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Countermonumental Strategies Early German Countermonuments and Their Applied Artistic Strategies

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Countermonumental Strategies Early German Countermonuments and Their Applied Artistic Strategies Faculté de philosophie, arts et lettres Commission doctorale du domaine CDD Art et sciences de l’art Countermonumental Strategies Early German Countermonuments and their Applied Artistic Strategies Membres du jury : Thèse réalisée par Craig Havens Présidente: Prof. Dr. Jacinthe Mazzocchetti (UCLouvain) en vue de l’obtention du grade de Docteur en art et sciences de l'art Promoteurs: Prof. Dr. Olivier Servais (UCLouvain) M. Fabrizio Terranova (ERG) En partenariat avec Ecole de Recharge Graphique, Brussels Membres du jury: Et le ED20 Doctoral Program Prof. Dr. Nathalie Frogneux (UCLouvain) Prof. Ramone Munoz (Faculty of Fine Art, Art Center College of Design, Los Angeles, ACCD) Prof. Octavio Camargo (Faculty of Aesthetics & Analysis, Universidade Estadual do Paraná, Brazil, UNESPAR) Le secrétariat du jury sera assuré par: Prof. Dr. Nathalie Frogneux (UCLouvain) Louvain-la-Neuve Année académique [2019-2020] Abstract Monuments are historically concerned with claiming a ground that cannot be challenged – seeking to maintain assumptions of singularity, centralization, legacy and perpetuity. The Countermonumental perspective embraces and employs multiplicities, peripheries, dispersal and impermanence. The emergence and effectiveness of Countermonumental practices in the sculptural arts portends the possibility of a broader response which seeks to exhume dormant pasts and offer alternate historical perspectives in the present experience of the viewer. In this research thesis and its associated artworks, the study of early German Countermonuments has been undertaken in order to recognize their achievements in reactivating the practice of public memorials and to study the strategies developed by their creators. The research culminates in applied artistic experiments which seek to apply Countermonumental Strategies to other fields of visual art such as photography, moving images, performance, digital media and public art. These works contextualize themselves within the concept put forth regarding monuments and memory by Jean-Francois Chevrier – a notion of territorial intimacy “constituted on the frontiers of public space, in the grey or forsaken zones of the sanctioned territory…an occasion for social and political experiment.” Keywords: monuments, countermonuments, memory, photography, moving image, ritual performance, reflectance, mimesis, peripherality, impermanence, displacement, multiperspectivity, artistic research 1 Author’s Note In life, stay close to the ground. - Lao Tzu As anyone who has engaged in the process of research and exploration knows, the main challenge when navigating as yet uncharted waters is to seize the opportunity for discovery, yet at the same time to remain aware of one’s intentions so as not to let the boat founder along the way. The creative processes with which I am familiar as a visual artist rely almost exclusively on wayward excursions, random insights and unexpected failures which result in unforeseen discoveries. As a result, the cliche exists that these moments of inspiration arise in proportion to the extent to which the artist allows themselves the freedom to “get lost” and alleviate the restraints of systemic forms. Therefore, the notion of an artist voluntarily placing themselves within the seemingly restrictive framework of a research practice seems at first glance to be a contradiction of methodologies. It has been my pleasure to find, however, that within the practice of research, there exist the very same moments of levity, inspiration and discovery which invigorate and play a vital role in any creative endeavor. In this work, I have operated as a visual artist taking on the mantel of a researcher and made a conscious effort to trust the methodology of research work while respecting the nature of its parameters. In return, it has provided the necessary format for making a thorough and methodical inquiry into a specific field of artistic interest - in this case the history and practice of working with Countermonumental Strategies. As a result, over the course of time in which I have pursued this research, I have been deeply impressed by the authors, historians, philosophers, artists, researchers, professors, librarians, and other devoted members of academia which I have had the pleasure and honor to collaborate with in person, on the written page and in cyberspace. In encountering the work of these dedicated individuals I have been greatly humbled and am grateful for the opportunity to join in this vast conversation across time and space which research work so elegantly fosters. Nanos gigantum humeris insidentes. As paraphrased by Newton (and originated by Bernard of Chartres), this phrase expresses the profound notion that in all of our work we are but little people riding on the shoulders of giants. With this thought in mind, I have approached this work humbly as an artist - but also as one dedicated to the power of research to expand the field of historical inquiry and artistic practice. 2 Acknowledgements Over the course of this work it has been my privilege to have the assistance of the following individuals and wish to thank them for all the inspiration, support and encouragement which they have been so gracious to provide: Dr. Olivier Servais M. Fabrizio Terranova Dr. Nathalie Frogneux Prof. Ramone Munoz Prof. Octavio Camargo Prof. Alexander Streitberger Dr. Laurence Rassel Francoise Tahon Sammy Delgado Valérie Martin Prof. Peter Liashkov Andreas Schmidt Michael Rhodes David Evans Ada Biljan Cristina Markarian Scott Hutchinson In addition, I would like to thank the following organizations and institutions for their assistance in providing facilities, residency, resources and opportunities for the dissemination of this research: Faculté des Sciences Economiques, Sociales et Politiques, Labroratoire d’Anthropologie Prospective (UCL) Faculté de Arts, Ecole de Recherche Graphique, Brussels (ERG) Institut Supérieur de Philosophie (ISP), Université de Louvain (UCL) Faculty of Fine Art, Art Center College of Design, Los Angeles (ACCD) Faculty of Art and Design, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Die Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz Andreas Schmidt Gallery, Berlin 3 Countermonumental Strategies / Craig Havens Abstract 1 Author's Note 2 Acknowledgements 3 Table of Contents 4 Introduction 1.0 What is a Countermonument? 5 2.0 German Countermonuments & Fascism 11 Early German Countermonument Case Studies 3.0 The Monument Against Fascism (1986-Present) 22 4.0 Aschrott Fountain (1908-88) 37 5.0 Stolperstein (1992-Present) 52 Countermonumental Strategies 6.0 Countermonumental Strategies 71 6.1 Peripherality 72 6.2 Reflectance & Mimesis 77 6.3 The Subterranean 82 6.4 Impermanence 87 6.5 Displacement 92 6.6 Ritual Performance 97 6.7 Multiperspectivity 101 Applied Countermonumental Strategies 7.0 Applied Countermonumental Strategies 106 7.1 Photography: Countermonuments (2015-2019) 107 7.2 Moving Image: American Endings (2015-2019) 120 7.3 Performance Art: Listening Sessions (2015-2019) 129 7.4 Public Art: No More Nations (2015-16) 138 Summary 8.0 Summary / Future Research 149 Bibliography 154 4 Section 1.0 / Introduction 1.1 Introduction Since ancient times the traditions of monument-making have been well-established and their strategies have remained persistent. Even into the modern era, the practice of constructing traditional physical monuments has served as a way of attempting to dictate our representations of memory and identity. Yet, during the decades of the 1980s and 90s, this practice of monument-making was fundamentally questioned in a powerful way by German artists determined to grapple with their nation’s recent history - specifically, the challenge presented by facing the impacts of Fascism. Their unconventional artistic methods created a new direction for memorial and monument-making and ultimately suggested new strategies of artistic practice. These strategies emerged as a result of the unique demands placed upon German artists to contend with the complex nature of memorializing the effects of National Socialism and contending directly with the bitter inheritance of the Holocaust. The resulting works which have since come to be referred to as a class of monuments known as Countermonuments heralded a reimagining of how to effectively memorialize a complex past while simultaneously acknowledging the ambiguity of present perspectives. Traditional monumental strategies are historically concerned with claiming a ground that cannot be challenged while seeking to maintain assumptions of singularity, centralization, legacy and perpetuity. Countermonumental strategies, however, are concerned with expanding the function of traditional memorials and thus employ multiplicities, peripheries, temporality and impermanence. In the past, traditional monuments represented the collective memory of a shared societal mythology whose purpose was to build a notion of collectivism, homogeny of purpose and a national identity. Countermonuments have emerged as a way to effectively reactivate memorials in an age which has seen a dispersion of responsibility for memory across networks which are non-physical, fluid and constantly changing. The notion of the Countermonument represents a potential for approaching complex histories and acknowledges the existence of multiple narratives in flux. This is an important development that needs to be understood - both in terms of artistic practice and cultural memory. Countermonuments do not take for granted their own perpetuity. They acknowledge
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