EMSCHERKUNST.2013
June 22–October 6, 2013
Ruhr, Germany
Artists: Ai Weiwei / Hans Op De Beeck / Daniel Buren / Mark Dion / Sujin Do / Tue Greenfort / Paula Hayes and Teo Camporeale / Haubitz+Zoche / Jeppe Hein / Inges Idee / Mischa Kuball and Lawrence Weiner / KunstVereineRuhr / Galerie für Landschaftskunst / M+M / Rita McBride / Reiner Maria Matysik / Florian Neuner / Olaf Nicolai and Douglas Gordon with Mogwai / Observatorium / Piet Oudolf and Gross.Max / Marjetica Potrč and Ooze Architects / Tobias Rehberger / Michael Sailstorfer / Tomás Saraceno / Apolonija Šušteršič / West 8 / Elin Wikström / Anna Witt & Uglycute
Curator: Prof. Florian Matzner
EMSCHERKUNST.2013 – exhibition with national and international artists in the public space of the German Ruhr metropolis
The German Art Summer of the Ruhr metropolis will be held between June 22 and October 6, 2013, along the banks of the Emscher River. This second installment of the EMSCHERKUNST exhibition series invites guests on a journey of art discovery at unexpected locations in the public sphere. During the European Capital of Culture year RUHR.2010, EMSCHERKUNST.2010 represented the largest art project in the public domain, and attracted 200,000 national and international visitors.
The total exhibition space encompasses around 47 square kilometres, and is located between the participating cities of Duisburg, Dinslaken, Oberhausen, Essen, Bottrop and Gelsenkirchen. The exhibition EMSCHERKUNST is set to show exciting art projects every three years at unusual locations: fallow wastelands, former industry facilities, and the no-man’s land between the river Emscher and Rhine-Herne canal will be transformed into stages for national and international artists. EMSCHERKUNST.2013 is the second installment of the event series under the curatorship of Florian Matzner and is to be understood as a ‘future workshop’ to accompany, document, and influence the structural change in the northern Ruhr region and the conversion process of the Emscher until 2020.
In addition to the obvious topics ‘Emscher Conversion’ and ‘Emscher Landscape Park’, the exhibition will focus mainly on artists dealing with climate change and ecological issues. Elements of participation will also play an important role—the projects by Swedish artist Elin Wikström or the Slovenian Apolonija Šušteršič will actively involve the public in the creation process of their works.
Ai Weiwei and 1,000 tents
One of the most prominent names on the list of artists is Ai Weiwei. The Chinese artist is supervising the production of 1,000 tents in simple lines, which will offer space for two to three people. Each tent will be entirely unique, with a slightly different design. The project also includes a web page, via which the public will be able to book a tent. Ai Weiwei sees his project as a comprehensive installation, encompassing the entire exhibition area, to which the entire population of the region and all visitors of the Ruhr Metropolis are invited. With his project titled Aus der Aufklärung (Out of Enlightenment), Ai Weiwei ponders the current situation in his native country in terms of the suppression of free speech by the Chinese government. He also alludes to the German exhibition titled Art of the Enlightenment, which was initiated in Beijing in 2011. The beginning of the exhibition also coincided with the incarceration of Ai Weiwei by the Chinese government.
Background information
A comprehensive program with artist-on-site events, readings, guided cycling tours and more will accompany the 100-day exhibition. Three visitor centres with integrated bike hire points in Dinslaken, Oberhausen and Gelsenkirchen will help make first contact with the art discovery route. Dedicated art advisors will be on hand at each of the art projects to offer insights into the meaning and purpose of each of the art objects.
EMSCHERKUNST.2013 is a joint venture project of EMSCHERGENOSSENSCHAFT, Regional Association Ruhr (Regionalverband Ruhr) and Urban Arts Ruhr. The State of North Rhine-Westfalia, especially the Ministry for Families, Children, youth, Culture and Sports and the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Consumer Protection support EMSCHERKUNST.
For more information please visit www.emscherkunst.de.
Publication
To accompany the exhibition, a 280-page German/English catalogue with 350 colour photos will be published by HatjeCantz.
Contact
Ausstellungsbüro EMSCHERKUNST
Kronprinzenstraße 24
45128 Essen, Germany
Patricia Bender / Leonie Böhmer, Press officer: +49(0)201-104-2670 / -3010
Bender.patricia [at] eglv.de / Boehmer.leonie [at] eglv.de
