time. The exhibition is really important in terms of theory of architecture or art history. The exhibition is a useful source to visually compare the relationship between architectural hand drawings and architectural theory from the 15th century up to the present time.

Is it worth a second visit? 
Definitely

Text Marianna Karakosta

© Courtesy the artist, Marian Goodman Gallery (New York, Paris, London); Goodman Gallery (Johannesburg, Cape Town) and Lia Rumma Gallery (Naples, Milan)

Exkursion

William Kentridge – No it is!, Martin- Gropius-Bau Berlin

Curator: Prof. Dr. Wulf Herzogenrath.

Carrier: Martin-Gropius-Bau.

Category: Originally a museum for applied arts, it is also a historical monument since 1966, and is a famous exhibition hall in Berlin.The exhibition is a contemporary multidisciplinary art exhibition that is located indoors. It is a temporary exhibition from May 12th to August 21st 2016.

Media: Mixed media including paint, ink, cut out silhouettes, film, music, etc. Includes graphic design, installations, film, sculpture, drawings etc.

“William Kentridge – No it is!”. An artistic, political and contemporary piece of South African culture at the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin, Germany. There were multiple rooms that took you through a series of works created by William Kentridge (2016) who is not only an artist but a filmmaker, a director and storyteller. These exhibitions included: “Reversals of Fortune”, “Contingent Facts”, “IF &”, “SO”, “Particular Collisions” and “NO IT IS! (beyond the museum)”. The focus of this exhibition is to depict his personal aesthetic creations regarding multiple subject matters that are in relation to film, art, politics and culture.
Kentridge’s work often sparks discussions and to find 6 different works by Kentridge all in one exhibition is highly stimulating. The different rooms that hosted Kentridge’s work all had a specific aesthetical style that correlated them even with the various themes that were explored. Kentridge’s use of mixed media is clearly balanced out amongst his various work and it truly emphasizes his artistic practice to not be defined by a particular style. There is a repeated element of black cut out silhouettes and the use of film with simple techniques that adds a playful spark to some of his austere themes.
The exhibition begins with “Seven Fragments”, a series of stop motion film with multiple mixed media regarding the process of how Kentridge works in his studio. He experiments with basic technical possibilities inspired by Georges Méliès. In “Journey to the Moon” and “Day for Night” Kentridge uses the objects in his studio as the narrative of the story he is portraying. Visitors would proceed to the Studio where a glimpse of how Kentridge’s mind works is displayed. A rich collection of sketches, collages, pictures, creations inspired by Goya, Dürer and Hopper are found in this room. His animated films of charcoal and chalk drawing are truly unique and quite mesmerizing as each scene is repeatedly changed and smudged and superimposed through basic film techniques. The combination of different mediums used are quite significant to produce in this context.

The monumental spatial installation with a combination of live actors, and crisp black silhouette cut outs with a band playing in the background truly is a compelling scene to witness. The upbeat, happy tone of the music almost overrides the significance of this installation which highlights the central concept of this exhibition which is uncertainty. There is constant transition and transformation as the projected installation is projected onto surfaces that are textured and placed in slightly different angles next to each other.

© Willam Kentridge; courtesy the artist and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, Paris & London

The second room which displays Kentridge’s studio once more deals with a lot of tools and kinetic sculptures he has experimented with. Again his works are linked with the constant use of similar media used to create these pieces. “No it is! (beyond the museum)” is the final portion of Kentridge’s exhibition and this is where the 5 channel video installation, “The Refusal of Time” is exhibited with a kinetic sculpture, “The Elephant” placed in the middle of the room. This room immerses visitors into the installation as visitors are surrounded on all sides with Kentridge’s intelligent display of time according to various historical sources. He references Charles Dickens’ metaphor of the beat of industrial machines, and made a connection between African polyrhythms and Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.

This exhibition is definitely worth a visit or two with the subject matter of various political, cultural and contemporary ideas that are hidden in this multidisciplinary exhibition that evokes various questions, emotions and aesthetic considerations at the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin, Germany.

Text Samantha Goh