exhibitions

Monochromy. About the aesthetics of published art

Centre for Artists' Publications, Museum Weserburg, Bremen, Germany

7.9.2024-28.9-2025

In monochromatism (Greek monochromatos = single-colored), artistic works consist of single colors. In the field of artists’ publications, conceptions involving monochrome surfaces have arisen repeatedly ever since the 1950s, with the goal of achieving as high a degree as possible of concentration and simplification. Here artists conduct a thematic investigation not only of aspects of color, aesthetics or emptiness, but also of philosophical and religious nothingness.

The exhibition shows the diversity of the monochrome in contemporary art and addresses the understanding of the monochrome and the thinking associated with it. The monochrome is presented in the form of graphics, artists’ books and journals, several objects and paintings as well as in the context of sound art.

Participarting artists:
Rozbeh Asmani, Irma Blank, Doro Boehme, Hugo Bonamin, Iñaki Bonillas, Stanley Brouwn, James Lee Byars, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Lucio Fontana, Heinz Gappmayr, Daniel Göttin, Fernanda Gomez, Nan Groot Antink, Paul Heimbach, Anne Heyvaert, Jean Keller, Yves Klein, Imi Knoebel, George Maciunas, Louise Nevelson, Olaf Nicolai, Ad Reinhard, Allen Ruppersberg, Ettore Spalletti, Jiri Valoch, herman de vries, Ian Wilson, et al.

Curated by Dr. Anne Thurmann-Jajes
in cooperation with Brokken Zijp Foundation of Art [BFA]

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From De Stijl to Boekie Woekie. Artists' publications from the Netherlands

Centre for Artists' Publications, Museum Weserburg, Bremen, Germany

11.03.2023 - 04-02-2024

The exhibition covers more than one hundred years of art from the Netherlands. It starts with the De Stijl movement from the beginning of the twentieth century, along with the same-named periodical of Theo van Doesburg, which was dedicated to the renewal not only of art, but also of architecture, design, typography, and poetry. The concluding focus is on Boekie Woekie – bookstore for artists‘ books run by artists and publishers Jan Voss, Henriette van Egten and Rúna Thorkelsdóttir in Amsterdam – which can already be considered to be legendary. The majority of the exhibited works are part of the Brokken Zijp Foundation of Art (BFA). Thanks to the cooperation with the BFA, and in congenial addition to the holdings of the Centre for Artists’ Publications, lines of development can be presented on the basis of a selection of artists’ publications, some of which are rare.

Participarting artists:
Pierre Alechinsky, Karel Appel, Marinus Boezem, Pieter Brattinga, Stanley Brouwn, Aart van Barneveld, Sigrid Calon, Ulises Carrión, Hans Clavin, Constant, Corneille, Wim Crouwel, Herman Damen, Ad Dekkers, Theo van Doesburg, Christian Dotremont, Pier van Dyck, Henriëtte van Egten, Michael Gibbs, Marijke de Goey, Harry Haarsma, Harmen de Hoop, Hetty Huismann, Ko de Jonge, Asger Jorn, Bart van der Leck, Bert Loerakker, Lucebert, Jan van Munster, Willem de Ridder, Tajiri Shinkichi, Peter Struycken, Rod Summers, Oej Tjeng Sit, Fiona Tan, Jan van der Til, Rúna Thorkelsdóttir, Friedrich Vordemberge-Gildewart, Jan Voss, herman de vries, Marijke van Warmerdam, Alicja Werbachowska, H.N. Werkman, Robert Zandvliet.

Curated by Dr. Anne Thurmann-Jajes and Dr. José Brokken-Zijp
in cooperation with Brokken Zijp Foundation of Art [BFA]

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UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN. Place-Making in Southeast Asia

Centre for Artists' Publications, Museum Weserburg, Bremen, Germany

09.09.2022 - 12.02.2023

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN. Place-Making in Southeast Asia takes the act of writing as a starting point to reflect on a variety of recent art practices in and around Southeast Asia, focusing on the complexity of reading, performing, understanding, and translating these texts.

The exhibition was developed as a research process to identify, locate, collect, and discuss artists' books. On view is a wide selection of artists' books, as well as artists’ magazines, prints and graphic works, artists' postcards, multiples, radio art, records, and CDs. The Centre for Artists' Publications at the Weserburg Museum für modern Kunst is one of the few art venues in Europe with a collection of Southeast Asian contemporary art that is being reappraised and presented comprehensively for the first time in this exhibition.

Curated by Heman Chong and Anne Thurmann-Jajes

In this exhibition also several artists books, prints and an unique collage of Oey Tjeng Sit (1917 Puwokerto, Indonesia – 1987 Amsterdam, The Netherlands) were shown (BFA collection).