translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
090215 : Galerie Nagel Draxler: Mark Dion – Vanishing Wonders & New Curiosities
Galerie Nagel Draxler
Mark Dion – Vanishing Wonders & New Curiosities
31.01.2015 – 14.03.2015
The nature of culture
by Raimar Stange
Since the early 1990's, the art of Mark Dion has stood, above all, on two pillars: the life-threatening hazard of "our" environment as well as the representation of nature are the two thematic cornerstones of this, meanwhile comprehensive, oeuvre. In his exhibition "Vanishing Wonders & New Curiosities" in the Galerie Nagel Draxler, the American has succeeded once again in bringing both aspects into a quasi dialogical amalgamation. Mark Dion's sculptures are known in which stuffed animals stand on plinths which are constructed from trash of our consumer society, for example "Polar Bears and Toucans” (From Amazons to Svalbard)", 1991, where a stuffed polar bear with a yellow cassette player in its mouth sits in a metal wash tub. In this exhibition, the artist varies this principle by mainly taking the plinths as well as the pieces positioned on them, from the archives of the Dresden Art College. Among others, the "Alligator Mississippiensis" sculpture, 2014, is to be seen there, a crocodile's skull lying on a chaotic collection of cultural objects like, for example, teapots, coins, pearl necklaces and keys. Last year, works such as these were in Dresden, amongst other in the legendary "Grünen Gewölbe , and presented as cabinets of wonder and stressed, above all, the historic genesis of our perception of nature and with it, the accompanying, more or less scientifically established separation of culture and nature. Now in the sterile white cube of the Galerie Nagel, Mark Dion has succeeded in intensifying a further dimension of his works, namely the sensitive-surreal, occasionally almost demonic-seeming poetry which live inside them. The intelligent exhibition is complemented, amongst others, by drawings, which show the exhibited sculptures as sketches. Definitely go to see this!
Galerie Nagel Draxler
10178 Berlin, Weydinger Strasse 2/4
Tel: +49 30 40042641
Fax: +49 30 40042642
email: berlin@nagel-draxler.de
http://nagel-draxler.de
Opening hours: Tue - Fri 11- 19, Sar 11-18 hours
Mehr Texte von translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville
090215
Galerie Nagel Draxler
10178 Berlin, Weydinger Strasse 2/4
Tel: +49 30 40042641, Fax: +49 30 40042642
Email: berlin@nagel-draxler.de
http://nagel-draxler.de
Öffnungszeiten: Di-Fr 11-18, Sa 12-18 h
Galerie Nagel Draxler
10178 Berlin, Weydinger Strasse 2/4
Tel: +49 30 40042641, Fax: +49 30 40042642
Email: berlin@nagel-draxler.de
http://nagel-draxler.de
Öffnungszeiten: Di-Fr 11-18, Sa 12-18 h