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19/5/2010

Three Exhibitions

Haus der Kunst, Munich

Michael Schmidt - Grey as colour. Photographs until 2009
curated by Thomas Weski

The works by Berlin-based artist Michael Schmidt (*1945) present a further distinctive position within contemporary photography shown at the Haus der Kunst. Michael Schmidt takes only black-and-white photographs since, in his view, this neutralises our colourful world reducing it to a wide spectrum of greys. Therefore, schmidt could be considered a photographer of greys rather than black-and-white: 'Grey is my colour. There are thousands of grey gradations. Black and white are always the darkest and the lightest grey'. His images thereby lack any kind of superficiality; they avoid any sort of event and are far removed from the photographic concept of the 'decisive moment'.

Up until the 1990s, schmidt concentrated almost exclusively on his home town berlin. The wall, which defined life in the divided city, becomes the topic 'waffenruhe' [ceasefire] in his photographic work (1985–1987). In 'ein-heit' [u-ni-ty] (1991–1994), Michael Schmidt combines individual and collective memories, and mixes images from east and West Berlin. 'Ein-heit' generally deals with the symbolic language used in political systems and, at the same time, examines the apparently predetermined roles of individuals. In 1996, he gains international acclaim with his solo exhibition at the MoMA in New York. Since the 1990s, Michael Schmidt continues to extend his artistic practice's scope: while travelling through the german provinces he developed the series 'irgendwo' [somewhere] and his newest works show restrained as well as poetic views of the sea.

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Thomas Mayfried - Ephemera. Graphic design etc.
curated by Swantje Grundler and Chris Dercon

In 2003, architecture, design, fashion, film and photography were added alongside the visual arts as programmatic foci in the Haus der Kunst. This extended programme was accompanied by a new identity designed by thomas mayfried that associated itself with cinema, theatre and circus, while also referencing the building itself. The Haus der Kunst is one of the national socialist regime's first architectural propaganda projects. The historic interior architecture, as well as the original inscriptions in majuscule are largely still in existence.

Thomas Mayfried's design introduced the opposite: lower case writing and asymmetry; in order to illustrate the idea of cinema, theatre and circus he chose a dot font, which could be combined optimally with the new corporate typeface, namely the unpretentious helvetica prevalent worldwide. An abstract version the facade was always used as a logo until 2003. Though since the candid treatment of the house's history became part of the artistic programme in 2003, Thomas Mayfried introduced the brand ‘hausderkunst’.

This presentation provides an insight into the designer's studio and his process of designing; it shows influences and favourites: works by William Klein, Alexandr Rodchenko, Dan Graham, Massimo Vignelli a.o., whilst at the same time opening up the discussion on communication design for art museums by presenting idiosyncratic designs such as works by Wim Crouwel and Mevis & Van Deursen for the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

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Gustav Metzger
Strampelde Bäumf / Mirror Trees

In 1999, Gustav Metzger tarred the colonnade in front of the Haus der Kunst and called this opus 'travertine/judenpech'. His work is now being exhibited in the Haus der Kunst for a second time: As of May 21, he will be showing 'strampelde bäumf/mirrortrees'. The title of the work is a reference to the artist's origins and childhood. He was born in Nuremberg in 1926, the son of orthodox Jews. He was sent to London in a children's transport, and thus survived the Holocaust. But Gustav Metzger never saw his parents again – a trauma that permeated both his life and his work. 'strampelde bäumf/mirror trees' shows trees that have been torn from the earth by the roots, turned upside down and poured in concrete – trees toppled and kicking wildly, an image that reflect the story of Metzger's life.

Pres contact: Elena Heitsch and Sonja Zschunke
Haus der Kunst
Tel. +49 89 211 27-115
Fax +49 89 211 27-157
presse@hausderkunst.de

Image: Michael Schmidt, o. T., aus Porträt, 1983
© Michael Schmidt
Courtesy Galerie Nordenhake

Guided Tour for Press Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 5 pm
Opening 20 May, 7pm

Haus der Kunst
Prinzregentenstrasse 1, Munich
opening hours: mon–sun 10–20 h
thu 10–22 h
Admission 8, reduced 6

stampa

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