11/6/2003
Statements 7
Antichi granai, Venezia
Statements 7 revolves around corporeality in art, and consists of sculptural works by the three artists Steven Gontarski, Marc Quinn and Thomas Rentmeister.
Steven Gontarski, Marc Quinn and Thomas Rentmeister.
On the occasion of the 50th Biennale di Venezia 2003, Dornbracht will
present Statements 7, between 13 and 30 June 2003, in Venice. Statements 7
revolves around corporeality in art, and consists of sculptural works by the three artists Steven Gontarski, Marc Quinn and Thomas Rentmeister.
The pre-opening, which will be attended by the artists, is on 12 June 2003
at 19.00. In addition, Marc Quinn's 12.5-m-high sculpture will be on display
outside on the Grand Canal terrace of Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, home of the
Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
The title of Steven Gontarski's work for Statements is 'The Monument to
Doubt'. It is the neo-classic figure of a fictional character named 'Prophet
Doubt', positioned at the top of a tall, obelisk-like structure with a
plinth of graffiti. The size of the sculpture is intended to symbolise the
extent of the homage that Gontarski pays to the fictional prophet. He
addresses the contrast between concept and reality, life to the point of
death and beyond, and transformation: from the purity of a dream through the
contamination of life and back to the purity of the spirit. Sculptures in an
urban setting are desecrated by illegal sprayers. Public lavatories and
fitted wash centres become dirty, twisting everything around completely. The
unstoppable recognition of this degeneration and the associated melancholy
feature sculpturally at the very point of contradiction.
Marc Quinn's work is entitled 'The Overwhelming World of Desire
(Phragmipedium Sedenii)'. The 12-meter-high orchid continues the series of
frozen flower sculptures from 'Eternal Spring' to 'Garden 2000'. Quinn
originally used real flowers, which he somehow dematerialised using freezing
techniques, thereby giving them quasi eternal life; in his contribution to
Statements, though, he returns the orchid to the real world as a picture. In
his work, the orchid, in a public display of its almost vulgar beauty,
becomes the symbol of our own sexual longing. Placed along the course of the
Canal Grande, the unusual physical presence of the orchid turns the busy
lives of the people into a game of insect-like dimensions, thereby creating
an association with the overwhelming world of longing.
In the image a detail of 'garden' by marc Quinn.
Thomas Rentmeister's work is called 'Santo*' (the Italian for 'holy').
Rentmeister has sculpted 145 used, emptied and cleaned refrigerators AD the
brightness of their colours and the architecture reminiscent of socialist
block structures of the 60s AD into a unique architecture. This architectural
moment, when the refrigerators are effectively brought back to life as a
work of art just at the end of their earthly existence, is reinforced by the
fact that the sculpture has been plastered with Penaten skin cream. This
healing cream completely fills any and all gaps and spaces such as handles
and ventilation grilles, thereby 'healing' the refrigerators' wounds and
helping them in their fragility. 'Santo*' is a kind of anti-utopia in an
intact world, an intact society, one that also shows its bulk rubbish
respect and love right up to the very last moment.
As part of the Statements projects Dornbracht, the international
manufacturer of designer fittings, has been presenting internationally
renowned artists, photographers, writers, musicians and designers since
1996, inviting them to express themselves in free interpretations on the
theme of 'Water, cleansing and rituals'. The Statements projects are
presented in international exhibitions and documented in high quality
catalogues. The Statements exhibition series is curated and designed by NEO
NOTO Mike Meireu, Cologne.
We would like, to invite you to the press receptions in Venice:
Pre-Opening Statements 7:
Thursday, 12 June 2003 from 18.45
Outdoor presentation Statements 7, Marc Quinn: On the Grand Canal terrace of
Palazzo Venier dei Leoni,
home of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
For further information:
Meireu und Meireu, Spichernstrasse 73, D-50672 Cologne
Stephanie Eckerskorn/ Kristina Kieser, tel.: +49 (0) 221 577 70204/5
s.eckerskorn@meireundmeire.de/ k. kieser@meireundmeire.de
Thursday, 12 June 2003 from 19.00
Exhibition from 13 to 30 June 2003 daily from 12.00 AD 21.00
Antichi Granai della Republica no 6 / Giudecca 10, 30133 Venezia