Dennis Adams
Bas Jan Ader
Christian Andersson
John M. Armleder
David Batchelor
Bigert
Bergstrom
Heimir Bjorgulfsson
Christian Boltanski
Monica Bonvicini
Eberhard Bosslet
Angela Bulloch
Pedro Cabrita Reis
Jan Christensen
Jonas Dahlberg
Bjorn Dahlem
Knut Eckstein
Olafur Eliasson
Spencer Finch
Sylvie Fleury
Loie Fuller
Elin Hansdottir
Christian Hoischen
Jenny Holzer
Ann Veronica Janssens
Haraldur Jonsson
Kazuo Katase
Volkhard Kempter
Gunilla Klingberg
Takehito Koganezawa
Joseph Kosuth
Mischa Kuball
Dominik Lejman
Via Lewandowsky
Laszlo Moholy-Nagy
Carsten Nicolai
Olaf Nicolai
Maix Mayer
Francois Morellet
Bruce Nauman
Anny & Sibel Ozturk
Fritz Panzer
Philippe Parreno
Finnbogi Petursson
Daniel Pflumm
Wolfgang Ploger
Julius Popp
Diana Ramaekers
Lee Ranaldo
Leah Singer
Tobias Rehberger
Egill Saebjornsson
Michael Samuels
Keith Sonnier
Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag
Max Sudhues
James Turrell
Michel Verjux
Lawrence Weiner
Haegue Yang
Jun Yang
Matthias Wagner K
Open light in private spaces is the title of the world's first Biennale for International Light Art, which takes place in the eastern Ruhr metropolis in the context of the European Capital of Culture Rurh.2010. An exhibition project that sets out to present works of art by internationally renowned artists in 60 private spaces of inhabitants of the cities of Bergkamen, Bonen, Frondenberg/Ruhr, Hamm, Lunen and Unna. The project refers the individual spaces and the persons living or working in them. It includes artists who use light as basic material.
Curated by Matthias Wagner K
Open light in private spaces is the title of the world's first BIENNALE FOR INTERNATIONAL LIGHT ART, which takes place in the eastern Ruhr metropolis in the context of the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010. An exhibition project that sets out to present works of art by internationally renowned artists in 60 private spaces of inhabitants of the cities of Bergkamen, Bönen, Fröndenberg/Ruhr, Hamm, Lünen and Unna.
Apart from the concrete examination of current and historic hybrid structures and peculiarities of the urban and rural spaces, the project refers the individual spaces and the persons living or working in them. It includes artists who use light as basic material respectively as component or carrier of meaning for complex issues with regard to past and present, social and individual processes and phenomena, who deal reflectively with cultural differences, with political, medial and economic monopolisation or with private people's and society's culture of remembrance. References to history of architecture and design are as well part of the project as everyday culture, not excluding purely personal conditions of working and living.
The private spaces selected for the Biennale to host artistic interventions and presentations of already existing works range from summerhouse to miners' dwelling, so typical for the region, to apartment building, terraced and detached house, from the Wilhelminian-style villa to modern architecture, from the centrally located granny flat to the rural residence, from the barn to the vaulted cellar and attic or even the total living space, from the kids' room to the party room, the storage room or the funeral home or doctor's surgery attached to the private residence. Origin, age, number of family members and occupation of the inhabitants are just as heterogeneous: war refugee, newcomer from other parts of the country or from abroad or long-established resident, just born or 81 years old, small or large family, single, single with children and retired couple, housewife, medical doctor, musician, architect, chiropodist, mechanic, politician, therapist, upholsterer, teacher, antique dealer, sales woman and freelancer – familiar with art or in touch with it for the first time.
The first BIENNALE FOR INTERNATIONAL LIGHT ART invites to a dialogue with the people of a region that is characterized by structural change, and opens up avenues of thought and spaces for personal experience where comprehension and treatment of light art, publicness and privateness are touched.
It refers explicitly to the 1986 exhibition directed by Jan Hoet in Gent, called 'Chambres d'amis', where citizens of Gent opened their apartments and houses for artistic interventions and made them accessible to a large public. Jan Hoet is honorary president of this Biennale.
The BIENNALE FOR INTERNATIONAL LIGHT ART was conceived as an exhibition of contemporary art that is to take place every two years, from 2010 onwards, in North Rhine-Westphalia. Centring on LIGHT as a medium, the biennale's profile will include a rotational change of its focal theme and venue, thus permitting the respective artistic directors and invited artists to deal topically with global developments as well as political, economic, social and cultural environments in the federal state of NRW.
This biennale was founded by the Biennale für Internationale Lichtkunst gGmbH. Its first presentation has been realized in part by contributions by the federal state of NRW, Kunststiftung NRW, LWL-Kunststiftung and the participating cities.
Media requests to be addressed to Mirjam Flender
Biennale für Internationale Lichtkunst
c/o projekt2508 GmbH
Thomas-Mann-Straße 31
53111 Bonn
Germany
Phone +49.(0)228.184967-7
presse@biennale-lichtkunst.de
Information point at central station Unna
daily 9.30 a.m. – 5 p.m
Opening thursday 25th march, 11a.m.
60 private spaces of inhabitants of the cities of Bergkamen, Bönen, Fröndenberg/Ruhr, Hamm, Lünen and Unna
The private premises in Unna, Fröndenberg/Ruhr and the community Bönen are open for visitors on days with even
dates, the private premises in Hamm, Lünen and Bergkamen on days with odd dates.
PRICES: 15 EUR / 12 EUR reduced
(pupils, students, unemployed, disabled persons)
Groups of at least 10 persons: 12 EUR / person
Children up to the age of 12: free entry