Vernissagen | Wartist

“War” – Photographs by James Nachtwey at the Military-Historical Museum, Dresden

From 12 February until the end of May 2012, the Militärhistorische Museum (MHM, Military-Historical Museum of the Bundeswehr¹) in Dresden will show the exhibition “Krieg” (war) with photographs by James Nachtwey. He is one of the most important contemporary photojournalists; not the least, he is famous for his touching pictures from zones of war and conflict. Nachtwey will receive the Dresden Peace Award; in this course, he will open the MHM’s first special exhibition after its recent reopening. Krieg will include some 60 of his works, including his impressive 11m-long frieze that had only been on show in two exhibitions in the USA and France.

German Armed Forces ↩

Achim Riethmann: “The Blue Sky” at Galerie Anke Zeisler

From 26 January until 28 March 2012, Galerie Anke Zeisler presents the exhibition “Der blaue Himmel” (the blue sky) with works by Achim Riethmann. His watercolours illustrate the book “Kleine Tragödien” (small tragedies, 2011) by the Vietnamese author Le Minh Khue. “The Blue Sky” is the title of one of the book’s stories and refers to the view from a tank’s open hatch.

“Turning Point” was opened at ARD-Hauptstadtstudio

Continue reading ““Turning Point” was opened at ARD-Hauptstadtstudio”

Wartist presents: Group Show “Turning Point” on 10 years of 9/11 at ARD-Hauptstadtstudio, Berlin

We are proud to present the group show “Zeitenwende” (turning point) on the premises of the both centrally located and well-visited ARD-Hauptstadtstudio on 1 September 2011. 12 artists show their positions on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and their ongoing aftermath: more than 50 works include light, video and textile installations, photography, watercolours and paintings. The exhibition is curated by Martin Bayer (wartist.org) and will be opened on 1 September 2011 by Head of ARD-Hauptstadtstudio Ulrich Deppendorf. “Zeitenwende” is a cooperation with Deutsche Atlantische Gesellschaft (German Atlantic Association).

Wartist presents Jan Bejšovec: “Konfliktstoff Deutschland” (Berlin)

We are proud to present textile works by Jan Bejšovec on the premises of the both centrally located and well-visited ARD-Hauptstadtstudio on 5 July 2011.¹ The solo show “Konfliktstoff Deutschland”² is a wide selection of the Berlin-based artist’s works, including new ones such as the “Reichsstadtpalast”³. The exhibition is curated by Martin Bayer (wartist.org). On the occasion of the opening, ARD correspondent Christian Thiels will moderate an artist’s talk.

Reichsstadtpalast (Detail), 65x120cm (© Jan Bejšovec)

The studio of the German TV station ARD (regulated by public law) and their liaison offices in the capital Berlin. ↩
The German Konfliktstoff literally means “cause for conflict”, but here, it refers to the textile material, too. ↩
Literally “Imperial City Palace”, referring to its combination of the Nazi’s Reichskanzlei, the Imperial City Palace of Berlin, and the GDR’s “Palace of the Republic”, all three historic buildings of Berlin that have been demolished. ↩

255.804 km² – Young Art from the Former Yugoslavia (Brot Kunsthalle, Vienna)

From 27 May until 23 June 2011, Hilger Brot-Kunsthalle in Vienna (Austria) presents “255,804 km² – Young Art from the Former Yugoslavia“, naming the size of the then-Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in its title. The exhibition assembles works from 30 artists who were born in this state that broke down in 1991-1992. This collapse led to several wars; most of their conflicts are still unresolved.

Jens Kloppmann: “schlachten” (Kunstraum Richard Sorge, Berlin)

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).

Mihai Grecu: „we’ll become oil“ (Hengesbach Gallery, Berlin)

From 30 April to 9 July 2011, Berlin-based Hengesbach Gallery presents the impressive 8-mins video “we’ll become oil” by Mihai Grecu, born in 1981 in Sebeș (Romania): Attack helicopters appear in an empty desert. After flying some artistic patterns together, they suddenly crash into each other. A cut leads the film to its next scene: a massive wall of flames and thick black smoke is generated by a huge fire, obviously of burning oil. Its destructive power is supported by a both hypnotic and dark sound.

Wartist presents: “Furtive” by Simon Menner (Berlin)

From 18 March 2011, Wartist presents photographic works by Simon Menner in the premises of the Berlin-based political consultancy republik movida GmbH. The exhibition “Furtive”, curated by Martin Bayer, will show parts of two cycles, “Camouflage” and “Murder Weapons”. Reinhold Robbe, Wehrbeauftragter des Deutschen Bundestages 2005-2010,¹ will give a welcoming address.

Camouflage: Fake emplacement left side of the image. Sniper in the gap between the trees on the right side, 90x110cm (© Simon Menner)

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces ↩

Opening: SHOOT! Photography existential (C/O Berlin)

From 5 February until 27 March 2011, the photo gallery C/O Berlin – its future still being imperiled, as the investor who bought the premises did not stick to its own agreement – presents the exhibition “SHOOT! Photography Existential”. It reminds us of a nearly forgotten fun fair attraction, the “photo shot”: the shooter “kills” himself by taking a picture of himself – obviously, this virtual self-destruction was quite fascinating.

Big fun, not the least for existentialists:

Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sarte shooting themselves Continue reading “Opening: SHOOT! Photography existential (C/O Berlin)”