Kunsthaus Graz English

24.09.2016 – 08.01.2017 Space02

Kunsthaus Graz, Universalmuseum Joanneum Lendkai 1, 8020 Graz T +43–(0)316/8017–9200, Tue–Sun 10am–5pm [email protected], www.kunsthausgraz.at This text is published on the occasion of the exhibition ‘Wir schaffen das. [We can do this.] On

Body Luggage the Shifting of Cultural Cartographies’ Migration of Gestures is the theme of steirischer herbst 2016. Kunsthaus Graz Universalmuseum Joanneum The herbst exhibition body luggage, September 24, 2016 until January 8, 2017 shown this year at Kunsthaus Graz, focuses on the movement of bodies: both in the sense of migration as a cross-border movement and in the sense of cultural forms of expression such as dance or body language. Works by ten artists are shown together with objects from selected archives. The only luggage that we always carry with us is our body. Inscribed in it are experiences and memories that are expressed in various ways. How do artists deal with this ‘luggage’? Continuities the artistic aesthetics of his home Migration The video includes objects that state of Nagaland (named after themselves bear a long history of The history of humankind as we the Naga people) in Northeast Since time immemorial, migration migration, drawn from the Shang- tell it, and the life stories of indi- India. In what ways can we con- has shaped the history of human- hai exile of a relative of Wachs- vidual people inscribed in it, are nect with the past? What kind. Through changes of loca- muth’s. It is not only people and shaped by upheavals that often endures? Hilde Holger (1905 – tion, often over vast distances their bodies that are subject to involve radical shifts: political 2001), a pioneer of modern dance and in precarious circumstances, change through migration, but systems change, wars are started in Austria, also had to deal with people of different origins have also the objects they take with and ended again, people leave these questions when in 1939 her encountered one another—as did them: new experiences and asso- their home country and try to Jewish origins forced her to flee the memories, ideas and stories ciations change the history and rebuild their lives. Within these her home city of Vienna for exile they carried with them. The thus the meaning of the objects. disturbances there are, however, in India. She carried with her a Archivio memorie migranti on They become embedded within a always things that seem to sur- distinct artistic language that Lampedusa focuses on archiving new context, and so are under- vive temporal and spatial survived the traumatic experience these things that would other- stood differently. Kemi Bassene changes. These things can be of a of escape: without abandoning wise be ephemeral. Migrants’ investigates the various meanings personal or social nature, tangible her principles, in India she wove memories are recorded in the form inherent in textiles. Each frag- or intangible: heirlooms, memo- new influences into her work from of texts, audio and video docu- ment of textile on display is ries and ideas perhaps, but also a tradition that was alien to her, ments. Caecilia Tripp has also related to the conversations he traditions and conventions, theo- studying for example the hun- collected image and sound mate- had with migrants on Lampedusa. ries, symbols, techniques, values dreds of hand gestures (mudras) rial on Lampedusa. These have or practices. Even if they are sub- found in Indian dance. Holger been developed into a piece of ject to changes during the shift- refused to be intimidated by the music that carries in it the sorrow Bodies ing context of time, they still are fact that dance was still often of this place, iconic of the refugee not entirely lost. They represent associated with prostitution in movements in our time. Simon When you have to escape, often continuities that are revealed India, continuing down her artistic Wachsmuth, on the other hand, the only thing you can take with time and again in the arts espe- path without shutting herself has addressed the migration of you is your body. It carries con- cially. The artistic language of from the new culture. These con- dancers who fled Europe during ventions and memories with it, choreographer Padmini Chettur, tinuities do not imply a stand- the age of fascist ideologies. Him- but also new experiences and for instance, integrates elements still—instead they form elements self the grandson of a dancer of feelings. This is the luggage that of Indian traditions of dance and of further development. the 20th century, he was inter- we always carry with us: our body music and in doing so gives them ested in the biography of Gertrud luggage. Our body can also give a contemporary twist. Puppeteer Kraus, who went into exile in expression to this luggage, even and shadow theatre artist Jimmy Palestine in 1935. In his video though it does not speak the Chishi adopts a gentle approach Qing we see dancer Loulou Omer, language of the intellect. It does to tradition when engaging with the daughter of a pupil of Kraus’s. not make things abstract or distance­d, but instead is capable painting Embraced and protected a pioneer of modern Indian dance, and from which we can differenti- of direct statements that we can- in you shows us bodies touching and paintings by the Indian artist ate ourselves. Encounters with not completely control. Communi- each other, their powerful limbs Shiavax Chavda. We can also the other allow us to examine cation by the body happens on a and sweeping movements con- glimpse into the archives of artist ourselves in relation to it. At the different level to linguistic com- veying strong emotions. Instead and activist Htein Lin, a pioneer same time, however, our personal munication. Gestures, movement, of using words, communication of Burmese Performance Art, per- identity is shaped by the feeling body language, touch and also here occurs directly from body to formance artist Liz Aggiss and of belonging to a group, a culture, dance are connected in a very body. choreographer Wolfgang Stange. a family. Sawangwongse direct way with our inner states of Obviously, objects cannot tell Yawnghw­e’s work explores the mind. Around 1900 a central- their stories by themselves—we history of his homeland of Burma European cultural shift towards Archives need to learn how to contextual- together with his family history, the body led to the development ise them, how to ‘read’ them. The which is closely interwoven with of modern expressive dance, in What happens to memories when resulting reappraisal of history the country’s political history. He which both positive and negative they eventually vanish from our and prevention of ‘social amnesia’ thematises the Shan, a national feelings were expressed in ges- minds? Are they lost? Or do they plays a key role for Milica Tomić: minority in Burma for whose dem- tures often perceived as exagger- reveal themselves in feelings, the Four faces of Omarska art ocratic rights his grandmother ated. The strictures of tradition gestures, objects? Archives project opens up a learning space had already campaigned, and for were abandoned and dance no embody the attempt to keep by offering us the chance to which his father then fought in longer took place just on the memories alive in the form of research for ourselves and in this the war against the Burmese mili- stage, but also in the open. In material things. They are stores way to process the different tary up until the 1970s, before he 1926 Hilde Holger announced of information and knowledge. meanings of a place that was had to flee with his wife and the that what she taught was ‘move- Archives can only play this role, once a mine, then a prison camp one-year-old Sawangwongse. ment art’, thus challenging the however, if they are examined. and the scene of mass murder Milica Tomić, on the other hand, category of ‘dance’. This They only become places of and torture during war and later refuses to ascribe a national iden- extended body vocabulary opened knowledge transfer if they are the site of a capitalist company tity and even challenges the up a new world. The political used by people who are inter- with discriminatory employment demarcation of national borders. potential of body movement is of ested in them. The exhibition practices and, in 2007, a shooting What does ascribing a nationality interest to Chaw Ei Thein, who shows a number of objects drawn location for a blockbuster movie say about a person in all their re-enacts physical artistic expres- from archives, such as the archive about World War I. uniqueness? People experience sion as used by artists in Burma of Hilde Holger, which Gernot situations in which everything is to convey their personal experi- Wieland took as inspiration for Identity at stake—and are faced with the ences of life under a repressive his work focusing on the transfer question of what they themselves military regime. Portia Zvavahera of memories through narrative. In order to define our own iden- are actually made up of. To what also demonstrates that gestures The display also includes objects tity, we need to find a counterpart extent do I remain myself in a tell their own distinct story: her from the archive of Chandralekha, that is distinguishable from us, moment of crisis? The person we feel ourselves to be is shaped by spatial distances is progressively the narrative we see when we forcing us to reconsider—to look back at our lives. What story examine the countless networks am I writing, what traces am I of relations that can be deter- leaving behind? mined in the evolution of art. What we need is a broader per- spective, one that is as global as Art History, Art Histories possible, capable of embracing these correlations while identify- Can there be only one history of ing continuities beyond national art? Or should there really be borders. several histories of art, overlap- ping and interwoven? Art history is too often mainly the history of individual nation states. The development of art was conceived within established cultural boundaries, while western art history emphasised its supremacy and sovereignty of thought. This culminated in the idealisation of particular positions and the emer- gence of mythologies that made critical scrutiny difficult. And yet to what extent can national bor- ders present any kind of borders in art? This kind of limitation excludes from the narrative all of those artists who (are obliged to) leave a country. Techniques and motifs in art have always crossed national borders, making cultural boundaries questionable. The increasing mobility of people, objects and information over vast Accompanying programme UNI KUM! Students Day 2016 Wed, 19.10., 2pm–8pm Themed tour www.studierendentag.at ‘Demarcations’ with Nadine Schleifer UNIQA-Family Day Sun, 02.10., 3.30pm (in German Entrance free! and English language) Sun, 30.10., 10am–5pm

Guided tour ‘Culture as a matter of opinion’ with Nadine Schleifer Sat, 08.10., 2pm–5pm (in German and other languages)

Themed tour ‘Culture as a matter of opinion’ with Nadine Schleifer Sun, 09.10., 3.30pm (in German and English language)

Talking Art – body luggage talk with Zasha Colah & Luigi Fassi Sun, 09.10., 3pm

3Family Day Entrance free for 3customers and their families! Sun, 09.10., 10am–5pm

Themed tour ‘Expressivities’ with Markus Boxler Sun, 16.10., 3.30pm (in German and English language) Curator Zasha Colah

Text Antonia Veitschegger

Translation Kate Howlett-Jones

Graphic Concept Lichtwitz Leinfellner visuelle Kultur KG

Layout Karin Buol-Wischenau