Look at us!

 

The theme of this group exhibition is very simple: look at us, human beings. Look at how we present ourselves, how we pretend, how proud we are of who we are, and how we dream of being someone else. Look how we live our daily lives. Look at our bodies and souls full of desires, obsessions, and fears.

The different works in the exhibition capture various moments of the human being confronting the world and others. The representation of individuals in their private sphere and in exchange with the outside world has perhaps been one of the most exciting subjects in the history of art. Through the ages artists have attempted to show and understand our multifaceted human existence by portraying themselves and their peers. This fascination with looking at ourselves has fed another typical human characteristic, the voyeuristic pleasure of looking at the exposed other.

The artists participating in the exhibition come from various countries all over the world and are in different phases of their artistic lives. Each of them engages in a particular way with the subject of looking at us. By using various media that suit the given focus best, such as photography, painting, sculpture, or drawing, the works show a wide variety of artistic approaches and interests. Photographic and painted portraits often serve as psychological investigations of depicted individuals – sometimes the artists themselves – and their specific position in our ever-changing society. Other works treat men/women primarily as members of political communities and aim at disclosing universal social mechanisms and shared human interactions. Sometimes artists choose an indirect approach and use objects and symbols (food, hunted animals, plants) to reflect on humankind. As divers as human nature is, so too are the emotions that the works generate: humor, tenderness, and curiosity go hand in hand with fear, consternation, and, perhaps, the will to change.

Participating artists: Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Gina Beavers, Ute Behrend, Leidy Churchman, Serge Attukwei Clottey, Alain Fleischer, Arturo Herrera, Mark Horowitz, Clemens Kalischer, Tomasz Krecicki, Michael Kunze, Jochen Lempert, Myriam Mechita, Ana Mendieta, Alexandra Noel, Roman Opalka, Patricia Parinejad, Robin Rhode, Antanas Sutkus, Goran Tomcic, Ulay, Tillman Wendland, Joey Wolf, Rose Wylie.