Museums and Locations
Press
Ridiculously Yours! Art, Awkwardness and Enthusiasm
Press release
Press event
12.10.2023 10:30am - 12pm
Place of the press event
Neue Galerie Graz
Show all
The feeling or attitude of enthusiastic embarrassment is undoubtedly associated with a notion of humorous light-heartedness – but just as much with a sense of earnest persistence, against all odds. It is certainly associated with irony – but also with a deeply unironic, rather enthusiastic belief in the necessity and possibility of persevering and continuing with something that has been recognized as unpleasant or embarrassing.
One of the most important attitudes or feelings underlying modern and contemporary art is an enthusiastic silliness that does not shy away from the embarrassing, the unreasonably silly. The exhibition, which spans epochs, includes works by around 100 artists from all over the world and spans an arc from earlier centuries of artistic creation to the immediate past.
In modernism since the 19th century in general and the classical avant-gardes of the early 20th century in particular, a very specific dialectic is at work: on the one hand, bold innovations, radical negation, and aesthetic dogmas – but on the other hand, a certain kind of laughter that formed the basis for the creation of this exhibition project. It is a laughter that is fun and at the same time – without wanting to scandalize only – undermines all conservatism, bigotry, morality and not least avant-garde dogmatisms. By opposing the use of culture to intimidate, to secure unearned privileges, this laughter shows how authority loses its grip, how the pompous gesture and the image of the hero are invalidated.
The topic of the exhibition is equally presented in the Neue Galerie Graz and in the HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark including spectacular artworks in each venue. While an absurd cabinet of mirrors by the Dutch artist Gabriel Lester specifically created for the exhibition project takes a central place in the Neue Galerie Graz, the large main room of the HALLE FÜR KUNST Steiermark transforms into the stage for a monumental installation by the US artist Jim Shaw. In addition to the actual topic, this exhibition offers an overview of important positions in international art history and contemporary art.
Ridiculously Yours! flirts with the humor of disaster, bad taste, the camp approach, B-movie culture, science fiction, horror, etc., as well as immaturity, idiocy, intuition and, of course, passion – not to mention enthusiasm.
Further information
An exhibition project initiated and conceived by Jörg Heiser and Cristina Ricupero
Press release
Ridiculously Yours!?
Images
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
Image Credits
