Connecting War and the Arts
Since 29 April 2011, Berlin-based Brutto gusto presents the impressive work “Back from War” by the Belgian artist Cathy Coëz. Born in 1968 in Grenoble (France) and living in Brussels, the artist works with earthenware and porcelain since just two years: countless objects are meticulously produced and often organically arranged by her. ”Back from War“ joins her previous abstract but highly touching reflection of war.
On 5 May 2011, Kunstraum Richard Sorge will open the solo show “schlachten” with works by Jens Kloppmann. The exhibits presented address war, perception and commemoration by various ways and different materials. On show from 8 May onwards (and thus parallel to the anniversary of unconditional surrender of German forces in World War II), the exhibition will be supported by special events such as an artist’s talk on 26 May, moderated by Martin Bayer (wartist.org).
Since the end of the Second World War, every year on 15 August (the day of Japanese surrender) Japanese members of government visit the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. But Prime Minister Naoto Kan, elected on 4 June 2010, who some days ago already apologised for the colonial rule 1910-1945 to South Korea, continues his reconciliatory approach: for the first time since 25 years, no member of the government attended the anniversary’s ceremonies.
In today’s issue of FAZ, Germany’s most important newspaper, the Ukrainian author Yuri Andrukhovych (“The Secret”) describes the problematic handling of democracy in his motherland in his article “Bitte beobachten Sie mein Land! – Was soll die Ukraine in Europa?” (Please observe my country! – What does Ukraine suppose to be in Europe?). He also refers to the re-emerging adoration for Stalin (see also our article on the new Stalin memorial in Zaporizhia).
Continue reading ““Mother Motherland” (Kiev) and more works by Vuchetich”
Already on 5 May 2010, a memorial for Stalin was unveiled in the south-Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia. While it is of no special artistic importance (it could have been put on this way some 60 years ago; maybe there was even an old bust to be used for a mould?), it is even more so politically.
Continue reading “New Stalin Memorial Unveiled”
A friend called our attention to the works of Peter Sauerer: his wooden sculptures are often in a small scale and address history, celebrities and our memory and imagination. For this, he is often making use of irony if not mockery without trivialising his subjects. The spatially small works condense the issues and commit the viewer to take a thorough look at them.
Continue reading “Peter Sauerer”
Barents Observer reported that the memorial for the 118 Russian sailors who died when their submarine K-141 Kursk sunk on 12 August 2000 had been “dishonoured by vandals”. The monument had been unveiled in July this year in Murmansk. Its inscription “For submariners who have died in peacetime” had been stolen.
According to the Ukrainian website censor.net, judge Victor Poprevich, living in the mining city of Donezk (Ukraine), put up two sculptures of Lenin and Stalin in front of his home – having said that, setting them on the ground is all but respectful. The official name of the street to his house is “Olimpijskaja”, but Poprevich renamed it quite fittingly into “Blind Alley of Communism”.
Continue reading “Stalin bust gets a new home at “Blind Alley of Communism””
Moeller Fine Art shows in its Berlin gallery the multifaceted group exhibition “Manifest Destiny” with photographs, installations, sculptures, collages and drawings by Mildred Howard (USA), Tom Molloy (Ireland) and Simon Norfolk (Nigeria/UK). The title refers to the homonymous 19th-century-doctrine that was also used to legitimate the territorial expansion of the USA as God’s will.
Continue reading “Opening: “Manifest Destiny” at Moeller Fine Art (Berlin)”
Good things come to those who wait… The memorial for the 118 Russian sailors who died when their submarine K-141 Kursk sunk on 12 August 2000 was finally unveiled in Murmansk. Nine years after the disaster, there is now a memorial to remember the submariners in Murmansk.
Continue reading ““Kursk” Memorial Finally Unveiled”