Lost in Translation. Marcin's works, which include, besides videos and live performances, performance-based photographs, use her own identity and personality to explore the depths and limits of our social behavior, trusted rites, and the resulting vulnerabilities. Seemingly unchangeable conditions are shattered in surprising ways, and freshly and playfully reconstituted on several levels.
The exhibition "Lost in Translation," with works by the New York video and performance artist Nadja Verena Marcin, will open at 19 h on 20.01.2011 at the jens fehring gallery. Marcin will be showing her current video work "Hotel" (12:00 min, HD, New York, 2010), shot in the "Larchmont" hotel in Greenwich Village and, during the opening reception, will present a newly conceived performance. Art historian Bettina Haiss will provide an introduction to the exhibition. Marcin will talk about her work and the current exhibition during an artist's talk at the Frankfurter Kunstverein on 24.01.2011 at 19.30 h. On 27.01.2011 at 19 h, the jens fehring gallery will present a screening, curated by Marcin, of video works by the artists Ronnie Bass, John Bock, Daniela Libertad and Shelly Silver.
Marcin's works, which include, besides videos and live performances, performance-based photographs, use her own identity and personality to explore the depths and limits of our social behavior, trusted rites, and the resulting vulnerabilities. Seemingly unchangeable conditions are shattered in surprising ways, and freshly and playfully reconstituted on several levels. The viewer, as a pure observer in a deceptive state of safety, is confronted with an apparently trustworthy situation that Marcin, bit by bit, exposes as a social construct and humorously questions. The enduring emotional intensity of the work opens-up the (frequently bewildered) observer to new ways of viewing customary systems and connections.
The title "Lost in Translation", as a thematic headline, indicates the possibilities and simultaneous limits of human communication. Works are shown here that succeed with both spoken, and pure gestural, dialogues. In this connection, the screening on 27.01.2011 will show current works by Ronnie Bass, John Bock, Shelly Silver and Daniela Libertad that conceptually and thematically belong alongside "Lost in Translation". The new works of Ronnie Bass and John Bock are being shown for the first time in Frankfurt.
Nadja Verena Marcin studied at SoA, Columbia University, New York. She has won numerous prizes, amongst others: International Artist Career Development Grant, ARTworks Int. Inc., Fulbright, DAAD and exhibited her works in international exhibitions, biennials, and galleries such as "Qui Vive?" 'Moscow International Biennale for Young Art, Moscow MOMA, 2010; Salon/Screening, ICA Philadelphia, 2010; "Uncontrollable Flesh", Berkley Art Museum, 2010; "Short-Term Deviation"', Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, New York; Kaunas Biennale, National Museum, 2009; Videonale 11 & 10, Kunstmuseum, Bonn; "Mediations Biennale", Poznan, 2008; "European Attitude", Zendai Moma, Shanghai, 2008; EJECT-Ex teresa arte actual, Mexico City; "Jumpnights", Museum Ludwig, Cologne, 2007.
Opening 20 Jenuary 2011 at 19 h
live performance at opening reception
introduction by Bettina Haiss
Jens Fehring Gallery
gutzkowstrasse 57 Frankfurt am Main
opening hours tue - thu, sat 10 - 15 h, fri 14 - 19 h and by appointment