translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
150609: Camera Austria: Then the work takes place – On the paradigm of the conceptual in contemporary photography
Camera Austria: Then the work takes place – On the paradigm of the conceptual in contemporary photography
Picture language
As a continuation of the exploration of conceptual tendencies in photography, which go beyond documenting conceptual work and develop new formal as well as aesthetic approaches, the current exhibition at the Camera Austria completes Dan Graham’s dictum to Sol LeWitt. In the relationship between idea and work the focus shifted to the work, and artists were selected, who subtly undermine the classic conceptual classification system. The fact that all of these deliberations are the cause for overlaps can partly be attributed to the artists Joachim Koester and Peter Piller, both present at the exhibit, and who were also already present in 2006.
Marine Hugonnier’s work “Towards Tomorrow (International Date Line, Alaska I)”, 2001, impresses with its size and the popular as well as kitschy sunset-motif. And only the title sheds light on the actual meaning of her work: the view goes towards tomorrow, the next day, across the dateline, by showing a sundown and thereby disturbing the human cognition automatism.
Sharon Lockhart’s triptych deals with seeing and being seen. One of the employees at the Oaxaca section of the Anthropological Museum in Mexico City is transformed into an “object on display”, but by returning the glances back to the viewer he escapes objectification.
This exhibition can be considered a silent homage to Bas Jan Ader whose complete dedication to artistic articulation of conceptual processes, for which he paid with his life, is continuously explicitly implicit (Jean-Luc Mylayne), implied (Hans Schabus) or immanent (Christopher Williams).
Even if this exhibition seems to be demanding for the viewer, the pictures speak for themselves – and are appealing -, but it is up to the viewer to which extent he/she wants to deal with the underlying concept.
By Nora Theiss
Camera Austria
8020 Graz, Kunsthaus Graz, Lendkai 1, until 28.06.09
www.camera-austria.at
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150609
Camera Austria
8020 Graz, Kunsthaus Graz, Lendkai 1
Tel: +43(0) 316/ 81 555 00, Fax: +43(0) 316/ 81 555 09
Email: office@camera-austria.at
http://www.camera-austria.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di-Sa 10-17 h
Camera Austria
8020 Graz, Kunsthaus Graz, Lendkai 1
Tel: +43(0) 316/ 81 555 00, Fax: +43(0) 316/ 81 555 09
Email: office@camera-austria.at
http://www.camera-austria.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di-Sa 10-17 h