translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
010210: Centre PasquArt: Com&Com – La réalité dépasse la fiction (Reality overtakes fiction)
Centre PasquArt: Com&Com – La réalité dépasse la fiction (Reality overtakes fiction)
Post-irony – everything but the past?
“La réalité dépasse la fiction” is the title of the new exhibition of the artist duo Com&Com at the Centre PasquArt in Biel. With this first retrospective after 13 years of cooperation between Markus Gossolt and Johannes M. Hedinger the title postulates that reality has overtaken fiction. The artists sound the bell for their new creative phase on all levels of communication, and the term ‘post-irony’ describes the start as well as the concept of a new artistic strategy - free of all sarcasm and cynicism. “Finally something beautiful” the multi-user-blog “Beiz 2.0” states. All contributions to the blog posted by Com&Com (www.postirony.com/blog), which in the meantime has developed into a diversified collection of pictures, anecdotes, and ideas, deal with Com&Com’s “First Post-Ironic Manifesto”, which, based on the incoming statements, culminates in the formula “Beauty is the new punk”. Post-irony appears in a rainbow garment: it allows all “couleurs” of irony and anti-irony, and encourages and challenges a discourse.
On that note the exhibition is divided into four parts, and naturally the first works are described as “early works” and those following are subsumed as “creative phases”. Without exception, all texts regarding the exhibition consistently pronounce: “in 2009, the art duo will realign itself.” With “Post- irony” the turning point is proclaimed. The demand made by “Dictum. 43 (The only recipe: create beautiful work, then come what may)”, 2001, appears as writing on the wall, and is now delivered in the Salle Poma, the largest room in the Centre PasquArt: here the visitors are confronted with “Tree” (2010) a “Natural Ready Made”. From the roots to its crown, all stages of growth are visible in one object. The tree floats freely in space in a soft dimmed light. The tree is an allegory for a retrospective and can hardly be surpassed by romanticism, symbolism, and closeness to nature. Com&Com not only targets oft-cited formulas of emotion, empathy for recollections or social expectations from the artist, but simulates them: in addition to projects such as the Romanshorn memorial “Mocmoc” (2003 – 2006) wood and ceramic sculptures from the “Ender” (pointer) series (2010) are displayed on white plaster bases or framed pencil drawings. The traditional term of art is questioned with the help of a readily saleable object; the questions are expressed within the communications system of art itself and through its economic structures. But the tree will wither miserably in the museum, while the term ‘post-irony’ is taken out on t-shirts and continues to bloom in the net.
By Marianne Wagner
Centre PasquArt
2502 Biel/Bienne, Seevorstadt 71-73/faubourg du Lac, until 14.03.10
http://www.pasquart.ch
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010210
Kunsthaus Pasquart
2502 Biel / Bienne, Seevorstadt 71 Faubourg du Lac
Tel: +41 32 322 55 86, Fax: +41 32 322 61 81
Email: info@pasquart.ch
http://www.pasquart.ch
Öffnungszeiten: Di, Mi,Fr 12-18, Do 12-19, Sa 11-18 h
Kunsthaus Pasquart
2502 Biel / Bienne, Seevorstadt 71 Faubourg du Lac
Tel: +41 32 322 55 86, Fax: +41 32 322 61 81
Email: info@pasquart.ch
http://www.pasquart.ch
Öffnungszeiten: Di, Mi,Fr 12-18, Do 12-19, Sa 11-18 h