Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.)

A 37 90 89 – The Invention of the Neo-Avant-Garde

27 Sep 2018 - 27 Jan 2019

Tomas Schmit: A 37 90 89 / Neuer Berliner Kunstverein 2018
A 37 90 89 – The Invention of the Neo-Avant-Garde
27 September 2018 – 27 January 2019

Artists: Santiago Álvarez, Carl Andre, Stan Brakhage, Robert Breer, Marcel Broodthaers, Daniel Buren, James Lee Byars, Henning Christiansen, Ursula Christiansen, Johannes Cladders, Jef Cornelis, Hanne Darboven, Julio García Espinosa, Jean Genet, Octavio Getino / Fernando Solanas, Maria Gilissen, Addi Køpcke / Robin Page / Tomas Schmit, David Lamelas, LIDL Sport / Peter Duerr / Christian Göldenboog / Jörg Immendorff / Horst Kugel / Florian Lechenperg / Chris Reinecke / Horst Scholz, José Massip, Lutz Mommartz, Panamarenko, A. R. Penck, Ben Vautier, David Loeb Weiss, La Monte Young / Marian Zazeela

Curators: Marius Babias, Florian Waldvogel
Project Management: Eva-Maria Gillich. Curatorial Assistant: Arkadij Koscheew

The exhibition project A 37 90 89 – The Invention of the Neo-Avant-Garde at Neuer Berliner Kunstverein is dedicated to the genesis of art practices critical of institutions since the 1960s based on the example of the project space A 37 90 89, founded in Antwerp in 1969. A 37 90 89 had a decisive influence on the develop- ment of project spaces worldwide, it quintessentially influenced subsequent models of alternative art spaces, producer galleries and participatory initiatives. Initiated by a progressive group of collectors, gallery ow- ners as well as art mediators and supervised by Kasper König, the project space A 37 90 89 developed a diverse curatorial practice that tested alternative models of art production and art mediation beyond the institutions. The artists and mediators involved in Antwerp are today among the outstanding representati- ves of the neo-avant-garde. They formulated the radical changes of the way contemporary art is presented and received, which resulted from the political and artistic upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s, and expressed these at the project space A 37 90 89 in an emblematic way. By presenting works of art and diverse archive material, the exhibition A 37 90 89 – The Invention of the Neo-Avant-Garde revives complex historical cohe- rences and artistic and socio-political contexts and makes them accessible.

By taking the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.) and that of the Ant- werp project space A 37 90 89, the presentation and reappraisal of the historical project space A 37 90 89 reconstructs the period of social upheavals around 1968/1969 and renders it productive for our time, 50 years later. At the same time, it creates a relationship between Neuer Berliner Kunstverein and the activities in Antwerp: Having evolved over time, n.b.k. with its exhibition program, its video collection and its art lending library Artothek not only reflects the history of the neo-avant-garde in Berlin, but has also shaped it right up to the present day.

Following the approaches of A 37 90 89, the project includes the exhibition at n.b.k. along with a coopera- tion with the project space after the butcher. Here, Berlin’s diverse art landscape is described as a comple- mentary unity of independent scene and institutions. In addition, A 37 90 89 – The Invention of the Neo- Avant-Garde is accompanied by a film program in cooperation with Arsenal – Institute for Film and Video Art as well as discussion sessions.
 

Tags: Santiago Álvarez, Carl Andre, Marius Babias, Stan Brakhage, Robert Breer, Marcel Broodthaers, Daniel Buren, James Lee Byars, Ursula Christiansen, Henning Christiansen, Johannes Cladders, Jef Cornelis, Hanne Darboven, Peter Duerr, Julio García Espinosa, Jean Genet, Octavio Getino, Maria Gilissen, Christian Göldenboog, Jörg Immendorff, Horst Kugel, Addi Køpcke, David Lamelas, Florian Lechenperg, José Massip, Lutz Mommartz, Robin Page, Panamarenko, A. R. Penck, Chris Reinecke, Tomas Schmit, Horst Scholz, Fernando Solanas, Ben Vautier, Florian Waldvogel, David Loeb Weiss, La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela