Andreas Mayer-Brennenstuhl
born 1957 in Heilbronn, Germany
Interventionistic practise in urban situations and public
space, Strategies of Partizipation , Lectures and publications about theoretical topics of art
Founder and organisator of self-organized art-rooms
teaching at several universities of applied sciences
solo-exhibitions: (since 2000)
2007:
„PRELUDE TO RETIREMENT OF A PEACOCK“
Kunstverein Nürtingen
2006:
„I AM NOT A TRANSMITTER. I EMIT NOTHING“
Künstlerhaus Stuttgart
2002:
„AUTONOMY-SOVEREIGN-NEUTRAL GREY“
Gallery of Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart
2001:
„RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HORIZON“
Stuttgarter Kunstverein
group-shows: (selection since2000)
Interventions in public space (selection)
2013: „TITANIC LOOP“ Installing a sinking Titanic made of car tires in public space on the occasion of „ Stuttgart Open Fair” in public space
at Kunstmuseum Stuttgart ( TRANSITION ART
PROJECTS )
2012: „SYSTEM ERROR RESET“ airplane with
trailing banner in the airspace of Kassel at the
opening of documenta 13
2011: „OUR PAVILION“ self- empowered platform for political and cultural activities in the
occupied castle-garden in Stuttgart in cooperation with numerous activists of the resistance
against the Poject S21, supported by SOUP
2007: „HOW THE MAYOR DECLAIRS THE CITY
TO HALF-DEAD ARTISTS” video projection in public space about an unusual city tour as part of
the project „ Art Moves „ by Baden-Württemberg
-Künstlerbund in Neckarsulm
2012: „LIMINAL RESPECT” contribution to „ 72hours
urban action“ Stuttgart ( cooperation with stu
dents of University of applied sciences FHKunst
Arnstadt )
2003: ‚ „FROM B. TO Ö“ Temporary installation
of a duplicate of the Brandenburg Gate in the
original size at the entrance of a small swabian
town
2010: „AKAS_ ACADEMY . INSTITUTE FOR OPTIMIZING
PROCESSES OF PERMANENT TRANSITION“
Contribution to „Art and Society“ Württember
gischer Kunstverein Stuttgart
2004: „TO REMEMBER“ Installation of a commemorative plaque at a bridge in Heilbronn
to mark Hitler‘s alleged death by drown in the
river Neckar in 1926
2009: „PERMANENT REDESIGN OF THE HORIZONT“
Contribution to „nochnichtmehr. Handeln im un
markierten Raum“ Heinrich-Böll-Foundation,
Berlin
2000: „THE MILLENNIUM CHANGE IS NOT TAKING PLACE. BECAUSE OF ITS ENOURMES SUCESS THE 20TH CENTURY WILL BE REPEATED“
Text - projection in public space including bomb
alert in the National Gallery in Berlin
2008: „PATHS FROM THE MODERN“
Contribution to „Young Art t / New Media“ Munici
pal Gallery Reutlingen
2007: „DEAD MAN TALKING“
Contribution to „ Correspondence / correspon
dences“ Kunstverein Neuhausen
2006: „THE MALEVICH - TRUCK“
Contribution to “OBERWELT e.V. im Kunstraum
Lothringerstraße“, Munich
2005: „A HOME FOR WITTGENSTEIN“
Contribution to „ SPACE LANGUAGE / SPEECH
AREA“ Municipal Gallery Speyer
2004: „TROTZKY ‚S SOVIET BAR „
Contribution to „ PARADISE AND UTOPIA“ Kunst
bunker Tumulka, Munich
2003: „SHOWROOM PRESENTATION „
Contribution to „FREE ELECTIONS . YOUNG ART,
SELF- ORGANIZATION AND MARKET SITUATION“
Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden
2000: „AUTODAFÉ DE LA STATUE DE LA LIBERTE „
Contribution to „ MINUTES ONLY“ art space
Orgelfabrik, Karlsruhe
1999: „WATCH YOUR STEPS“ Interventions in
the Art Department at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh (USA) on the occasion of the
Balkan War
1997: „TOWARDS THE FIRST REVOLUTIONARY
COMPANY EXCURSION OF OBERWELT e.V. STAFF
„ in cooperation with the “OBERWELT e.V” , Demonstration in public space, Stuttgart
2013: „STANDING DEMONSTRATION“ contribution to „citizens art days“ Market Hall 9 Berlin
Kreuzberg (TRANSITION ART PROJECTS, cooperation with Christiane Ten Hoevel)
2012: „OUR PLATFORM!“ public discussion-platform for the resistance against Project S21 on
the sculptural-platform of Württembergischer
Kunstverein Stuttgart
2006: „RUIN“ construction in the shape of ruins
as a temporary meeting place and venue for
young people, Öhringen, Hofgarten
2013:
„TITANIC LOOP“
Installation of a sinking Titanic made from car tires in public space
on the occasion of „ Stuttgart Open Fair “ (TRANSITION ART PROJECTS )
The sinking Titanic made from car-tires offers a space for a small cinema on the
back. On the screen, you can see scenes of a fitful sleeper, dreams of breaking
icebergs are tormenting him. Times however, has changed: Where in those days an
iceberg caused the sinking of the Ttanic, we are causing the sinking of the icebergs
today by climate change
Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAKRPRchr8k&list=UUsVc5IjB0UvcnjIvPW4XvKQ
.
2013:
„STANDING DEMONSTRATION“
contribution to „citizens art days“ Market Hall 9 Berlin Kreuzberg
(TRANSITION ART PROJECTS, cooperation with Christiane Ten Hoevel)
„ STANDING DEMONSTRATION“
As a part of the „citizens art days“ 2014, which took place in the public space of a
market-hall in Berlin-Kreuzberg, the team „transition art projects“ collected in conversations with visitors ideas on how to grow into a post-growth society. Extracts of
those ideas were transferred to demonstrationposters, which grew slowly to a forest
of statements. They suggested the moment before a demonstration, just before the
activists go out into generally public public with their messages. The posters were
first distributed in the market hall, what caused surprising (incorrect) contextual
references and were finally set up in a „demonstration formation“.
2012:
„SYSTEM ERROR RESET“
During the opening-ceremenies of the documenta 13, an airplane with trailing
banner in the airspace of Kassel announced the beginning of the long-term project
„RESET“ by „TRANSITION ART PROJECTS“
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-q8mZRVL5U
2010:
„ AKAS_ ACADEMY . INSTITUTE FOR OPTIMIZING PROCESSES OF PERMANENT TRANSITION“
Contribution to „Art and Society“ Wurttembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart
akas_akademie
Institut zur Untersuchung und Optimierung transitorischer Prozesse
The akas_akademie is a free and independent research and educational institution
aiming at the investigating and optimizating transient states. The name of the institution derives from a literal definition of the term contingency: „everything could be
different.“
With the term of contingency a phenomenon is mentioned which defines complex,
non- deterministic systems. Assuming the premise that life- contexts are generally
designed systemicallly and unstable, the institute examines particular structures and
processes that are in transition. It is the Intention to qualify this observable transitory states accurately and to optimize them
2009:
„ PERMANENT REDESIGN OF THE HORIZON“
Contribution to „nochnichtmehr. Handeln im unmarkierten Raum“
Heinrich-Böll-Foundation, Berlin
in its interior
As a contribution to the exhibition: „ nochnichtmer. Handeln im unmarkierten Raum“
an installation was realized by Andreas Mayer Brennenstuhl in which pieces of debris
from the Brandenburg Gate produced a fragile space situation.
The pieces of debris break through the glass-front of the building Heinrich Böll Foundation in Berlin thus marking a trail across the building , an generating an atmosphere
of provisional and unstable state. Built-in text, image and video elements refer to a
thematic field, which can be described in terms of phase transition / instability / collapse of the system .
Black and red banners inscribed with slogans quoting technical terms of system- theoretical scientific discourses , stand by terms that refer to both socio-political as well as
art-immanent contexts. However, the slogans remain ambiguous in their formulations
and are not precisely locatable in their origin and meaning. The banners also appear
as a part of photomontages, that are shown in LED-displays. The original material of
the photomontages are pictures of the 1989 DGR-demonstrations in which the false
slogans were inserted subtly .
In its interior the architecture is interlocking spaces that are played on with further
content elements. There is for example a space, in which the artist offered conversations by the „electric-fireplace“ to the visitors. These conversationes are documented
on video, archived and then shown again at the „ electric fireplace“
In another room, you can see a video projection, which was part of a participatory art
project with young young people. The video shows gangs in the „near-future outfit“
who have settled in the ruins of the Brandenburg Gate organizing the re-removal of
the „Iron Cross“ from the Quadriga.
2008:
„PATHS FROM THE MODERN AGE“
Contribution to „ Young Art t / New Media „ Municipal Gallery Reutlingen
The title of the installation quotes a book title that marks the beginning of the „ postmodernism debate“ in Germany . The furniture and objects used in the installation
play with the aesthetics of modern art, consisting of 8 classical modern chairs in
black, white and grey , acrylic sheets in the „Bauhaus basic colors“ red-yellow-blue ,
2 semi-transparent ecrylic sheets , 2 B & W photos of a concise building in the style
of classic modern architecture .
In this „modern“ ambience a toy- tank is placed, the audience can turn the tower and
fire shots via remote control. In the video film projected on the acrylic-sheeds, you
can see a destoyed hotel in former Yugoslavia.
i
2007:
„PRELUDE TO THE RETIREMENT OF A PEACOCK“
Kunstverein Nürtingen
The invitation of the Nürtinger Kunstverein gave the occasion to a critical, exemplary
reflection on the subject, how dealing with art in this specific location.
In the entrance of the exhibition location,a „post-minimalistic sculpture“ made from
car-tires invites people to sit on a place, that had been used illegally by visitors so
far. Placed at the stairway downstairs the „ Peter Härtling memorial“ is an exemplary reminder to problematic traditions when dealing with artists in Nürtingen, in the
SHOWROOM there is an irritating installation of a sculpture from the fifties: On the
ceiling a head-fist hanging peacock, an early work of the sculpturer Franklin Pühn.
His sculpture had been removed when rebuilding the exhibition location.
This intervention corresponds to a displaycase, wich contains remarkable historical
documents on art activities in Nürtingen in the 50/60ies as well as a video interview
with the former city arts representive.
In the next obviously empty room, the visitor is finally confronted with a live-transmission from the artists studio, where the installation „Flying construction“ is shown,
commented by the art historian Susanne Jakob.
Behind the exhibition location : the installation „ more light“ which had also been
removed by responsible persons of the city-administration, it is now placed on a plot
without official ownership in temporary exile
2007:
„ DEAD MAN TALKING“
Contribution to „Correspondence / correspondences“ Kunstverein Neuhausen
The several years lasting written-contact between AMB and the U.S. doomed man
Mark Henry Lankfordhas filled a thick folder. On the occasion of the exhibition „Correspondence / correspondences“ these letters have been packed in plastic sleeves
and put together to something like a wallpaper. Levitating in the room, these wallpaper form the dimension of a deathcell of an US-american prison where MH Lankford had spent more than 20 years of his life in strict isolation
Meanwhile, the death penalty has been converted into double life sentence after an
appeal procedure, because it has been prooved, that Lankford had only covered up
for a crime, committed by his brother. Meanwhile he lives in normal execution.
2007: „HOW A MAYOR EXPLAINS THE CITY TO HALF-DEAD ARTISTS”
video projection in public space
„Art Moves“ of the „Baden-Württemberg-Künstlerbund“ in Neckarsulm
On the occasion of the art project „ART IN MOTION“ there was a city - tour with
about 100 artists at Neckarsulm . The mayor presented his city like a marketingcampaign for potential investors to the artists. This „self-expression“ was recorded
by AMB on video including the original sound of the mayor.
By a nighttime-event the film was projected by three video projectors on a central
public square in Neckarsulm. On the „projection field“ 3 portable amplifiers have
been placed, identical to the device that was used for the curious city tour.
This intervention in public space is a critical commentary on the generally accepted enslavement of art for the purpose of city marketing , the intervention of
AMB draws our attention to the language of the political actors and their thought.
2006:
„THE MALEVICH COMPLEX“
Contribution to „ OBERWELT e.V. meets Kunstraum Lothringerstraße Munich“
several works of AMB are dealing with the work and philosophy of the Russian artist
Kasimir Malewich, the founder of „suprematism“. His philosophy reclaims the supremacy of the spirit in art and also in life, a concept which hadnt been realized in the
functionalistic and technocratic modern society.
A reference to Malevich´s philosophy can be found, for example, in the art-project „Towards the first revolutionary company exkursion“ (1997), where the famous
„Black square“ of Malevich played a prominent role. The object of documentation
„Malevich truck“ shows the Black square in the same position on the truck as it was
shown on Malevich`s funeral.
Another work ist quoting an essay written by Malevich in the beginning of the
20th century about the problem of „work“ . In this essay, Malevich pleads for the
right to be lazy and argues against Marx` ideas of the connection between work and
income. This essay is performed on a videotape by a russian native speaker in German language, the monitor shows a black screen with a white frame.
2006:
„I AM NOT A TRANSMITTER. I EMIT NOTHING“
Künstlerhaus Stuttgart
The discussion at the „Electric fireplace“, presented by AMB the curator Kai Bauer
and the social-plastic artist Enno Schmidt, is focussing on the function and functionalization of artistic rolemodels in the current social situation.
Starting point is the hypothesis, that the mode of existence of an artists has become
as a model for autonomous lifestyle and self-determined ways of production. It has
become a problematic figure of thought, especially in the current situation, where
the „end of the working society“ has become more and more evident. The artist‘s
existence does serve not only as a model for the out-sourcing of labor , but moreover artists shall be functionalized as entertainers in „taking care of support groups,
or taking part in charity events in favour of the benefit of the labor market“ according to proposals of the German government .
In the installation in the Künstlerhaus Stuttgart, this covetousness faces the vision
of Kasimir Malevich, who had declaired in an essay in the beginning of 20th century) „lazyness is the real destination of humanity“. In his statement, Malevich detected another solution to labor problems: Setting an end to separation of work and
income, realized in the right of an unconditional basic income. This statement is a
central point in the installation, on a monitor, showing a permanent black screen, a
speaker with a Russian accent is reading Malevichs essay .
An overhead projection somewhere else presents the covetous theses written by the
„Hartz commission“ in the shadows of Michelangelo‘s David , who has sunk to his
knees in front of this theses.
A drawing with marking tape, quoting the silhouette of the Stuttgart TV-tower
spans the room and rises from the window like a springboard.
2005: „ARKADIEN (ARTISTS WORK FOR FREE)“
Municipal Gallery Wendlingen
Pavilion of logs and hardboard, a deckchair, neon lights, acrylic glass, Toto-Lotto
advertising displays, a video monitor with live transmission of observation cameras
in skiing areas, accompanied by cheerful folk music, accomplished by an illuminated
display with the slogan „ARTISTS WORKING FOR FREE“
Background of the exhibitiontitle is the fact that the municipal gallery, in which the
contribution had been realized, like many other municipal galleries has ran into
financial problems due to cuts in the culture budget and have to save money by reducing the artist fees
2005: „ LIVING PRECARIOUS“
Temporary Installation in public space, Neuhausen
In 2005, the so-called 68-generation will reach retirement age. The increasing poverty in old age, the progressive erosion of solidarity of society and the elimination
of social security systems will meet this senior generation in full force.
The temporary architecture of AMB is a solution proposal for the precarious living
conditions of the poorest sections of the population. The prototype you see here
-own from waste materials, has an unbeatable price: only 10 euro cost of construction per square meter!
Inside the pavilion is a city model presented, made of
​​ drug packaging. It shows
possible use of building in the cities of the future by the example of Neuhausen .
This architecture reflects the upcoming differences of a „Seniors-class society“ with
an enormous range between wealthy and impoverished population. The increasing
impoverishment of society and the obvious depletion of the historical functions of
the cities are the starting points of these critical vision of future urban concepts.
New forms of housing, such as „ Senior-comunities“ refers on models of the alternative movement of the 60ties . This inovative ways of life mutate however under
the precarious social conditions from former utopias to pure survival needs.
2004:
„TROTZKI`S SOVIET BAR“
Contribution to „ PARADISE AND UTOPIA“ art-bunker Tumulka , Munich
Communication from bunker to bunker, from paradise to paradise : From the inside of the model of the building „Domnick Collection“ in scale 1: 50 you can hear
the voice of the collector, commending his vision of modern art as „a guide for a
new mankind“. This message is broadcast by a military transceiver, together with
the art audience a distant contemporary is listening to Domnicks message on his
receiver: the Cuban social utopian Fidel Castro standing at „ Trotzkis Soviet - Bar“
in guerrilla equipment.
Ottomar Domnick (1907-1989) , a German film-maker and a neurology and psychiatry specialist, was one of the most dedicated collectors of modern art in Germany after World War II. In the 1970the Domnik let design an almost windowless
building by the architect Paul Stroher, where he led a seduced life up to his death.
Domnick combined a dedicated humanistic attitude with his collecting activities.
As many of his contemporaries after the experience of the fascist barbarism he
beliefed that a „re - cultuvation“ of the German people might be successful with
the means of modern art, so to speak some kind of „tutoring in terms of humanity
and modernity“ . Especiallly his first filmproduction „ NEW ART , NEW VISION“ is a
testimony of his personal conviction with its pathetic voice ductus. The installation
„ Castro listens to Domnick“ quotes selected „messages“ from these film documents.
2003: „FROM B. TO Ö“
Temporary installation of a Brandenburg Gateduplicate of the original size at the
entrance of Öhringen, a small Swabian town. Background of this intervention is
the fact, that in Öhringen there is an old towngate which imitates the Brandenburg
Gate in a wrong way. In the occasion of the towns 750th-anniversary, the original
Gate came to a temporary visit to Swabia
video: http://www.ambweb.de/download/oehringen.swf
2002:
„AUTONOMY-SOVEREIGN-NEUTRAL GREY“
Gallery of Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart
(1) Replica facade of the National Gallery in Berlin, projection-equipment of the intervention „The millennium-change will not take place . Due to the resounding success,
the 2oth. Century will be repeated“
(2) „Cool or Cole ( or right in wrong )“ Between several refrigerators a model of the
studio of the New York artist Max Cole is placed, the artist sees her studio as a contemplative place . In the fridges: recorders with a sound collage from U.S.-TV.
(3) „ Potemkin projector“: video projection through the gunbarrel with scenes from the
intervention „The Potemkin sinking of the department store NC Nürtingen“
(4) „autonomy and sovereignty“ : Installation with video presentation about the loving
restoration of a Moskvich - childrens car, found by the artist on the bulky rubbish
2000: „ AUTODAFÉ DE LA STATUE DE LA LIBERTÉ“
Contribution to „MINUTES ONLY“ art space organ factory , Karlsruhe
Staging a failed self-immolation, imitating the appearance of the Statue of Freedom
video: http://www.ambweb.de/arbeiten/autodafe.html
2004: „TO REMEMBER“
Installation of a commemorative plaque at a bridgerailing to mark Hitler‘s alleged
death by drowning in the river Neckar in Heilbronn in 1926
IN THIS PLACE, THE 37-YEAR-OLD CASUAL WORKER ADOLF HITLER
FROM BRAUNAU (UPPER-AUSTRIA) DIED ON MAY 15th. 1926.
THIS DAY, AT ABOUT 8 O´CLOCK IN THE EVENING, HITLER WAS ON
HIS WAY FROM THE RAILWAY-STATION TO THE HEILBRONN CITY
HALL „HARMONY“, WHERE HE WANTED TO HOLD A SPEECH AS
PROTAGONIST OF THE SO-CALLED „NATIONAL SOCIALIST MOVEMENT OF GERMANY“ - IN SPITE OF SPEECH-BAN IN MANY CITIES
OF THE REPUBLIC.
A GROUP OF ANGRY CITIZENS OF HEILBRONN OBSTRUCTED THE
WAY OF HIS CONVOY ON THIS BRIDGE . DURING THE FOLLOWING
SCUFFLE, HITLER WAS THROWN OVER THE BRIDGE-RAILING AND
DROWNED IN THE FLOODS OF THE RIVER NECKAR
1999:
„MORE LIGHT“
sculptural supplement on the roof of an electricity company
1999:
„WATCH YOUR STEPS“
Installation in the art department of Carnegie-Mellon University (Pittsburgh, USA)
The granite inlaids on the floor of the art department at Carnegie Mellon University
REPRESENT grundplans of several historical buildings such as the Temple of Apollo
or the Peter‘s dome. Curiously, one field remained without design. This field was occupied by AMB and provided with a groundplan of the „ Oval Office“ , the official residence of the U.S. president . In a cigar box of the brand „ Clinton“ you could read
the title of the work: „ SHELTER ROOM FOR PRIVATE AFFAIRS“, a contemporary
reference to the circumstances of the resignation of the then U.S. President Clinton.
Another temporary work was realized in the stairwell. A large photo shows a birdeyes view of Pittsburgh. The fasteners of the photo-elements show a striking resemblance to the „ target sign“ which had become a widespread symbol of protest
against the bombing of Belgrade by NATO forces in 1999. One of these fastener was
photographed by the artist and then projected from a slide projector on a bridge in
the Pittburgh photo. A sign with the writing „watch your steps“ drew attention to the
projector on the stairway
1998
“CRITICS OF PURE INVENTORY“
Deconstruction of the municipal gallery of Kirchheim/Teck
in cooperation with Kurt Grunow and Peter Haury
By installative operations, the exhibition hall of an art association was deconstructed and played with an investigation about the function of these spaces in
the context of urban cultural life.
About space deconstruction: the outside arcade-passage represents together with
the exhibition-room some kind of architectonic unit, but the actual situation consists of a seperation between public space and semi-public artroom because of
several supplementary reconstructions. In a temporary limited installation, this
context was issued and undone.
Therefore the window-openings have been closed by a construction of wood,
furtheron the entrance to the passage by added walls. The usual entrance to the
artroom was obstructed by this intervention, the visitors could only get in by an
adjoining door. The so far entrance got the function of a link between the so far
room and the new one.
This „enlarged artroom“ became aware to the public as a space with new qualities.
The so far „illegal use“ of the arcade passage by young people as a meeting-point
was issued by presenting their „graffities“ now as a part of the new artroom.
In this new space, with the ambience of a building site, the function of such an
artroom was issued on the concrete example of this artroom: on one side the
history of this room, on the other a projected fictional future. A videotape presented the „fundus“ of the so far artwork-purchases of the council. (Contribution Peter
Haury) On the other side, lectures about a fictional use and a new conception for
this artroom were apparently mediated by an audio-tape. In fact it was a collage
made of slightly modified conceptions of comparable artrooms otherwise. (contribution Kurt Grunow)
1998
„THE POTEMKINLY SINKING OF THE NC NÜRTINGEN“
Project for architectonic situation
Tank-sculpture, through the cannonbarrel a video-tape is projected, containing
scenes of a faked artillery-duell between two buildings with the appeal of cruisers,
completed with the sound-tape of Sergeij Eisensteins movie „tank-cruiser potemkin“.
1997:
„TOWARDS THE FIRST REVOLUTIONARY COMPANY EXCURSION OF OBERWELT e.V. STAFF“
in cooperation with the “OBERWELT e.V” , Stuttgart
On 1st May 1997 a group of activists on an old, grey truck with grey banners,
posters and megaphonic-mottos accompanied the official May1.-demonstration of
the German Trade Union Federation DGB in a subversive manner. The mottos on
the banners didn´t refer to the political reason, but to the ideological request of the
art-avantgarde and consisted of quotations from the context of , the „suprematistic
movement“ and excerpts from publications of Habermas and J.F. Lyotard.
1997
„HELPING ART“
„Oberwelt e.V. “, Stuttgart
lecture with multi-media presentation in the ambient of „first-aid training“
the subject of this installation including first-aid-lectures was a fictionaly scientific
discovery, presented with the title „Image-based trainings-program for optimizing
adaquate behaviour in emergency situations“
The presentation was based on pictures, which were supposed to be transformed
directly out of cerebral electricity. The pictures could be elected in a computer program and combined with photographes of emergency-situations,they were supposed to manipulate the emotinal condition. The audience could act as „test-personal“. In reality, it dealed with socalled „thought-images“ as they were described by
„clear-voyant-persons“, published by Charles W. Leadbeater about 1900)
The faked „trainings-program“ was embedded in the ambiente of a real „first aidtraining“, the exhibition room was decorated with corresponing material.
D
1996
„ADMITTANCE WELL-DRESSED ONLY“ (A contribution to raising the exhibition - level)
Gallery „art forum“ Weilheim
Deconstruction of a gallery
Room A: Raising of the floor by 3 inches
Content: Glossy journals of a famous Swabian dressmaker (Hugo Boss)
Room B: Changing rooms, suits and evening-dresses to rent
Instruction for the gallery-owner: Only correctly clothed visitors are allowed to
enter the room. Uncorrrectly dressed visitors have to change their outfit before.
In spite of a gallery-exhibition, a situation had been produced which had the specific place , its architectonic and social situation at same time for its issue.
The announced „raising of the exhibition level“ was kept in double sense of the
idiom. One possible interpretation has a reference to the architectonic situation:
„raising of the exhibition- level“ here means raising the floor exactly.
In an other interpretation, it refers to a social context: the exhibition as an event of
social life. In this meaning, the „raising of the level“ was realized by inducing the
visitors to correspond with dress codes.
I the „exhibition“ the visitors could admire not only the floor, but also the clothing of
each other and furtheron glossy journals with the „company philosophy“ of a famous swabian dressmaker, who tries to raise the image of his products by „imagetransfer“ in practicing art sponsoring.
1995:
„BRANCH OFFICE REUTLINGEN “
Temporary installation in public space
Installation of some kind of „studio“ in an unused section of a public subway for
several weeks. The separation with plastic-foil allows eye contact, but defines the
newly evolved room as some kind of „privacy“. For the passer-by undefinable activities (work-discussions, studio-working etc) took place in this room. Mutual observation is the topic of slide projections on the foil.
1995:
„INSTALLATION OF A FIGURE OF CHRIST IN A PUBLIC SUBWAY“
Installation of an unfinished sculpture, made by an unknown wood-sculpturer ( probably about 1930) in a public subway (contribution to „Sculptur in situ“, Museum of
the City of Heilbronn)
1994
„VICTOR SCHAUBERGER CABINET (Noble-Water - a question of form)“
Temporary installation in a supermarket
In the beverages department of a supermarket the bottle containers were piled
up in his way that they represented an architectural situation with a rectangle
groundplan. On one side, there is an entrance to the interior, on the walls there
are showcases, made of cardboard and foil. Inside: yellowed journals of the sixties
with articles about the research of the then popular - but controversially disputed
- „water researcher“ Victor Schauberger, the alleged inventor of „noble-water“.
Somewhat lifted on the wall: a portrait of Schauberger, in front of him a glass of
water.
1991
„PROVISIONAL FOUNTAIN“
Temporary installation in public space (Füssen)
A blue container with the inscription „provisional fountain“ and with an irritating
interior has been placed in a pedestrian precinct for a fortnight. The possibility of
coming in without any obligations was offered to the public by the production of
the cultivated distribution of a cup of water inside the container, combined with an
arrangement of experimental objects labelled „flow effects“ and the like.Interested
visitors could receive a cup of water from the permanently present artist.
1989
„SOCIAL / ANTISOCIAL ASSOCIATION“
Founding of a fictional party 1989
party-office of the S/AV
The „Social/antisocial association“ sees itself as an organisation of public life, requesting the development of contradiction and the cultivation of differences. It pursues
its aims by constantly applying aesthetic competence to the context of everyday life
(„Lebenswelt“) . The S/AV realizes its request for example by events like „public
table discussions“ at the so-called „Difference Table“, through promotion-events or
by distributing training-materials.
The „social/antisocial association“ intends to contribute to a „cultur of diversity“ and
to the development of an individual self-understanding on the base of recognition of
the different.
1986:
„WITTGENSTEIN IS NOT A RESORT“
Temporary intervention in a given architectural situation
„nothing could be more peculiar, than watching a person, who believes himself to
be unobserved, behaving in a very normal way. Imagine a theatre where the curtain is rising and we can see a human being, alone in his room walking up and down,
lighting a cigarette, sitting down and so on, in a way, that we could immediately
see a human being from outside, in a way you never see yourself, as if you could
see a chapter of a biography with your own eyes - that would be indeed strange
and wonderful at the same time. Even more wonderful, than anything else a poet
could arrange to be played or spoken on stage, we`d see life itself.
- But that´s what we see every day, and it doesn`t impress us at all!
-Yes, but we don´t view it from this perspective.“
(Wittgenstein-edition, volume 8 p.455)
participation-projects
2012:
„ LIMINAL RESPECT”“
contribution to the real-time-competition „ 72 hours urban action“ Stuttgart
in cooperation with students of the University of Applied Sciences FHKunst Arnstadt
„72 hours urban action“ is an international urbanistic contest, taking place every year
in a different country. The teams only have 72 hours – three days and nights – to
design and build their interventions – on site and in real-time. On launch day, the
teams receive their missions for the first time and start designing a response to the
site‘s potential and build it then and there in 1:1 scale. The teams have to handle
challenges of no sleep, working with new people and curious neighbours around.
In 2012 Andreas Mayer Brennenstuhl and his team „Bob´s dreamteam“ from the FH
Kunst Arnstadt, received the „Award for Best Architecture“ for their installation „Liminal respect“
2011: „OUR PAVILION“
self-organized platform for political and cultural activities in the occupied castlegarden in Stuttgart in cooperation with numerous activists of the movement
against the project S21 (supported by SOUP)
website: www.unser-pavillon.de
2006
„RUIN“
construction in the form of ruins built in cooperation with unemployed young
people and used as a temporary meeting point and venue for their cultural practice
2009:
„ADVERTISING BATTLE“ Project for young people overpainting advertising posters
on the occasion of „BIENNIALE SZUKI DLA DZIEKA“ Poznan (Poland)