German artists against weapons manufacturers
Since Saturday, 320 works by 55 contemporary German artists are on show across six locations in Beijing as part of the “Deutschland 8” exhibition — which has sparked outrage for being financed by Rheinmetall, a weapons manufacturer based in Düsseldorf. Rheinmetall is well-known for its business relationships with countires such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Six out of the 55 exhibited artists — Antje Ehmann, Marcel Odenbach, Julian Rosefelt, Hito Steyerl, Rosemarie Trockel and Clemens von Wedemeyer — as well as representatives for Harun Farocki’s estate, have protested the exhibition’s involvement with Rheinmetall — something they had not been made aware of.
In an open letter, the six artists have said: “As artists, we refuse to enhance the image of such corporations. We don’t support advertisement for weapons manufacturers under the umbrella of German cultural diplomacy and we explicitly protest the instrumentalisation of our work for this purpose.” More via Hyperallergic.
Theaster Gates awarded the 2018 Nasher Prize
Dallas’ Nasher Sculpture Center has announced that American artist Theaster Gates is the winner of the 2018 Nasher Prize, endowed with $100,000. The prize “recognizes living artists who elevate the understanding of sculpture and its possibilities.” Gates will be presented with the award in April 2018.
“Sculpture is a way to move between materials—to fight with materials,” Gates said. “This movement between materials and modes of making is what I want to spend my time doing. My work’s aim is to pay attention to a thing that has not had attention paid to it in a long time.” In 2016, Gates also received the 2017 Kurt Schwitters Prize.
The prize’s jury included high-profile members such as Phyllida Barlow, Okwui Enwezor, Hou Hanru and Sir Nicholas Serota. Previous laureates include Pierre Huyghe and Doris Salcedo. More via The New York Times.
Tar Baby II, 2016, Styrofoam, Bondo, tar coloring, vinyl foil, fabric — Installation view: Theaster Gates: Black Archive, 23 April - 26 June 2016, Kunsthaus Bregenz Art © Theater Gates. Photography: Markus Tretter, courtesy of the artist.
A new space for Paris gallery Balice Hertling
Paris gallery Belice Herling — situated in the city’s XX arrondissement — has announced that it will open a new space at 239 rue Saint Martin, in the city’s 3th arrondissement, a stone’s throw from the Centre Pompidou. The new location will open with “On Your Knees”, a solo show by Camille Blatrix, on view from September 26 through October 14. Blatrix’s “sculptures evoke the faint voice of capitalism and its murmur of rallying cries disguised as passwords.”
Works by the French artist, (b. 1984) were also recently on show at San Francisco’s CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts. More information here.
Camille Blatrix, On your knees
Miami | Untitled gets bigger and better
The fair, launched in 2012 and running shows in both San Francisco and Miami, has announced the exhibitors list for its upcoming Miami edition, taking place from December 6 through 10.
Under the direction of Manuela Mozo, Untitled will bring together 136 exhibitors, (8 more than last year) including 41 newcomers, amongst which Signal gallery, (New York) Kubik gallery (Porto) and 80m2 Livia Benavide. (Lima) Read more on Artnews.
© Untitled
A new director for Paris’ Swiss Cultural Centre
On October 1, Jean-Marc Diébold will take up his new post, succeeding to Jean-Paul Felley and Olivier Kaeser.
Jean-Marc Diébold was previously responsible for the Theatre and Dance Bureau at Berlin’s French Institute. Diébold will assume the artistic and administrative leadership of the institution and will work alongside a curator to assist him in his programming responsibilities. More via Pro Helvetia.
Jean-Marc Diébold — Pidji-Photography / Pierre-Jérôme Adjedj
