Munich;preview opening at Haus der Kunst “Geniale Dilletanten”, “Random Sampling”, and “The Cold Libido”

by Venetia Kapernekas

Last night the Freunde preview at Haus der Kunst opened the exhibitions “‘Geniale Dilletanten’ [Genial Dilletantes]: Subculture in Germany in the 1980s”, “Random Sampling – Paintings from Sammlung Goetz”, and “The Cold Libido – Sammlung Goetz in Haus der Kunst”.

26.6-11.10.15

“Geniale Dilletanten” is the intentionally misspelled title of a 1981 music festival in Berlin that became synonymous with a brief period of artistic upheaval in Germany. The movement’s protagonists were dedicated to the independent production of records, concerts, and exhibitions and the establishment of magazines, galleries, and clubs; as well as the vociferous protest against the cultural mainstream. The exhibition presents the entire breadth of 80s subculture based on the example of seven bands, as well as works by artists, filmmakers, and designers.

Geniale Dilletanten” was the term used to announce a concert held in West Berlin’s Tempodrom in 1981. The deliberately misspelled title later became synonymous with a brief era of artistic upheaval in the 1980s. Strong subculture scenes formed in many German cities opposed the prevailing zeitgeist – with brute noise, provocative Super 8 films, cheap photocopied fanzines, design that challenged “good taste”, and a new, wild language for figurative painting. Emphasis was placed on expression rather than perfection, artistic impact rather than skill.

curated by Mathilde Weh and Urlich Wilmes; Idea and concept; Leonard Emmerling and Mathilde Weh.

26.06.15-17.01.16

During the same period, visual artists also experienced a breakthrough to a new figurative expressionism; the so-called “New Wild Ones”, with their quickly executed works, ushered in painting’s successful return, the apex of which was the documenta 7 (1982). Based on works from the past 50 years, the exhibition “Random Sampling – Paintings from Sammlung Goetz” explores the definition of the contemporary, based on a broad understanding of the term painting.

The broad spectrum of painting concepts reflects the collector’s (Ingvild Goetz) interest in the medium. The exhibition includes a diverse landscape of contemporary positions. which ranges from Chris Ofili and Mike Kelley to Paulina Olowska.

26.06.15-28.02.16

With “The Cold Libido“, Haus der Kunst continues its cooperation with Sammlung Goetz. The exhibition series was launched in 2011 and is devoted to film and media art.

Its eighth installment here, curated by Cürsoy Dogtas, presents works that delve deep into the affective reservoir of narrative cinema and call upon fundamental issues such as love, longing, loss, fear, violence, and death. There are 12 videos presented here, carefully selected by the curator, thru a number of about 400 from the collection. Works by Keren Cytter, Jeanne Faust, Annika Larsson, Shahryar Nashat and Aida Ruilova.

Okwui Enwezor, director of Haus der Kunst and Gürsoy Dogtas, curator of ‘Gold Libido’.

followed by a lovely reception at legendary Golden Bar

VK