empathy

I’m an article

Existing just on the lips: “What I predict to forget, what I predict to remember” by Marlena Kudlicka is not only the title of Stedefreund new exhibition, it’s also the most immaterial artwork I’ve ever seen. Not identified by material objectification and defined just by a title, called “The Title,” the words become incarnate in the space and time of the exhibition.

Moving inspiration

Located near Rosa-Luxemburg-platz, near PSM Galerie, Stedefreund made its latest move to its new location in November 2011, and since then there have already been three exhibitions that have taken place in the former garage space. Even though not intended initially, changing spaces has become integral and inspiring for the leading gallery team: founded in 2006 by 20 artist (today just 12) this in the third location they’ve moved to.

Space, time and memory

The inspiration of the space is clear from the first step I take in the room. Very high ceilings, cement floor, empty walls…here art can breathe!

Choosing only 7 pieces of art from different artists, each of them has just the right space to be seen by itself, yet is close enough to the other art to create a strong dialogue. Dialogue that appears as a basic characteristic for such a philosophical show; by themselves the artworks could possibly appear a bit weak, but all together create they an experience worth seeing, involving such concepts as space, time and memory.

Video workAnne Gathmann/Jo Zahn, Schalter, 2012, Video Loop. Photo: Marlena Kudlicka, Courtesy of Stedefreund 

Being a distracted journalist

I take a look at the press release that a nice girl hands me; a series of super twisted and complex explanations of concepts and meanings fill an entire paper that appears just too long after only the first sentences. My attention is completely gone, but to “appear nice,” I still concentrate on the page in my hand.

After that, I ask the girl the most simple and logical question: “What is this all about?”

So a nice journey starts

Starting with  Andy Graydon’s space recorder, I start understanding what I didn’t have the patience to read: feeling the space and reflecting on time as a malleable material molded by personal memories is recalled in the present by each artwork in different ways. Mitzi Pederson affixes photographic blurred prints to translucent silk; Rebecca Michaelis made a thin, flexible metal bar where light reflections can become parallel worlds; and Alexandra Schumacher’s photograph embodies the presence of absence.

  

An allusive art net


An art net of traces and memories, referring in some way to each other, is already a bit tough to deal with, but mixed with wonderful personal memories and thoughts aroused in me, I sincerely found myself getting totally lost in each piece, recalling in my mind and contemplating about the most tangible artwork of the show made by Marlena Kudlicka: the Title.

  • Stedefreund, “Space Release #3, What I predict to remember – What I predict to forget, “, January 21th –  February 18th 2012, Friday – Saturday: 3pm – 6pm

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