6th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art

what is waiting out there

11 June – 8 August 2010

curated by Kathrin Rhomberg

 

With the title what is waiting out there, the exhibition presented contemporary positions by more than 40 international artists whose work centrally questioned the notion of the present and the role of contemporary art in relation to the now. The presented artworks (more than half of them new productions) reflected and made visible the multiplicity of ways in which art appropriates and produces the many different realities of our contemporary times.

 

On invitation of Kathrin Rhomberg the American art historian Michael Fried curated an exhibition with works by Adolph Menzel (1815-1905) produced in cooperation with the Alte Nationalgalerie / Old National Gallery and the Kupferstichkabinett (Museum of Prints and Drawings) of the National Museums in Berlin. By showing a selection of drawings and gouaches by the great 19th century realist from Berlin contemporary art was juxtaposed with an art historical position that served as a contextualization to the 6th Berlin Biennale’s point of view.

 

Kathrin Rhomberg opened up the curatorial process of the exhibition by organizing it in collaboration with other artists. Michael Schmidt’s photo series Frauen (Women, 1997–99) was on view on billboards in public space both during the run-up and throughout the biennale. Marion von Osten chose the e-flux Journal as space for her artistic contribution and edited one issue of the magazine. Thomas Locher developed the graphic treatment of the 6th Berlin Biennale together with the graphic designer Yvonne Quirmbach whilst Marcus Geiger designed the exhibition architecture in close collaboration with Kathrin Rhomberg herself.

 

Already before the official opening, the 6th Berlin Biennale commenced with the project Artists Beyond which was funded by the European Commission. The project engaged in a public dialogue with several artists such as Mark Boulos, Phil Collins, Marcus Geiger, Nilbar Güreş, Petrit Halilaj, Thomas Locher and Marie Voignier, and took place at the sites where they were currently working on their pieces for the 6th Berlin Biennale. The creative process itself was thus made a public part of the biennale.

 

La monnaie vivante / The Living Currency / Die lebende Münze (after Pierre Klossowski) was another exhibition project which took place during the first week of the biennial. The three-day event was curated for the 6th Berlin Biennale by Pierre Bal-Blanc and produced in collaboration with the theater Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) and the Centre d’art contemporain de Brétigny (CAC Brétigny). Over the course of the three days, the exhibition La monnaie vivante constantly changed its appearance as it juxtaposed contemporary and historic perceptions of the body in visual arts with notions from dance, music and theater. During this event the audience at HAU played an active part in an open-ended performative process.

 

A solo exhibition with works by George Kuchar—created in collaboration with Marc Siegel—was furthermore presented in a warehouse space in Berlin-Kreuzberg. On the opening night Andrej Kuzkin and Marlene Haring performed in the gallery. Marlene Haring continued her performative interventions moreover throughout the entire duration of the exhibition.

The curator of the 6th Berlin Biennale

Kathrin Rhomberg

 

 

Kathrin Rhomberg invited the following projects to participate in the 6th Berlin Biennale

La monnaie vivante / The Living Currency / Die lebende Münze

Pierre Bal-Blanc

 

Menzel's Extreme Realism

Michael Fried in Cooperation with Old National Gallery and The Museum of Prints and Drawings of the National Museums in Berlin

 

George Kuchar

Marc Siegel

 

 

Graphic design

Thomas Locher

Yvonne Quirmbach

6-Berlin-Biennale-Kathrin-Rhomberg

Kathrin Rhomberg, curator of the 6th Berlin Biennale. Photo: Manfred Unger

Kathrin Rhomberg in the catalogue of the 6th Berlin Biennale

Can [art] make disparate realities perceivable and prompt us to participate reflectively in them? That is the central question to be posed by the 6th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art. How can it aid the viewer in assuring him/herself of his/her existence and of the world, [...]More >

Events

08.08.2010 | 8.8.2010, 19 Uhr, KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Augustraße 69, 10117 Berlin

Ion Grigorescu. In the body of the victim

Talk with Ion Grigorescu, Marta Dziewanska, and Kathrin Rhomberg More >

01.08.2010 | Kino Arsenal, Kino 1, Potsdamer Straße 2, 10785 Berlin-Mitte

The 6th Berlin Biennale at Kino Arsenal

Works by Friedl vom Gröller (Kubelka) and George Kuchar More >

21.07.2010 | KW Institute for Contemporary Art, 1. OG, Auguststraße 69, 10117 Berlin-Mitte

Sounding and gripped

Concert by Sven-Åke Johansson More >

09.07.2010 | Oranienplatz, am Drachenbrunnen, 10999 Berlin

Meet the Artist: Ron Tran

Meet the artist for discussion and questions. More >

29.06.2010 | Kulturzentrum Anatolischer Aleviten, Waldemarstraße 20, 10999 Berlin-Kreuzberg

Extreme Realism

Talk with Michael Fried, Anri Sala and Gustav Seibt, moderated by Kathrin Rhomberg More >

17.06.2010 | Hebbel am Ufer – HAU 1: Stresemannstraße 29, 10963 Berlin-Kreuzberg

La Monnaie Vivante

After Pierre Klossowski, staged by Pierre Bal-Blanc More >
La Monnaie Vivante

06.06.2010

Real Players

Curatorial Workshop on the occasion of the 6th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art More >
Real Players

27.04.2010 | BAK, basis voor actuele kunst, Utrecht/Niederlande

Artists Beyond: Mark Boulos

Artists Beyond is the prelude to the 6th Berlin Biennale. More >

12.03.2010 | Cornerhouse, Manchester/UK

Artists Beyond: Phil Collins

Artists Beyond is the prelude to the 6th Berlin Biennale. More >

11.03.2010 | Centre d'Art Contemporain de Brétigny/France

Artists Beyond: Marie Voignier

Artists Beyond is the prelude to the 6th Berlin Biennale. More >

27.07.2011 | National Library in Prishtina/Kosovo

Artists Beyond: Petrit Halilaj

Artists Beyond is the prelude to the 6th Berlin Biennale. More >

27.07.2011 | Platform Garanti, Istanbul/Turkey

Artists Beyond: Nilbar Güreş

Artists Beyond is the prelude to the 6th Berlin Biennale. More >

27.07.2011 | Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

Artists Beyond: Marcus Geiger

Artists Beyond is the prelude to the 6th Berlin Biennale. More >

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