Erik Van Lieshout
The Basement
17 - 31 Oct 2015
ERIK VAN LIESHOUT
The Basement September
17 – 31 October 2015
Erik van Lieshout reflects in his film „The Basement“ (2014) socio-political aspects of museum life in one of the largest and most important museums in the world: the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. In his video which is now shown for the first time in Austria at Galerie Krinzinger the 1968 in Deune (NL) born artist is revealing both the ridiculous and deep historical references in seemingly contradictory ways. During Manifesta 10 in summer 2014 Erik van Lieshout spent two months in the Hermitage basement together with the famous Hermitage cats. For his new comrades he created not only the comfort living conditions, but also launched the small exhibition with their participation.
Until the October Revolution of 1917, the Hermitage cats - first brought in during the reign of Empress Elizabetz in order to eliminate the mice and rats - were looked after by special servants. Suddenly in the Soviet period, there were no more resources available for the Hermitage "guards". All of the cats perished during the siege of Leningrad in World War II, but two railway cars of new cats arrived in Leningrad after the war's end. Today, to be an hermitage cat is to hold a social position with all the corresponding consequences.
Erik van Lieshout was born in 1968 in Deune (NL). He lives and works in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Erik van Lieshout has shown his work extensively in solo and group exhibitions around the world. He had substantial institutional solo shows at Kunsthalle Wien, Performance for WWTBD, Marien Jongewaard, Vienna, AT (2013); MMK Frankfurt, D (2012); Bawag Contemporary Vienna, AT (2011); Art Unlimited, Basel, CH (2011), Centre d’édition contemporaine, Genève, CH (2009); Kunstpalast Düsseldorf, D (2009); Ludwig Museum, Cologne, D (2009); De Hallen, Haarlem, NL (2007); Project for Wrong Gallery at Tate Modern, London, UK (2007); Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich, D (2007); Kunsthaus Zürich, Zurich, CH (2007) Erik van Lieshout participated in numerous group shows at institutions such as Albertina, Vienna, AT; De Hallen, Haarlem, NL; Kunsthaus Zürich, CH; Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR; Witte de With, Rotterdam, NL; Marta Herford, Herford, DL; Kunsthalle Wien, AT Erik van Lieshout was invited for Thessaloniki Biennial, GR; Biennale de Rennes, FR; Manifesta 10, St. Petersburg, RU; Moscow Biennale, RU; Biennale di Venezia, IT; International Film Festival Rotterdam, NL and many other art events.
The Basement September
17 – 31 October 2015
Erik van Lieshout reflects in his film „The Basement“ (2014) socio-political aspects of museum life in one of the largest and most important museums in the world: the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. In his video which is now shown for the first time in Austria at Galerie Krinzinger the 1968 in Deune (NL) born artist is revealing both the ridiculous and deep historical references in seemingly contradictory ways. During Manifesta 10 in summer 2014 Erik van Lieshout spent two months in the Hermitage basement together with the famous Hermitage cats. For his new comrades he created not only the comfort living conditions, but also launched the small exhibition with their participation.
Until the October Revolution of 1917, the Hermitage cats - first brought in during the reign of Empress Elizabetz in order to eliminate the mice and rats - were looked after by special servants. Suddenly in the Soviet period, there were no more resources available for the Hermitage "guards". All of the cats perished during the siege of Leningrad in World War II, but two railway cars of new cats arrived in Leningrad after the war's end. Today, to be an hermitage cat is to hold a social position with all the corresponding consequences.
Erik van Lieshout was born in 1968 in Deune (NL). He lives and works in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Erik van Lieshout has shown his work extensively in solo and group exhibitions around the world. He had substantial institutional solo shows at Kunsthalle Wien, Performance for WWTBD, Marien Jongewaard, Vienna, AT (2013); MMK Frankfurt, D (2012); Bawag Contemporary Vienna, AT (2011); Art Unlimited, Basel, CH (2011), Centre d’édition contemporaine, Genève, CH (2009); Kunstpalast Düsseldorf, D (2009); Ludwig Museum, Cologne, D (2009); De Hallen, Haarlem, NL (2007); Project for Wrong Gallery at Tate Modern, London, UK (2007); Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich, D (2007); Kunsthaus Zürich, Zurich, CH (2007) Erik van Lieshout participated in numerous group shows at institutions such as Albertina, Vienna, AT; De Hallen, Haarlem, NL; Kunsthaus Zürich, CH; Centre Pompidou, Paris, FR; Witte de With, Rotterdam, NL; Marta Herford, Herford, DL; Kunsthalle Wien, AT Erik van Lieshout was invited for Thessaloniki Biennial, GR; Biennale de Rennes, FR; Manifesta 10, St. Petersburg, RU; Moscow Biennale, RU; Biennale di Venezia, IT; International Film Festival Rotterdam, NL and many other art events.