Wartist - Connecting War and the Arts

Wartist presents: “6:57 P.M.” by Jens Kloppmann at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin)

Berlin-based artist Jens Kloppmann will present his impressive video installation “6:57 P.M.” as artistic supporting programme to the international symposium “Memorial Mania – Negotiating Social and Political Strategies of Memory” of the American Academy Berlin at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (9-10 December 2011, see this Wartist article). The conference will address various issues of the culture of remembrance, including the tenth anniversary of the terrorist acts of 9/11, with an emphasis on memorials and both German and American approaches.

6:57 P.M., video stills (©2011 Jens Kloppmann)

Wartist Exclusive: “Trümmerfrau” by Jens Kloppmann

Since years, Berlin-based artist Jens Kloppmann is addressing issues of visual reality and collective memory that he is realising with many different media. Today, I am proud to present to you an edition that he has manufactured exclusively for Wartist and which will solely be offered via Wartist. His work “Trümmerfrau”¹ does not only bring back memories of Germany’s old currency, but is a strong statement of humility and not the least of German identity.

Trümmerfrau literally means “rubble women” and refers to the millions of German women that cleared the rubble after World War II ↩

Tyrannenmord (Tyrannicide): New Work by Jan Bejšovec

Jan Bejšovec, a textile artist working in Berlin on his label “Konfliktstoff” ¹ has made a new work, “Tyrannenmord” (tyrannicide). It addresses both actual developments in the Arab world and the general dealing with dictators: for more than 30 years, Muammar Gaddafi ruled Libya with an iron fist. The world was able to come to terms with him, especially since he departed from his previous support of international terrorism. Thus, the external perception was mainly reduced to his high entertainment value. Quite unexpectedly, the uprising that begun in February 2011 lead to Gaddafi’s escape and his homicide, including the presentation of his dead body. Continue reading

German Konfliktstoff means “causes of conflict”, put together by Konflikt (conflict) and Stoff, literally meaning fabric ↩

Symposium: Memorial Mania – Negotiating Social and Political Strategies of Memory (Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin)

The international symposium “Memorial Mania – Negotiating Social and Political Strategies of Memory” of the American Academy Berlin at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (9-10 December 2011) addresses contemporary issues of the culture of remembrance. The emphasis lies on memorials and not the least on German and American approaches to memory. Remembering the terrorist acts of 9/11 will also be an issue on their 10th anniversary.

“Es geht eine dunkle Wolke herein”: Soldier’s Songs from Five Centuries

Throughout history, songs have addressed war and accompanied the soldiers. Many “soldier’s songs” found their way into everyday life. On 7 December 2011 at 1930h, a recital with soldier’s songs from five centuries will take place at Erich Maria Remarque-Friedenszentrum (E.M. Remarque Peace Centre) in Osnabrück as part of the supporting programme to the exhibition “Grensgevallen – Grenzfälle” (border cases). Günter Gall (vocals, guitar, dulcimer, lyrics) and Konstantin Vassiliev (guitar, reed organ, compositions) present their new programme “Es geht eine dunkle Wolk herein” (a dark cloud is approaching) with German and Dutch soldier’s songs.

“Die, Nazi Scum!” Soviet TASS Propaganda Posters 1941-1945, Andrew Edlin, New York

Poster, 67" x 35", stencil and gouache on paper (June 1942, Pavel Petrovich Sokolov-Skaya and V. Lebedev-Kumach)

From 17 November 2011 to 14 January 2012, New York-based Andrew Edlin Gallery presents Soviet propaganda posters from the Second World War in its exhibition “Die, Nazi Scum!” Soon after the German attack on the Soviet Union in June 1941, the Okna TASS studio was founded in Moscow. During the war, it produced the enormous output of 1,240 posters, equalling nearly one work per day. Continue reading

Markus Georg Reintgen: “Remember September”

Ten years have now passed since the attacks of 9/11 on the USA that profoundly changed the world. Artists try to cope with these traumatic events, including disabled artists such as Markus Georg Reintgen (* 1963 in Nastätten, Germany) in his series “Remember September”.

©Markus Georg Reintgen: Jet (Lambdaprint/Aludibond, 180 x 65 cm, 2003)

“Turning Point” was opened at ARD-Hauptstadtstudio

Continue reading ““Turning Point” was opened at ARD-Hauptstadtstudio”

Wartist presents: Group Show “Turning Point” on 10 years of 9/11 at ARD-Hauptstadtstudio, Berlin

We are proud to present the group show “Zeitenwende” (turning point) on the premises of the both centrally located and well-visited ARD-Hauptstadtstudio on 1 September 2011. 12 artists show their positions on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and their ongoing aftermath: more than 50 works include light, video and textile installations, photography, watercolours and paintings. The exhibition is curated by Martin Bayer (wartist.org) and will be opened on 1 September 2011 by Head of ARD-Hauptstadtstudio Ulrich Deppendorf. “Zeitenwende” is a cooperation with Deutsche Atlantische Gesellschaft (German Atlantic Association).

Wartist presents Jan Bejšovec: “Konfliktstoff Deutschland” (Berlin)

We are proud to present textile works by Jan Bejšovec on the premises of the both centrally located and well-visited ARD-Hauptstadtstudio on 5 July 2011.¹ The solo show “Konfliktstoff Deutschland”² is a wide selection of the Berlin-based artist’s works, including new ones such as the “Reichsstadtpalast”³. The exhibition is curated by Martin Bayer (wartist.org). On the occasion of the opening, ARD correspondent Christian Thiels will moderate an artist’s talk.

Reichsstadtpalast (Detail), 65x120cm (© Jan Bejšovec)

The studio of the German TV station ARD (regulated by public law) and their liaison offices in the capital Berlin. ↩
The German Konfliktstoff literally means “cause for conflict”, but here, it refers to the textile material, too. ↩
Literally “Imperial City Palace”, referring to its combination of the Nazi’s Reichskanzlei, the Imperial City Palace of Berlin, and the GDR’s “Palace of the Republic”, all three historic buildings of Berlin that have been demolished. ↩