A group exhibition presented at the Sammlung Philara in Düsseldorf until June 26, 2022, « Adjustable Monuments » presents how history and collective memory could interfere with the present? It questions what kind of memory the future needs?
Stemming from the discussion around the re-evaluation of landmarks in open space, the group exhibition « Adjustable Monuments » proposes conversation starters about who, what, or most importantly, in what structure we should honor in the future. Nine artistic positions of artists from around the world-such as Azra Akšamija, Maximiliane Baumgartner & Alex Wissel (in cooperation with Madeleine Bernstorff, Ewa Einhorn & Karolin Meunier, Timo Feldhaus ), Black Quantum Futurism, Michael Blum, Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Zuzanna Czebatul (in cooperation with Lazaro Rincón, Léa Mainguy, Jullie Bijoux, Zoé Couppé, Natália Drevenáková, Kristýna Gajdošová, Yuliya Herhalava, Marie Olšáková, Samuel Stano, Marie Zandálková ), Aleksandra Domanović, Petrit Halilaj, Ayrson Heráclito, Ülkü Süngün shed light on parts of the current assessment of sculptures, monuments, and memorabilia, and are complemented by new types of memory culture.
Monuments in open space are regularly problematic. Memorials can, for example, serve as a framework for patriotic philosophical legitimization of traditional and anti-democratic groups, elicit rejection of minimized gatherings, and, what’s more, project an uneven and coherent construction of history into an infinity perspective.
Which elective ideas of the history can be formed?
Does the celebration serve the interests of the state and capital, or does it offer society in general a circle to proceed to the exchange?
The situations in the exhibition « Adjustable Monuments » develop new ways of dealing with the culture of memory in our time. They are based on a variety of practices: these incorporate ceremonial and reception demonstrations of insignificant, transient, adaptable, intelligent, process-located, multidirectional and aggregated methodologies.
© the artist and Southern Stars Projects
The function, understanding of ephemerality, dedicatory repetitions, and materiality of the landmarks are then reformulated and augmented by significant elements of the current culture of discussion, including political authorization cycles and representation.
The exhibition « Adjustable Monuments » will be accompanied by an extensive program including a panel discussion and a publication and is open until June 26, 2022 at the Sammlung Philara in Düsseldorf.
