First Opening at ‘de Appel Boys’ School’:
“For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there”
13 February – 28 March 2010
Opening 12 February, 6 pm
At our new exhibition venue ‘de Appel Boys’ School’
Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat 59, Amsterdam
Anonymous, Dave Hullfish Bailey, Marcel Broodthaers, Bryssinck & Peeters, Patrick van Caeckenbergh, Sarah Crowner, Mariana Castillo Deball, Eric Duyckaerts, Ayse Erkmen, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Peter Fischli & David Weiss, gerlach en koop, Rachel Harrison, Giorgio Morandi, Matt Mullican, Bruno Munari, Nashashibi/Skaer, Falke Pisano, Jimmy Raskin, Frances Stark, Rosemarie Trockel and David William
Curated by Anthony Huberman, chief curator of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (US), i.c.w. Ann Demeester (director of de Appel)
On the occasion of the inauguration of ‘de Appel Boys’ School’ on the Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat 59 in Amsterdam, de Appel put on the group exhibition, “For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there”. This group exhibition celebrates the experience of curiosity and speculation as a form of knowledge.
The title was taken from a remark attributed to Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the father of the theory of evolution, who apparently compared mathematics to research by a blind man. In his scientific discipline Darwin attempted to categorise the natural world in a comprehensible way, while he maintained that mathematics was merely concerned with abstractions and was not related to reality in any way. In contrast with Darwin, this exhibition chose to take the part of the proverbial blind man who had the courage to seek in the dark for what may be unfindable. It is an argument for curiosity and speculation as a way of understanding the world and acquiring knowledge. Artists can help us with this. In contrast with science and philosophy, art teaches us that it can be productive to occasionally let go of the knowledge and certainty that have been acquired.
The contributing artists each pursue a better understanding of the world, but also insist that an artwork isn’t an explanation and that art is not a code that has to be unlocked. Art is not only and exclusively accessible to the initiated, as long as you can accept that it does not always have to be explained or un-derstood straightaway.
The exhibition is, in different guises and forms, on view at:
Sept. 11, 2009 – Jan. 3, 2010: Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis
Dec.3, 2009 – Jan. 31, 2010: Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
Febr. 5 – April 4, 2010: Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit
13 Febr. – 28 March 2010: de Appel arts centre, Amsterdam
May – Aug. 2010: Culturgest, Lisbon
A book was published with the exhibition, written by Anthony Huberman, composed and designed by Will Holder, and with contributions from Marcel Broodthaers, Sarah Crowner, Eric Duyckhaerts, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Fischli & Weiss, Giorgio Morandi, Rachel Harrison, Rosemarie Trockel and Patrick van Caeckenbergh.
“For the blind man…” is organized by the Contemporary Art Museum st. Louis
Financial Support:
The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, The city of Amsterdam, Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; Fundación/Colección Jumex; The Mondriaan Foundation.
Contact:
de Appel arts centre
Post Box 10764
1001 ET Amsterdam
the Netherlands
t +3120 6255651
f +3120 6225215
e info@deappel.nl
Follow us on FACEBOOK or Twitter
For press inquiries and further information please contact Hiske Zomer via Hzomer@deappel.nl or +31(0) 20 6255651.