The open end
Tue Greenfort, Sarah Pierce/The Metropolitan Complex, Falke Pisano
The group exhibition Das offene Ende (The Open End) presents art works by Falke Pisano, Sarah Pierce/The Metropolitan Complex and Tue Greenfort, that purposely neither seem to have a beginning nor an end. They deal with intermediate stages of processes without predefined results. That way, they develop specific aesthetic and political paradigms. A substantial feature of the works is their openness towards creative production and presentation that flow into their meaning and the work methods of the artists.
Falke Pisano’s exhibition contribution A Sculpture turning into a Conversation (2006) is a video-taped talk about a group of people that interact inspired by an abstract sculpture. The artist’s talk is not only a description of the incident but also a speculative position regarding the scene. The meaning of the sculpture is explained by the description of the artist, who approaches the sculpture with logical systematics, constructing and revising meaning. Another work of the artist – Chillida (Forms & Feelings) (2006) – uses a publication by a famous PR expert about sculptures by Eduardo Chillida as a basis for a reflection on relations between objects, their representation and the feelings they induce inside spectators.
Sarah Pierce’s long-term project The Metropolitan Complex is an investigation arrangement regarding relations between institutions and the public. How is the public integrated in the work of institutions and how can the public’s needs become an issue of institutions? Sarah Pierce takes up a role inside the exhibition establishment that has more to do with administration than it has with art. Since 2003, The Metropolitan Complex publishes publications that contain non-public conversations held in specific exhibition environments about exhibition production. Another series of projects includes archives that were assembled by The Metropolitan Complex. Aside from publications by The Metropolitan Complex, excerpts from these archives (The Red Archive Dublin, The Meaning of Greatness, Affinity Archive Dublin, Monks Garden) will be exhibited.
Tue Greenford’s work was developed during a stay at Künstlerhaus Stuttgart. Equipped with a mobile printing studio, Greenford explored the city and made prints of gully covers. The sometimes decorated manhole covers are omnipresent, but people rarely notice them. They represent an invisible part of the city – the underground water system located. Greenford is interested in parts of the city that illustrate contrasting interests, contradictions and conflicts such as the blurring of the line between nature and culture. Many of Greenfort’s projects take these places as starting points for own interventions or examinations of environments. At Künstlerhaus, he will exhibit a documentary work.
Inside three glass cases, there will be more documentary materials. One case sontains publications by artist Chris Evans, who examined public sculptures regarding the relationships between artists, commissioners, interests and locations. Inside a second case, materials such as a book by concept artist Ian Wilson represents institution-critical approaches. Ben Kinmont produced a documentary booklet about the early deceased artist Christopher D’Arcangelo. A collage by Rachel Harrison that includes a photograph from the recently at Hammer Museum (Los Angeles) shown exhibition Société Anonyme. The third glass case contains copies and publications by Cedric Price, Oskar Hansen and a project from New York, The Stand, which was temporary situated on a market at China Town.




Photography: Marijan Murat