Exhibition Title
Crossroads of Belonging: Food, Temporality, Art
Concept Overview
This exhibition explores the interplay of identity, temporality, and cultural belonging through the metaphor of home. Drawing on personal experience and artistic practice, the exhibition is structured as a journey through four metaphorical “rooms,” each representing a pivotal stage in life and work. These rooms - Russia (Entrance Hall), Brazil (Dream Room), China (Dining Room), and Germany (Living Room) - reflect the fluidity of identity, the temporality of human experience, and the role of art and food in shaping cultural exchange.
Through the lens of my practice, the exhibition connects personal and collective identity with cultural traditions, emotional memory, and the shared act of consumption. Saarland's international character further amplifies the dialogue between global and local perspectives, aligning with the themes of belonging and cultural exchange.
Exhibition Structure: Rooms and Themes
1. Russia: The Entrance Hall
Theme: Grounding and Cultural Roots
Focus: Tradition, discipline, and local aesthetics form the foundation of identity. This room reflects the formative influence of Russian culture on my artistic sensibilities, emphasising heritage and grounding.
Artworks: Works that explore traditional materials, techniques, and motifs, such as tactile textures, earthy tones, and layered surfaces that evoke cultural depth.
2. Brazil: The Bedroom Room
Theme: Dreams, Memory, and Transformation
Focus: This room represents a period of longing, transformation, and emotional exploration. Brazil is framed as a space of reflection on the past and the challenges of adapting to a new environment.
Artworks: Emotional, personal pieces that reflect longing and memory. Abstract, dreamlike forms or textured surfaces evoke an emotional connection to the past, symbolizing transformation and self-discovery.
3. China: The Dining Room
Theme: Consumption, Cultural Exchange, and Media Influence
Focus: The dining room is a space of cultural interaction and negotiation. This room reflects my time in Shanghai, where new cultural paradigms and media influences shaped my understanding of identity.
Artworks: Pieces that engage with media, cultural exchange, and the tension between tradition and modernity. The idea of consumption - literal and metaphorical - serves as a focal point for exploring identity in an interconnected world.
4. Germany: The Living Room
Theme: Community and Communication
Focus: The living room represents Germany as a place of connection and hope. This room reflects the importance of community in my practice and my ongoing engagement with unconventional spaces to foster dialogue and inclusivity.
Artworks: Works that emphasize community, interaction, and the bridging of cultural identities. The room opens into a garden, symbolizing hope and further development, aligning with my sense of possibility and growth.
Contextual Underpinnings and Key Connections
1. Metaphor of Home
The exhibition uses the metaphor of home to connect the personal and the universal. Each room represents a stage of identity formation, navigating cultural roots, emotional memory, and global belonging. The layout mirrors my personal journey and transitions, inviting viewers to reflect on their own sense of belonging.
2. Temporality as a Unifying Theme
Food, art, and identity are deeply tied to temporality. Food is consumed, art transforms, and identity evolves over time. This transience is a recurring motif in my work, expressed through fragile materials, layered textures, and the interplay between permanence and impermanence.
3. Saarland's International Context
The exhibition’s location in Saarland, known for its international character, reinforces its relevance. By situating this exploration of identity in a culturally diverse region, the exhibition invites an audience to engage with themes of belonging and exchange.
Scholarly and Artistic References
Sigmund Freud & Erik Erikson: Focused on the role of social and familial relationships in shaping identity.
Stuart Hall: Addressed identity within historical and cultural contexts, including media representation and cultural hybridity.
Judith Butler: Examined intersectionality and how race, gender, and class intersect in identity formation.
Pierre Bourdieu: Explored power dynamics and cultural capital through the concept of habitus, which aligns with the structural nuances of identity formation.
Artists and Exhibitions:
Mona Hatoum: Explored themes of home and belonging through metaphorical installations. Her work resonates with my use of rooms to symbolise identity.
Lee Mingwei: Projects like The Dining Project explored food as a medium for intimacy and dialogue, reflecting my presentation in the restaurant.
Food: Bigger than the Plate (Victoria and Albert Museum, 2019): Investigated the intersection of food, culture, and sustainability, offering insights into the relationship between food and identity.
Connection to Artistic Practice
Art as Cooking
My working process mirrors the act of cooking - experimenting, mixing materials, and adjusting results. Polymer clay and other materials echo the tactile, sensory aspects of food preparation, reinforcing the connection between making art and creating meals.
Materiality and Temporality
My practice emphasizes the contrast between permanence and impermanence, using materials like clay, wood, and fragile elements to evoke visceral responses. This reflects my engagement with affect theory (Brian Massumi) and synaesthesia, as well as my interest in how art can provoke emotional and gut-level reactions.
Identity and Power
Like Margarethe Perl, I navigate identity and power as a woman in diverse cultural contexts. My works address the complexities of belonging, self-definition, and cultural negotiation, drawing on personal experience to resonate with universal themes.
Addressing Challenges
Cultural Norms in Saarland.
Challenge: Saarland’s strong food culture (“Hauptsach, Gudd Gess”) may overshadow the art or reinforce consumption habits.
Solution: We need to frame the exhibition to highlight the cultural rituals of dining as both communal and ephemeral, encouraging visitors to see food as a metaphor for identity and temporality rather than just consumption.
Colonial and Aristocratic Histories
Challenge: Spaces like Handelshof may carry associations with privilege, exclusivity, or colonial histories.
Solution: We need to acknowledge these histories subtly in the exhibition text, using the context to critique societal hierarchies and question notions of belonging and privilege.
Viewer Expectations
Challenge: Visitors may prioritize dining over engaging with the art.
Solution:
Visual Accessibility: Use visually striking and immersive installations to immediately capture attention.
Interactivity: Include participatory elements or prompts at dining tables to create connections between food and the artwork’s themes. Highlighting connections like the violet colour of foie gras and chocolate is an interesting way to integrate art with the dining experience.
Guided Experiences: Offer brief artist talks, QR codes for additional context, or "art paths" through the restaurant.
War and Identity
Challenge: My identity as a Russian artist in Germany may provoke polarized reactions due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Solution: I need to focus on universal themes - migration, the fragility of home, and the search for belonging - to foster empathy and dialogue without directly polarizing viewers. Use subtle metaphors rather than overt political commentary.
Consumer Ethics
Challenge: Potential tension between the exhibition’s themes and the exclusivity of the restaurant setting.
Solution: Highlight contrasts intentionally to provoke thought. Use reclaimed materials and emphasize temporality to juxtapose luxury with impermanence and sustainability.
Community Dialogue
Challenge: Ensuring the exhibition resonates with a diverse audience, including those unfamiliar with contemporary art.
Solution:
Community Inclusion: I might host pre- (post-opening) exhibition discussions or collaborations with local communities to integrate their perspectives.
Accessibility: Use approachable language in exhibition texts and avoid overly academic framing.
Engagement Opportunities: Create open-ended questions or conversation points in the space to encourage dialogue about belonging and identity.
Additional Elements to Strengthen the Exhibition
• Curatorial Role Introduction: I will dedicate a small section (on a wall or brochure) to introduce my future curatorial vision. Mentioning “The Art of Taste” and how I plan to connect art and gastronomy, inviting audiences to see art as essential to life.
• Promotional Material: I need a short video introducing myself (as an artist and curator?), and the exhibition’s concept.
• Flyers or small menus with QR codes linking to my website with further reading about my artistic practice.
• Essays publication: I might consider publishing on my website previous Essays about synaesthesia (The Critical Review. Synaesthesia – meaning for art Read here: https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/the-critical-review-synaesthesia-meaning-for-art ), identity and war (Contemporary Art, Killing The Inner Fascist Read here: https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/critical-review-contemporary-art-killing-the-inner-fascist ) and social engagement (In What Ways Can I Challenge Established Norms and Perceptions Through My Artworks to Disrupt Potential Complacency and Inspire Transformative Action on a Visceral Level? Read here: https://www.marinawittemann.com/post/in-what-ways-can-i-challenge-established-norms-and-perceptions-through-my-artworks-to-disrupt-potent).
Final Notes
This exhibition weaves together my personal journey, artistic themes, and the broader context of identity, food, and temporality. It offers viewers an immersive experience that invites reflection on their own sense of belonging while showcasing my unique perspective and practice.
コメント