translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
250808: Secession: Thomas Hirschhorn – The Eye
Secession: Thomas Hirschhorn – The Eye
Blood, consumption, and ideology
The Secession in Vienna is currently showing Thomas Hirschhorn’s installation “The Eye”. The dominating theme of his exhibition is the colour red: red as a symbol for blood and raw meat, for a national colour, for coca-cola packaging material – synonyms for life and violent death, nationalism, and global consumer imperialism. Movable walls are covered with press clippings and photos, all depicting something connected to blood or death: “the eye does not see everything – but it sees all that is red” (Hirshhorn).
Slain baby seals, victims of violence, war and terrorism, diverse flags and all sorts of things positioned throughout the exhibition space, which refer to the global omnipresence of red: traffic signs, hearts made of carton, anatomical models with blood vessels painted onto them or globes stained with blood, everything red effectively presented against a white background. Documentations showing victims of unbelievably brutal violence are positioned in contrast to blind consumerism and bland voyeurism. Something everyone should reflect on.
“Art develops from outrage” Hirschhorn wrote in an email to a NZZ journalist in 2002. The politically dedicated installation “The Eye”, with its special and accessible model of a world, which is dominated by the symbolic power of the colour red, is reflected by its content and is at the same time visually overwhelming.
Secession
1010 Vienna, Friedrichstrasse 12, until 04. 09. 2008
www.secession.at
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250808
Secession
1010 Wien, Friedrichstrasse 12
Tel: +43 1 587 53 07, Fax: +43 1 587 53 07-34
Email: office@secession.at
http://www.secession.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di-So 14-18 h
Secession
1010 Wien, Friedrichstrasse 12
Tel: +43 1 587 53 07, Fax: +43 1 587 53 07-34
Email: office@secession.at
http://www.secession.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di-So 14-18 h