MONOCHROME
Carl Andre, Ian Anüll, John M Armleder, Willy Guhl, Bernhard Hegglin, Swantje Hielscher, Tom Holmes, Bruno Jakob, Thomas Julier, Jan Kiefer, Imi Knoebel, Josh Kolbo, Quinn Latimer, Olivier Mosset, Grazia Conti Rossini Schifferli, Oscar Tuazon, Marco Carl Zanini
17 Feb –

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Monochromatic painting is one of the idioms of modern art. Simply speaking, it has turned the focus toward the painting material itself. The actual physical material and the way it is processed refer to an intellectual process, an argument that legitimates the painting, its form and therefore its appearance. The references and the common argument of a straight line from Malevich to Minimalism are historicized and are less relevant for this exhibition, which will only show works and design objects that have a monochromatic surface. The precept of exhibiting monochrome objects lies within the urge to establish a common thread apart from subject matter that is inherent to each individual work. The focus is clearly on the materialistic object itself. Thus not negating the context and the conceptual framework of each work, but reinforcing individual concepts and seeing them in parallel. The common denominator of a monochromatic surface or appearance allows an irrational and intuitively chosen collection of objects and works, which cannot and do not have to be debated at first hand. This might allow different contexts and conceptual frameworks to overlap. It leaves freedom in terms of the object’s presence and is clearly linked to a strong feeling of wanting to show objects. A focus on the materialistic presence of an object and its inherent concepts. A certain work might simply look good with another work, which might only have something in common at first sight.

Since the T-Model Ford, the monochromatic is a standard for efficient industrial production. As Henry Ford stated: “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black.” This simple statement about the decision regarding the surface of an industrially produced object is part of the legitimation or reason for the appearance of this certain object. It is a part of an industrial concept. It reflects in basic terms part of an inherent concept and its transformation into material and vice versa.

Leaving the didactic notion of the beginning of this statement behind, we want to bring monochromatic objects into one room. They will be installed as a showroom that refers to a collector's home. The matter-of-fact reason behind their installation together is the monochrome.

8 pm – AKUSMONIE – live electronic performance – (monochrome) soundscape by Benedikt Schiefer, composer & sound artist.

Schiefer’s oeuvre embraces compositions with or without Live-Electronics for soloists, ensembles and orchestra, as well as electro acoustic or acousmatic music and its diffusion and spatialisation. In his producing, he draws attention to the assignment on perception and its phenomena, which thereby extends from auditory, audio-visual to performative realms and collaborations.

Finissage:

Sunday, 1 April 2012, 1 – 5 pm

TWO READINGS:

Kolt Beringer's poetry read by Quinn Latimer

&

Oscar Tuazon's writing read by Tobias Spichtig

Photography: courtesy Gunnar Meier