Public Abstraction Private Construction VI
26 Jul - 15 Sep 2013
Aram Bartholl, Julius von Bismarck & Julian Charriere, Heike Bollig, Andreas Greiner & Fabian Knecht, Katrin Herzner, Gordon Matta-Clark, Adrien Missika, Piero Manzoni, Ivan Moudov, Philippe Parreno, Hans Schabus, Roman Signer, Timm Ulrichs, Ella Ziegler
The history of art has developed out of the individual’s capacity for abstraction. "Public Abstraction, Private Construction" explores the mental process of abstraction, using as examples projects in experiential public situations. Through a number of exhibitions and actions the project will attempt to approach and discuss the notion of abstraction as a perceptual process.
Regardless of how beautiful and exciting an exhibition may be, in comparison to the creative process, it can rarely realize more than a physical level of documentation. Therefore this exhibition project is not so much focused on formalist developments or the pictorial results of abstraction, rather on the method and creative process behind the work of art. For this reason the location of the exhibition is not a gallery or public space, rather it is in the turbulent, idea-filled mind of the artist. The gradual process of seeing, analyzing and understanding the work of art as a product is rarely seen, even though these are significant and decisive moments of artistic resolution.
An old question arises: when reality influences an artistic position and is reflected through the work of art – how can an artistic position in turn alter the perception of reality? Artistic views, procedures and constructions blur the boundaries between public and private, real and absurd, pointless and awesome. They confront us with unexpected encounters, perceptions and experiences. The often remote but common techniques and expressions seen in the exhibition’s works emerge in contrast to everyday situations and systems of order. Abstraction appears as a state, property and condition of seeing as a mental process, allowing new experiences and insights.
The history of art has developed out of the individual’s capacity for abstraction. "Public Abstraction, Private Construction" explores the mental process of abstraction, using as examples projects in experiential public situations. Through a number of exhibitions and actions the project will attempt to approach and discuss the notion of abstraction as a perceptual process.
Regardless of how beautiful and exciting an exhibition may be, in comparison to the creative process, it can rarely realize more than a physical level of documentation. Therefore this exhibition project is not so much focused on formalist developments or the pictorial results of abstraction, rather on the method and creative process behind the work of art. For this reason the location of the exhibition is not a gallery or public space, rather it is in the turbulent, idea-filled mind of the artist. The gradual process of seeing, analyzing and understanding the work of art as a product is rarely seen, even though these are significant and decisive moments of artistic resolution.
An old question arises: when reality influences an artistic position and is reflected through the work of art – how can an artistic position in turn alter the perception of reality? Artistic views, procedures and constructions blur the boundaries between public and private, real and absurd, pointless and awesome. They confront us with unexpected encounters, perceptions and experiences. The often remote but common techniques and expressions seen in the exhibition’s works emerge in contrast to everyday situations and systems of order. Abstraction appears as a state, property and condition of seeing as a mental process, allowing new experiences and insights.