On Nervous Grounds

In a world at a tipping point, where the desire for destruc­tion and the destruc­tive is once again being celebrated quite openly, reality seems to be incre­a­singly perceived through the filter of one’s own emotions. Political and social tensions are plunging people into a collec­tive state of nervous­ness and vulnera­bi­lity. On the threshold between delusion and reality, between the self and the external world, the exhibi­tion On Nervous Grounds explores the moment when ambiva­lent emotions arise.

According to the socio­lo­gist Eva Illouz, most emotions are a dialogue we conduct with the world. But how can such a dialogue be consciously initiated, and how can an emotional state be made visible? The artist Ariel Reichman engages inten­si­vely with human vulnera­bi­lity and, through his inter­ac­tive light instal­la­tion I AM (NOT) SAFE, has found a way to give expres­sion to indivi­dual experi­ence. The light of the shifting neon lettering points to the fact that emotions are always fleeting and unstable.

The artists Heinkuhn Oh and Sylvain Couzinet-Jacques remind us that emotions are mostly social in nature. They generally relate to other people or to one’s own self and manifest with parti­cular intensity during times of existen­tial change. The two artists offer insight into the emotional state of a young genera­tion that feels isolated and discon­nected in the face of societal milita­riz­a­tion or a perceived lack of prospects. Their works make us compas­sio­nate by evoking empathy.

Not only real situa­tions, but also fictional or imagined ones can trigger intense emotions. The photo­gra­phi­cally staged realities of Cindy Sherman and Jeff Wall are composed in such a way that the unease of the depicted scenes is trans­ferred to the viewers: The stylized moments, reminis­cent of familiar film scenes, create an inner restless­ness. The instal­la­tions by Rebecca Horn and Mithu Sen leave even more room for the viewer’s own imagi­na­tion. Far removed from our usual horizon of experi­ence, they appear parti­cu­larly excessive, theatrical, and, at the same time, sensually poetic. In this way, they generate a strong emotional tension and simul­ta­ne­ously make ambiva­lent emotions tangible.

However, emotions are not merely an expres­sion of vulnera­bi­lity; they are also a way of dealing with it. Through radical and often ecstatic actions, artists such as Christian Falsnaes and Gilbert & George not only create unsett­ling situa­tions but also expose themselves to unfami­liar experi­ences within their perfor­mances and consciously make themselves vulnerable. Half a century ago, Jürgen Klauke already challenged this vulnera­bi­lity by trans­cen­ding gender catego­ries and tradi­tional notions in his art.

Without inter­pre­ting reality, On Nervous Grounds uses art from the 1970s to the present to explore the sensi­bi­li­ties of our highly emotio­na­lized present and the place where emotions arise.

Curator
Elena Engelbrechter

Curato­rial Assistant
Linus Jantzen