Tanya Leighton

Portikus Under Construction

13 Jul - 31 Aug 2013

Installation view
PORTIKUS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
13 July - 31 August 2013

Curated by Patrick Armstrong.

John Ahearn
Helke Bayrle
Thomas Bayrle
On Kawara
Allan McCollum
Thomas Schütte

Tanya Leighton is pleased to announce 'Portikus Under Construction', a multifaceted exhibition focusing on the history of Portikus, the legendary exhibition hall in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

'Portikus Under Construction' finds its center around Helke Bayrle's ongoing video project of the same name. Bayrle - who lives and works in Frankfurt - has been faithfully documenting each exhibition at Portikus since 1992. Her videos, now numbering 137 and steadily climbing, are unique in their short duration and noticeable intimacy. These short videos picture artists in the days and hours leading up to the opening of their exhibition - unpacking their works, interacting with curators and art handlers, and ultimately celebrating their efforts at the show's opening. Seen collectively, these portraits begin to describe the ongoing mission of Portikus and its importance not only as a progressive exhibition venue, but also as a hub of interaction between students, curators, artists, and the public.

Bayrle's videos are accompanied by a selection of artworks by John Ahearn, Thomas Bayrle, On Kawara, Allan McCollum, and Thomas Schütte, as well as ephemera from the archives of Portikus, friends, and former staff members.

Tanya Leighton would like to thank Patrick Armstrong, Helke and Thomas Bayrle, Kasper König, Coco König, Sophie von Olfers, Brigitte Kölle, Imke Itzen, Sunah Choi, Marie-Theres Deutsch, Jakob Schillinger, and the staff of Portikus, without whom this exhibition would not have been possible.
 

Tags: John Ahearn, Thomas Bayrle, Sunah Choi, On Kawara, Brigitte Kölle, Brigitte Kölle, Kasper König, Allan McCollum, Thomas Schütte