Jeremy Shaw: Towards Logarithmic Delay
Francis Offman: Weaving Stories
May 29–August 31, 2025
Ariane Mueller: Fish are folded into the sea just as the sea is folded into fish
Ariane Mueller’s exhibition Fish are folded into the sea just as the sea is folded into fish is divided into two spheres facing each other that Mueller associates with war and peace, respectively. In the former, she presents new large-format depictions of natural sceneries. They show various paths that lead out into the countryside—wrong paths, as the artist notes. In contrast with the speechlessness and isolation of the natural scenes, the “peace” section presents videos that tell stories of collaborative action. The videos show activities that people can engage in when there is no need for results-oriented work, leaving room for experimentation, for active engagement, for free time, for “non-work.” What art can do in a contemporary world in crisis—that is the question that looms in every facet of the exhibition.
Ariane Mueller was born in Vienna, Austria. She lives in Berlin, Germany, and Vienna, Austria.
Programmed by the board of the Secession.
Curated by Jeanette Pacher.
Jeremy Shaw: Towards Logarithmic Delay
Jeremy Shaw’s exhibition Towards Logarithmic Delay presents three new sculptural works that engage with the concept of border zones and the disorientation brought about by the dissolution of spatial and perceptual thresholds. Shaw’s work constitutes an ongoing exploration of altered states of mind and the cultural and scientific practices that aspire to map transcendental experience. His works are captivated by phenomena that defy rational explanation and the belief systems that evolve in their pursuit. Shaw’s films, installations, and sculptures construct worlds that combine the asserted rationality and objectivity of scientific research with fiction, speculation, and disparate cultural and aesthetic references.
Jeremy Shaw was born in North Vancouver (BC), Canada, in 1977. He lives in Berlin, Germany.
Programmed by the board of the Secession.
Curated by Damian Lentini.
Francis Offman: Weaving Stories
Francis Offman's exhibition Weaving Stories features assemblages that the artist understands as “abstract paintings.” Although they speak of a dedicated engagement with media-specific and technical questions, they cannot be reduced to an apolitical formalism; on the contrary, they are infused with the artist’s life and the history of (neo-)colonialism. Offman’s artistic process begins before the actual work on canvas: with the gathering of found and gifted materials that not only create shapes and gestures, but also hold individual histories and cultural contexts. For Offman, his paintings are like sacred objects—the immersion into their creative and destructive energies is a form of healing and therapy that has the potential for transformation.
Francis Offman was born in Butare, Rwanda, in 1987. He lives in Bologna, Italy.
Programmed by the board of the Secession.
Curated by Bettina Spörr.
Publications
The exhibitions are accompanied by publications. The digital publications are available for free here.
Press contact: presse@secession.at / press materials
