Theatergarden Bestiarium
March 28, 2011 - July 31, 2011
Press Viewing Hour and Opening Sunday, March 27, 2011, at noon
A reconstruction of an experimental exhibition
The exhibition is based on "Bestiarium: Theater and Garden of Violence, War and
Happiness" (1986), an essay written by the Munich gallery owner Rüdiger
Schöttle. The "Theatergarden" described in the text is rooted in the Baroque and
Rococo garden of the 17th and 18th century with its natural and artificial
worlds. For this garden described by Schöttle, fourteen international artists
have created works that are presented in a collaboratively developed
installation.
After two years in the making, "Theatergarden Bestiarium" was presented for the
first time in 1989 at the Institute for Contemporary Art, P.S. 1 in New York.
The path leading to the final exhibition was marked by an intense exchange among
all those involved. The exhibition, which was based on a conceptual design by
Rüdiger Schöttle and produced by Chris Dercon, was designed from the beginning
as a "work in progress". The aim was not the juxtaposition of isolated works
arranged chronologically or according to discursive aspects; rather, it was the
production process and its development that became the exhibition's focus.
The resulting work combined architecture, sculpture, music, photography, film
and theater and inspired a younger generation of artists and curators to create
new exhibition forms; participants included Liam Gillick, Dominique
Gonzalez-Foerster, Pierre Huyghe, Tino Sehgal, Rirkrit Tiravanija and Xavier
Veilhan. "Theatergarden Bestiarium was a milestone in the history of
exhibitions. Particularly notable was that the exhibition invented a new way of
exhibiting. Richard Hamilton once said to me: One only remembers exhibitions
that embark on new paths. 'Theatergarden Bestiarium' is a perfect example of
such." (Hans-Ulrich Obrist)
The concept combined projections and reflections through which the visitor moved
as both an observer and actor. The mixture of paths, plants, sculptures,
fountains, lakes and caves used in the formal Baroque garden awaken in the mind
of the beholder stories and myths, a so-called "theater of memory". Rüdiger
Schöttle wrote of a garden that is "both a window into the past and into the
future".
"Theatergarden Bestiarium" is an oversized plateau of hills, valleys and lakes.
Pictures of historical paintings and film stills are projected onto the
landscape from above.
The visitor is received by the artwork "La Scala", by the artist duo
Fortuyn/O'Brien, which suggests entry into an unreal place. An empty display
case follows. The case's sides reflect the objects and projections in the
garden. Lying in front of the display case are pieces of a human skeleton,
"Valor Impositus" by James Coleman. This case stands at the beginning of two
avenues: the visitors - the "beasts" - travel these paths through the park. The
display cabinet represents the votive or commemorative columns that often stood
at the entrance of Baroque gardens. With this combination of display case,
reflection and skeleton, Coleman wishes to inscribe a Memento Mori on the heart
of the "Theatergarden".
Visitors will find three different theaters, which reflect the different stages
of theater design: The work of Jeff Wall is a three-dimensional upright floor
plan of a Baroque theater and is reminiscent of an office building. "The Baroque
concept of a loge or box theater embodied the historical moment of transition
between courtly society and the bureaucratic state." (Jeff Wall)
The "Cinema Theater" by Dan Graham is a combination of a movie theater and a
garden theater. The projection screen is replaced by double sided mirrored
glass, which also serves as the stage backdrop for the garden theater situated
in front of it. Presented on it is the film "The Rise of Louis XIV" by Roberto
Rossellini. Rodney Graham refers to the theater of antiquity with his "Circus
Gradivus."
The "Theatergarden" combines mountains and valleys en miniature designed by
Christian-Philipp Müller; vegetable gardens by Alain Séchas; a prompter's loge,
reminiscent of a grotto, by Juan Muñoz; drops of water that look like lakes by
Hermann Pitz and the tribune-like waterfall "Garden View - The Waterfall -
Coutyard View" by Marin Kasimir. Ludger Gerdes' slide projections depict views
of the gardens at Schwetzingen Palace and are superimposed by typed words.
A composition by Glenn Branca accompanies the "Theatergarden". The conductor's
stand "Antiphonaire" by Bernard Bazile refers to the garden's orchestration.
Following its premiere in P.S. 1, "Theatergarden Bestiarium" was presented six
more times and each performance was adapted to the spatial conditions of its
exhibition venue; these included the Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville, Chateau
d'Oiron, the Le Fresnoy / Studio National des Arts Contemporains and the Pont du
Gard. In the 2008 exhibition at Le Fresnoy the installation was completely
restored and reconstructed. In 1990 France's Centre national des arts plastiques
(CNAP), France purchased the entire installation.
Twenty-five years after the creation of the original version by Rüdiger Schöttle
and Chris Dercon, "Theatergarden Bestiarium" is on view in Munich for the first
time. The exhibition is an expression of mutual appreciation before Chris
Dercon's departure to the Tate Modern in London, as well as the conclusion of a
series of exhibitions in Munich as an art city: Made in Munich. Editions von
1968 bis 2008 (2008), "Die Kraftprobe". 200 Jahre Kunstakademie München (2008),
Ein Blick für das Volk. Die Kunst für Alle (2006) and Die Götter Griechenlands.
Peter Cornelius (2004).
With works by Bernard Bazile, James Coleman, Fortuyn/O'Brien, Ludger Gerdes, Dan
Graham, Rodney Graham, Christian Phillip Müller, Juan Muñoz, Hermann Pitz,
Rüdiger Schöttle, Alain Séchas and Jeff Wall; Music by Glenn Branca
In cooperation with the Centre national des arts plastiques (CNAP), France
For images please visit our download area www.hausderkunst.de/presse/info.htm.
Kind regards,
Elena Heitsch and Sonja Zschunke
Haus der Kunst
Prinzregentenstraße 1
D 80538 München
Tel. +49 89 211 27-115
Fax +49 89 211 27-157
presse@hausderkunst.de
Handelsregister München
HRB 100018
USt-IdNr. DE
811612530