Eccentric 80s

Tabea Blumenschein (1952–2020), Hilka Nordhausen (1949–1993), and Rabe perplexum (1956–1996) acted ex-centrically in several senses: outside the centre of attention, deviating from social norms and often also from institutionalised art. The results of their productions—performances, readings, films, concerts or murals—were sometimes fleeting, ephemeral and thus less marketable at the time. At the time, they represented non-recognised gender and identity images and lived sexual orientations non-conformably. Their work transcended the narrow boundaries of genres and modes of expression. 

The contemporary artists Ergül Cengiz (b. 1975) (3 Hamburger Frauen), Philipp Gufler (b. 1989) and Angela Stiegler (b. 1987) question the positions of the 1980s from today's perspective. Their structurally buried work will be activated on the basis of archive material, exchange with companions and their own artworks: Together with the art historians Burcu Dogramaci and Mareike Schwarz, an exhibition project is being created in which artistic and art-historically situated knowledge is combined. In this way, the three positions from the 1980s are made accessible for new perspectives of reception, both in relation to each other and to the contemporary artworks.

The exhibition and publication project focuses on themes such as subculture, queerness, performative and collaborative ways of working. It tells a different story of the art of the 1980s in the Federal Republic of Germany; beyond the great male master narrative that has dominated the narrative of these years until now.

For the first time, Blumenschein, Nordhausen and perplexum will be shown in one exhibition and in the cities where they worked: Munich (Lothringer 13 Halle), Berlin (Galerie Nord | Kunstverein Tiergarten) and Hamburg (Kunsthaus Hamburg). A German- and English-language publication has been published by b_books, Berlin, to accompany the exhibition. 

Curated by Burcu Dogramaci, Ergül Cengiz, Philipp Gufler, Mareike Schwarz, Angela Stiegler.

Events
Screening and talk: “Nicht Mann, nicht Frau, nur Rabe” by Rabe perplexum with Philipp Gufler 
March 25, 5pm

Reading with Eckhard Rhode and Sarah Khan
April 6, 7pm

Catalogue presentation
May 11, 8pm

Queer clay workshop
May 12, 4pm

Screening and talk: “Zagarbata” by Tabea Blumenschein with Angela Stiegler and Monika Treut
May 20, 6pm, B-Movie Hamburg