"Born From Stone" is an immersive installation by Goshka Macuga, inspired by the ancient Roman temple of Mithras discovered beneath the current site of Bloomberg’s European headquarters. For the exhibition, the artist created a transformational cave-like installation featuring sculptural rock formations which evoke the subterranean landscape of the temple’s origins. Within this immersive environment, visitors will encounter a selection of works, carefully curated by Macuga on loan from Imperial War Museums.
The Kunsthaus NRW presents two projects by David Claerbout: "Wildifre (Meditation on Fire)" and "Backwards Growing Tree". The works of David Claerbout interlink the media of photography and film, dissolving the barriers that separate them and calling in question the specific characteristics of the photographic and filmic image. A seemingly realistic spatiotemporal continuum turns out to have been subtly manipulated and changed by digital means, thus comprising the respective classic expectations of these media.
"Cuentos Posibles" provides a profound insight into Jeff Wall's unique artistic production and highlights his major influence on the (re)definition of photography as an integral part of contemporary art. The exhibition showcases works from 1978 to the present day, encompassing a wide spectrum of registers and modes of expression that range from pure description to beginnings of possible tales.
The Pinakothek der Moderne presents Slawomir Elsner’s latest project “Case Studies on Rubens”. As a continuation of his “Imaginary Memory” series, which he has been developing since 2014 as an in-depth examination of canonical works of art history, Elsner is focussing this time on a work by the Flemish Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens. The significant self-portrait “The Honeysuckle Bower”, created around 1609 and housed in the Alte Pinakothek, is subjected to poetic reflection through a fusion of drawing and painting techniques.
Installation view, 2024, photo: Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München, courtesy of Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München & Pinakothek der Moderne
To this day, the representation of the human body continues to be central to artistic practice, both in terms of exploring concepts of beauty and aesthetics and due to its cultural, political, and symbolic implications. "Faire Corps," the fourteenth exhibition held at Fondation Villa Datris, explores visions of the body and its different aspects through the works of 60 international artists, including Stephan Balkenhol.
"Survival in the 21st Century" explores the fundamentals of life in the modern era, human existence and survival in the 21st century; a century marked by progress and innovation, but also by conflict and uncertainty about the future. The exhibition presents a great selection of works, ranging from painting, sculpture, photograph, textile and even installation. Featured artists include Goshka Macuga and Thomas Struth, among others.
The Küppersmühle Museum in Duisburg dedicates a major retrospective to the German artist Karin Kneffel. The exhibition "Come in, Look out" gathers over 70 paintings by the artist, ranging from her early beginnings in the 2000s to the present day, among which are some of her most renowned works, as well as her current series of Madonna paintings. A small group of watercolors completes the exhibition. The theme is the multi-layered spatiality in Karin Kneffel’s painting.
David Claerbout presents his recent work "Birdcage" at the Palazzo Contarini Polignac, as part of the collateral exhibition to the 60th Venice Biennale entitled "From Ukraine: Dare to Dream". In Claerbout's film, an explosion shatters the tranquility of an idyllic garden, conveying a sense of emergency in what at first appeares to be a peaceful environment. The silent explosion takes place over a long and muted scene, reflecting the artist's preoccupation with perception, cognition and temporality.
Leiko Ikemura inaugurates her first museum exhibition in Korea "Light on the Horizon". The title refers to a recurring motif in Ikemura's artistic practice, rooted in her personal migration experiences and which has assumed increasing significance within her poetic and complex œuvre. The exhibition focuses on works that were created over the last decade, including paintings and glas sculptures, thus providing a comprehensive overview of the artist's current artistic practice.
The Kunstmuseum Basel is presenting new works by Anri Sala alongside the Old Masters Collection. The exhibition "Anri Sala: In the Midst of Old Masters" features a series of six frescoes, created in 2023 and which are the result of the artist's fascination for the historical technique of fresco painting in relation to his time-based media work. These works represent a continuation of Anri Sala's reflections on temporality and narrative, both key concepts in his artistic practice.
A century ago, the term "concrete art" emerged, leaving an indelible mark on the artistic landscape. Today, both the Museum for Concrete Art in Ingolstadt and the Museum im Kulturspeicher Würzburg honor this artistic genre, which has shaped not only the art of the 20th century but continues to influence contemporary art practices. Featuring the works of young artists who resonate with this movement, the exhibition provides a new perspective on concrete art, tracing its evolution from its inception to the present day.
Installation view, 2024, photo: Hubert P. Klotzeck, courtesy of Museum for Concrete Art Ingolstadt
For the first time in a museum, Karin Kneffel presents her latest series, in which she breaths new life into statues of Madonnas from the 15th to 16th centuries through vibrant and colorful representations. In these works, Kneffel approaches sacred art from a contemporary and complex perspective. In doing so, she not only celebrates the timeless splendor of the Madonna statues but also invites viewers to contemplate the complex interplay between tradition and innovation in contemporary art.
In this time of unpredictability, where everything seems transitory and at risk of disappearing, our world feels more fragile than ever. Inspired by a philosophical tale by Jacques Voltaire, "Le monde comme il va" presents a careful selection of artworks that shed light on our contemporary existence. Despite the turbulences, the world persists in its rotation, and within its flux, we collectively script our narrative.
"In Absence" delves into the essence of photography, challenging its physical constraints and technical prerequisites, while also exploring broader themes such as speculative fiction, belonging, nostalgia and obscurity. For this purpose, the Philara Collection has curated a selection of works spanning nearly a century, ranging from the surrealist photography in the 1920s to the contemporary iterations of digital and analogue photography.
Forum Würth Rorschach presents its 10th-anniversary exhibition under the title "Water, Clouds and Wind". A selection of artworks from the Würth Collection which focuses on these natural phenomena. Phenomena that are not only determining factors in our climate but have also been an essential part of art history since immemorial times.
