Artists: Daphne Ahlers, Olga Balema, Jana Euler, Morgan Fisher, Josefin Granqvist, Elisabeth Greinecker, Lena Henke, Laura Hinrichsmeyer, Anna Holtz, Lisa Holzer, Nina Könnemann, Anita Leisz, Michele di Menna, Cecilie Nørgaard, Rosa Rendl, Ulla Rossek, Lilli Thiessen, Jan Vorisek, Nicole Wermers, Michele di Menna, Lonely Boys
Exhibition title: in awe
Curated by: Melanie Ohnemus
Venue: Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna, Austria
Date: September 14 – October 25, 2017
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artists and Markus Krottendorfer
In earlier usage the expression being in awe referred to a state distinguished by a rather transcendental, supernatural experience: a reverence for an other-worldly entity that spontaneously seizes one, intervenes in perception and/or the real circumstances, and perhaps fundamentally changes them forever. In this sense, it was a state firmly marked with religious significance. In the meanwhile, the word awe has undergone an etymological transformation, culminating in a tentative end manifestation with the ubiquitous, new word creation uttered thousands of times per day: awesome. The funny thing is that many Europeans cannot even pronounce awe properly – while awesome isn’t a problem. Awe remains secretive, singular, and encrypted for us in communication. Awesome, on the other hand, can be anything that one wants to highlight or point out in the presence of others. It has become a platitude.
The main idea behind the exhibition in awe is simple: With many artists there was a moment when I was in awe – or better put, in admiration – of a work, the oeuvre, or an experience with the person. For me, being in awe means a moment of appreciation that you feel with your complete body and is inevitably inscribed into your memory. It is natural, even though the moment is so special and lasting, so highly subjective – although irrelevant perhaps when seen from an outside perspective. Albeit, this faculty of feeling seems to represent a broad foundation for how one chooses. Hence, the exhibition in awe also investigates the basis underlying group exhibitions. There is naturally the “thematic group exhibition”, where artistic works are typically selected when their contents correspond with or at least touch upon the specific theme; then there is the group exhibition based on a “community”. In the exhibition in awe these questions are cast into the background – in the fore is the presentation of a choice that one makes in this moment, with full awareness of the economic and conceptual incompleteness that this choice involves at the same time.
Daphne Ahlers, Michele Di Menna, Olga Balema, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Josefin Granqvist, Reality series – 2 (black tongue black), 2017, ceramic, stone, 22 x 15 x 15 cm
Josefin Granqvist, Reality series – 1 (i), 2017, ceramic, stone, 21 x 14 x 9 cm
Nicole Wermers, Lena Henke, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Lena Henke, Untitled (Dunkelgrau), 2011, fibreglass, epoxy resin, paint, two roll on, one after-shave, 110 x 100 x 50 cm
Daphne Ahlers, Never Let Jealousy Threaten Female Bonds, 2017, fabric, copper, latex, 100 x 62 x 10cm
Lena Henke, Daphne Ahlers, Lilli Thießen, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Lilli Thießen, Ulla Rossek, Rosa Rendl, Anna Holtz, Jan Vorisek, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Ulla Rossek, Rosa Rendl, Jan Vorisek, Lilli Thießen, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Jan Vorisek, Lilli Thießen, Josefin Granqvist, Michele Di Menna, Laura Hinrichsmeyer, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Lilli Thießen, Morgan Fisher, Lisa Holzer, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Lisa Holzer, The Dissidents, 2016, pigment print on cotton paper, Crystal Clear 202/1, polyurethane on glass, framed, 92 x 72 cm
Lilli Thießen, container/FITMK, 2015, acrylic on canvas, polyester straps, canvasbag, approx. 53 x 34 x 36 cm
Lilli Thießen, container/OLDS, 2015, acrylic on canvas, polyester straps, canvasbag, approx. 53 x 34 x 36 cm
Ulla Rossek, Rosa Rendl, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Ulla Rossek, Ohne Titel, 2011, enameled ceramic, approx. 90 x 8 cm each
Rosa Rendl, Anna Holtz, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Rosa Rendl, Maybe, 2014, c-print on foamboard, framed, 104 x 144 cm
Anna Holtz, Mudsense, 2017, wire, fabric, bitumen, lace, tape, TertraPack-seals, 67 x 28 x 40 cm
Rosa Rendl, Anna Holtz, Jan Vorisek, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, 2017, wood, paint, plexiglas, silicone, foil, velour, dimensions variable
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs (detail), 2017
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs (detail), 2017
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs (detail), 2017
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs (detail), 2017
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs (detail), 2017
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs (detail), 2017
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs (detail), 2017
Jan Vorisek, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs (detail), 2017
Jan Vorisek, Lilli Thießen, Lena Henke, Nicole Wermers, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Cecilie Nørgaard, Knowing Me Knowing You, 2017, etched glass, foil, window-paint, frame, 40 x 50 cm
Jana Euler, Anita Leisz, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Jana Euler, in awe, 2017, oil on canvas, 165 x 210 cm
Laura Hinrichsmeyer, Alitoto Solemini, dix up, 2017, chicken wire, papier-mâché, primary rock powder, styrofoam, 200 x 110 x 60 cm
Laura Hinrichsmeyer, Alitoto Solemini, dix up, 2017, chicken wire, papier-mâché, primary rock powder, styrofoam, 200 x 110 x 60 cm
Jana Euler, Anita Leisz, Laura Hinrichsmeyer, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Elisabeth Greinecker, Ohne Titel, 2017, plastic, paper, tape, coin, 23 x 22 x 10 cm
Elisabeth Greinecker, Ohne Titel, 2017, plastic, paper, tape, coins, 30 x 38 x 10 cm
Michele Di Menna, Olga Balema, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Michele Di Menna, Spirit (Rose), 2017, cotton, vinyl, steel, dimensions variable
Michele Di Menna, Spirit (Ghost), 2017, cotton, vinyl, steel, dimensions variable
Michele Di Menna, Olga Balema, Nina Könnemann, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Nina Könnemann, Lithic Reductions, 2015/17, ceramic, powder-coated metal, approx. 120 x 45 x 20 cm
Nina Könnemann, Lithic Reductions (detail), 2015/17, ceramic, powder-coated metal, approx. 120 x 45 x 20 cm
Michele Di Menna, Anita Leisz, Laura Hinrichsmeyer, Morgan Fisher, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna
Morgan Fisher, French Toast Painting, 2005, acrylic on canvas, 31 x 31 x 2,5 cm
Michele Di Menna, Olga Balema, Lena Henke, Nicole Wermers, in awe, 2017, exhibition view, Kunsthalle Exnergasse, Vienna