steirischer herbst 2010

Utopia and Monument II
Vernissage

50% visual arts
50% public space

Utopia as a space of thought, the monument as a space of memory: art beyond the museum and gallery negotiating these two imaginary spaces plays an important role in the history of steirischer herbst, but has increasingly fallen into disrepute. Last year, the two-stage exhibition project “Utopia and Monument” above all examined the privatisation of the public space. This year it focuses on the question as to how art for public space is exposed to the gaze of others but at the same time needs their presence: what transfers, what interventions, but also what disappearances insist on sharing common space?
How do artists deal with this situation of their exposure (as a political act?), how do they react to the expectations and various interests with which they are confronted? What specific abilities and skills do they possess with regard to designing memorials, sculptures and monuments – that is to say, interventions intended to create public effect, a political terrain of common affairs? What networks and proven co-operations do they avail themselves of? Do they need cunning PR strategies to make their own work visible in public space in the first place?
This exhibition for the public space with its commissioned works becomes an experiment exploring the question whether the public space can still offer the “space of appearance”, as politically organised space, as described by Hannah Arendt. The exhibition covers a wide range of works from collective models and changes in the psycho-geographical sphere all the way to work; work in which artistic authorship is reduced to a script, with the work being carried out by someone else.

Artists / Projects

Armando Andrade Tudela
Project for Pergola

Kader Attia
The Myth of Order #1

Ângela Ferreira
Cape Sonnets

Andrea Fraser
You Are Here

Isa Genzken
Clothesline (Dedicated to Michael Jackson)

John Knight
Lange Tage der Freizeit (Long days of leisure)

Jutta Koether
Demons for Ladies, Gentlemen and Children

Kooperative für Darstellungspolitik
Pavilion

Paulina Olowska
Natasza, Workers Canteen and Flowers

Michael Schuster
AUFEINWORT (a brief word)

Institut für zeitgenössische Kunst, TU Graz
Raumtraum (Space Dream)

sozYAH
Research Report You Are Here

Commissioned by steirischer herbst
In co-operation with the Center for Social Research at the Karl-Franzens University Graz & Institute for Contemporary Art (IZK) of Graz University of Technology
With thanks to Hans Kupelwieser
Project supporter Land Steiermark
Project sponsor Think!, Gebrüder Weiss & Alpenländische Schilderfabrik

With
Armando Andrade Tudela (PE/D), Kader Attia (F/DZ), Ângela Ferreira (MOZ/P/ZA), Andrea Fraser (USA), Isa Genzken (D), John Knight (USA), Jutta Koether (D), Kooperative für Darstellungspolitik (Jesko Fezer, Anita Kaspar & Andreas Müller) (D), Paulina Olowska (PL), Michael Schuster (A), Ruby Sircar (D) with students of IZK/TU Graz, sozYAH (Sabine Haring & Anja Eder) (A)

Curated by
Sabine Breitwieser (A)

24/09 - 02/11

Fri 24/09, 5 pm
Vernissage at the exhibition pavilion

6 pm
Performance
Paulina Olowska
Onethousandsixhundredand-
seventeen Neons in Warszawa
Andreas-Hofer-Platz
(Roof of carpark)

Admission free

Interventions of the Institute for Contemporary Art
Exhibition pavilion

Thu 30/09, 4 - 7 pm
Performative Input

Thu 07/10, 4 - 7 pm
Installation

Thu 14/10, 4 - 7 pm
Sound & media installation

Exhibition pavilion: Tummelplatz

With
Armando Andrade Tudela (PE/D), Kader Attia (F/DZ), Ângela Ferreira (MOZ/P/ZA), Andrea Fraser (USA), Isa Genzken (D), John Knight (USA), Jutta Koether (D), Kooperative für Darstellungspolitik (Jesko Fezer, Anita Kaspar & Andreas Müller) (D), Paulina Olowska (PL), Michael Schuster (A), Ruby Sircar (D) with students of IZK/TU Graz, sozYAH (Sabine Haring & Anja Eder) (A)

Curated by
Sabine Breitwieser (A)