COLUMNS:

COLUMNS:


Continuous Project, Dexter Sinister, Bernd Krauß, Roman Ondák, Seth Price / November 20, 2010 – January 26, 2011 / Desaga, Cologne

The exhibition »COLUMNS:« examines current artistic practices that utilize publishing as a strategy. The selected artists prioritize concepts of circulation rather than small editions such as artist books. Through newspapers, magazines, blogs, and books, the works investigate various forms of transforming information via editing, translation or distribution processes. The ephemeral and often provisional style of the works on paper, videos and installations included in this exhibition are determined by (art) historical, social and economic factors. For COLUMNS artist Bernd Krauß (*1968, Nuremberg), who lives in Germany and the U.S., has collaborated with the curator to develop the setting of a publication-parcours in the gallery space. Sculptural and installation-based elements are provided in order for the viewer to attain better access to the works on display.
Since 1999 Bernd Krauß has published „Der Riecher,“ a small-format magazine that gives public and private information the status of newspaper articles. „Write your Riecher before your neighbour does it“ is the production slogan. The exhibition shows current issues and Krauß will continue to publish „Der Riecher“ during his temporary stay in Cologne. (www.derriecher. blogspot.com)
In „Awaiting Enacted“ the Slovakian artist Roman Ondák (*1966, Zilina) shows the circulation of supply and demand in a moment of stagnancy. In an existing, free local newspaper he replaces all images with photographs of men and women queuing in front of shops and public buildings. In this collage, distributed by Ondák in a high circulation, the queue becomes a new model of communication.
Dexter Sinister is a New york-based collaboration founded by Stuart Bailey (*1973, New york) and David Reinfurt (*1971, Chapel Hill) which publishes work that explores the intersection of design, editing, publishing and distribution. In „True Mirror Microfiche,“ a lecture with overhead projection is performed by a 20-strong cast of artists and thinkers. The work replicates, revises and recasts two 2008 performances staged in New york at The Kitchen and the Whitney Museum. Their project was expanded and developed specifically for „COLUMNS.“ (http://www.dextersinister.org)
„Dispersion“ is an essay by Seth Price (*1973, Jerusalem) in which he discusses the art historical dimension of circulation: „Suppose an artist were to release the work directly into a system that depends on reproduction and distribution for its sustenance, a model that encourages contamination, borrowing, stealing, and horizontal blur? The art system usually corrals errant works, but how could it recoup thousands of freely circulating paperbacks?“
Out of print avant garde art magazines like „Avalanche“ founded by Willoughby Sharp and Liza Béaror or „Eau de Cologne“ published by the galerist galerist Monika Sprüth are appropriated and redistributed by the artist project Continuous Project (Bettina Funcke, Wade Guyton, Seth Price, Joseph Logan). In this relaunch the original content remains untouched while the new format – stapled black and white photocopies – are reminiscent of fanzines.
Marion Ritter, born 1977 in Cologne, is a freelance curator and critic. In 2009 she earned her MA in curatorial studies at Bard College, Center for Curatorial Studies, New York.


tags: , , , , , , ,