ISCP international studio & curatorial program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ON THE TECTONICS OF HISTORY
May 29 – June 28, 2009
Curators: Andrea Domesle and Martin Krenn
Exhibition Design: TOLEDOiDERTSCHEI
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 28, 2009, 6 – 9pm
Opening Hours: Saturday – Sunday, 2 – 6pm
Talk with the Curators + Video presentation by Maciej Toporowicz:
Saturday, May 30, 2009, 4pm
A wall installation with reprints of art works from: David Adam, Pat
Binder, Klaus vom Bruch, Lutz Dammbeck, Jochen Gerz, Hans Haacke, Rafal
Jakubowicz, Klub Zwei, Grzegorz Klaman, Zdena Kolečková, Anna Konik,
Anna Kowalska, Martin Krenn, Monument für die Niederlage, Susanne
Kriemann, Robert Kuśmirowski, Pia Lanzinger, Boris Lurie, Gustav
Metzger, Lisl Ponger, Rafani, Anja Salomonowitz, Naomi Tereza Salmon,
Joachim Seinfeld, Esther Shalev-Gerz, Tim Sharp, Michaela Thelenová,
Maciej Toporowicz, Arye Wachsmuth, Peter Weibel, Artur Żmijewski.
How and where can the influence of history be made tangible? Which
intentions or political aims underlie the images that establish our
interpretation of the past?
On the Tectonics of History exposes the historical traces of the Nazi
era in the 1930s and 1940s. The show investigates the way in which
imagery continues to shape our understanding of this regime, and
subsequently reflects on how present day society deals with this
time-period.
On the Tectonics of History presents contemporary works of art in the
fields of photography, film and video. Often oscillating between
conceptual and factual representation, the works enable us to produce
meaning and, in turn, to formulate images of history that are not yet
consistent within our society. According to Aleida and Jan Assmann,
Professors of Archeology, documentary photography and film act as an
image storage-bank for our collective memory. Since the 1930s,
technological achievements have permitted a much broader use of these
two media while allowing a steady increase of distribution.
History is represented and understood through images that can suggest
illusory authenticity. Pictures of historical places, people and events
have been reproduced scrutinized in schoolbooks, television
documentaries, historical museums and magazines. Not infrequently,
propaganda and perpetrator photos of the Nazis have been referenced as
“image evidence” without ever questioning their history of origin.
Contrary to this, most of the exhibited artists aim to understand the
original documents as tools enabling us to construct history. In doing
so, their work is grounded in historical fact on one hand, and on the
other hand, concerned with revising the images of history communicated
by photography, video and film.
On the Tectonics of History is a travelling exhibition that makes its
last stop at ISCP. The exhibition gathers a selection from the four
touring stations of the show selected by the curatorial team
Domesle/Krenn. Following ISCP’s format – a residency program for
artists and curators – the final presentation at ISCP Gallery reflects
the curatorial concept of On the Tectonics of History and should be
considered a conclusion and reflection of the touring experience.
Reproductions of artworks shown during the exhibition’s tour are
juxtaposed with printed works by Boris Lurie, one of the founders of
the NO!art movement during the 1960s in New York. Additionally, the
exhibition presents an archive featuring the entire collection of video
works included in all phases of the exhibition.
On the Tectonics of History previous stations:
November 24, 2005 – January 15, 2006: Forum Stadtpark Graz, Austria;
November 1, 2006 – December 15, 2006: Faculty of Art and Design of Jan
Evangelista Purkyně University and Emil Filla Gallery in Ústí nad
Labem, Czech Republic;
Mars 17, 2007 – April 29, 2007: WYSPA Institute of Art/WYSPA Progress
Foundation, Gdansk, Poland;
September 19, 2008 – October 25, 2008: Motorenhalle – Projektzentrum
für zeitgenössische Kunst, Dresden, Germany
A newly released exhibition catalogue, edited by Andrea Domesle and
Martin Krenn and published by the Faculty of Art and Design of Jan
Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem (CZ), will be
available at ISCP.
During the tour the selection of works and artistic positions changed
continually according to the location and site-specific matters. For
each venue Andrea Domesle (GER) and Martin Krenn (A) collaborated with
curators, Michal Koleček (CZ), Aneta Szylak (PL) and Frank Eckhardt
(GER), directors of the previous venues.
Art critic and curator Matthias Reichelt (GER) selected the works of
Boris Lurie for the ISCP station.
The ISCP station is supported by Consulate General of the Republic of
Germany, NYC and Austrian Cultural Forum, NYC
International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP)
1040 Metropolitan Avenue | Brooklyn, NY 11211
T: (718) 387 2900 | F: (718) 387 2966
info@iscp-nyc.org
| www.iscp-nyc.org
Direction: Grand St stop on the L train.
For more information please contact:
Andrea Domesle | a_domesle@aon.at
Martin Krenn | mail@martinkrenn.net
Sandrine Canac | scanac@iscp-nyc.org
On the Tectonics of History
www.martinkrenn.net/tectonic