„Ceci n’est pas une pipe.“
„This is not America.“
But good people can make a difference. Always.
The Temptation to Exist by Alfredo Jaar, *1956 in Santiago de Chile, based in New York, is the current exhibition at gallery Thomas Schulte in Berlin.
It shows works of the past four decades, Alfredo‘s himself, and those of other very important, famous artists who knew and know how to make a difference, in triggering social-political, in swimming against the current, withstand the mainstream, shining a light, provoke and seduce at the same time.
Otherness bears a very special charm, at which we look, and the artist leads us. „Excellent art“ means not to capture and inspire us at first sight (only), but art which endures, which remains in our minds – above all in our hearts – and then occasionally pops up there as a reminder until it manifests itself permanently in our thoughts, our convictions and actions.
There are no rules for Contemporary Art … („What are the rules of the game? Well, really the answer is that there are none.“ (Natalie Rudd. Contemporary Art. Thames & Hudson. 2023. p.34)) but there is a multitude of creative ideas that move us, reach us, artists who have managed to motivate whole nations, worldwide as well.
We may not necessarily like the word „blockbuster“, especially in Germany, because too entertaining, a bid superficial perhaps, too enthusiastic and just too much, but the artists whose works are gathered in this exhibition that Alfredo provides, are undeniable a crème de la crème! And as an answer to the question of how to make art when the world is in its current state, Alfredo states: make art!
An artist creates a place for hope.
An artist creates a place for resistance.
An artist creates a place that allows others to find ideas and break new ground.
„If I didn’t write, I could have become an assassin,“ and „It is not worth the killing of bother yourself, since you always kill yourself too late.“ These quotes are written and announced by Emil Cioran (*1911 in Rãsinari/Romania — 1995 in Paris/France) one of Alfredo‘s most beloved writers, and the exhibition’s title marks a reference to one of the books of Cioran.
In German there’s a saying: „Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof“, translated: Life’s not a pony farm, which means that life is no walk in the park, and ’s not meant to be (too) easy.
Yes, life is not a pony farm, even, or particularly, if you’d decide that you’d love to live on one, and often it is those who felt and had to live through the most pain and injustice who carry the biggest heart into the world, and who in between – again and again – are able to see that life sometimes can be a pony farm as well, in spite of everything.
Well, so possibly don’t be too cynical, look at art, try to see beauty in its many forms – at least purpose – in everything and everybody, and live your live as an artist, as an art admirer, as a lover, as a friend. And maybe. In the best case. Make. A. Difference.
Dostojewski meinte Schönheit könne die Welt retten ..
Artists of the exhibition:
Alfredo Jaar, Bas Jan Ader, Rosa Barba, Letizia Battaglia, Dawoud Bey, Monica Bonvicini, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, Stanley Brouwn, Giovanna Calvenzi, Angela de la Cruz, Hanne Darboven, Gino De Dominicis, Juan Downey, Theo Eshetu, Ayse Erkmen, Valie Export, Hamish Fulton, Hans Haacke, Mona Hatoum, Jenny Holzer, Rebecca Horn, Ann Veronica Janssens, Joan Jonas, Birgit Jürgenssen, On Kawara, Seydou Keïta, Grada Kilomba, Cosima zu Knyphausen, Joseph Kosuth, Jannis Kounellis, Mischa Kuball, Piero Manzoni, Gordon Matta-Clark, Zanele Muholi, Shirin Neshat, Yoko Ono, Anna Oppermann, Giuseppe Penone, Susan Philips, Charlotte Posenenske, Gerhard Richter, Fred Sandback, Karin Sander, Carolee Schneemann, Malick Sidibé, Katharina Sieverding, Dayanita Singh, Nancy Spero, Rosemarie Trockel, Reijiro Wada, Lawrence Weiner, and Francesca Woodman.
Monica Bonvincini . Power Joy Humor Resistance . 2021
I always believed that in order for me to act in the world, I need to understand the world.
Alfredo Jaar
Images are very important, images are fundamental, images are not innocent.
Alfredo Jaar
Alfredo Jaar names his most well-known project the Rwanda project, the genocide in Rwanda, ignored for many days until up to seven weeks, by the big, influential newspapers around the world.
Alfredo Jaar . The Temptation To Exist . June, 24 – August, 12 . Galerie Thomas Schulte . Berlin .
