I wasn’t sure where to file this show on my website. It is an exhibition but it also very much feels like a single piece, a very large site specific installation. Therefore I am posting it here under pieces :). Some of the elements will for sure become independent works later on but others only make sense in this very combination and particular location. Below is the official text from Kunsthalle Osnabrück in easy english. (Disclaimer: I was definitely not the first artist posing these questions, but maybe one of the first working in arambartholl style ;).
At the middle of page you find a video tour by me explaining more details of the show. All credits to the awesome team of Kunsthalle Osnabrück at the bottom.
From the program:
The Kunsthalle Osnabrück is celebrating its anniversary this year. The anniversary kicks off with the solo exhibition of the artist Aram Bartholl. It is the most comprehensive exhibition of his work to date. Aram Bartholl was born in Bremen and is working in Berlin. He was one of the first persons in Germany to deal artistically with conflicts of digitality and automation. These conflicts are changing our way of living together. Aram Bartholl originally comes from the field of architecture. Now his work focuses on performative interventions, sculptures and workshops. In his art, Aram Bartholl questions how we use media. How do we use social networks and online platforms? How are we monitored on these sites? How is data being spread on the internet? And how can our data be safe? Are we dependent on technology? Aram Bartholl draws attention to the gaps, contradictions or absurdities of our digital everyday life.
For the Kunsthalle Osnabrück, the artist transforms the church interior into a walk-in recycling yard for electrical appliances. A walk-through parcours built of piled up electronic waste makes the amount of recycled material of our possessions visible. This creates a unique environment for the diverse mediation offers such as workshops, repair shops and repair cafés, excursions, lectures and film screenings. These events take place in the installation during its running time. Oversized QR codes can be seen on the church walls. They raise critical questions about our responsibility for our handling of climate change, environmental protection, energy resources, raw materials and labour rights in the digital society. Also about the use and consumption of electronic devices. Another highlight of the exhibition is a 30-metre-long DHL Packstation. There, parcels can be picked up and dropped off at the Kunsthalle during the exhibition.
Supported by the Niedersächsische Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur and the Stiftung Niedersachsen. The VGH-Stiftung is sponsoring the accompanying art mediation programme for the exhibition. With the kind support of Deutsche Post AG, Lerec Elektrorecycling GmbH and Osnabrücker ServiceBetrieb.
Credits:
Curated by: Anna Jehle, Juliane Schickedanz (duo team, directors of Kunsthalle)
Curatorial assistance: Anna Holms
Public Programming: Aram Bartholl, Louisa Behr, Joscha Heinrichs, Anna Holms, Christel Schulte
Installation team: Norbert Hillebrand, Timo Katz, Andreas Zelle
Exhibition office: Natali Märtin
Visitor service: Frank Berger, Ulla Brinkmann, Harcharan Gill, Sina Lichtenberg, Kaan Ege Önal, Josef Wegmann
Finances: Viktoria Puskar
Janitor: Wilfried Wienstroer
Janitorial assistance: Frank Berger
PR: Kristina Helena Pavićević
Art mediation and education: Christel Schulte
