[spectre] What is Modern Art? (Group Show), Berlin, Sep 29 - Oct 29, 2006

[Inke Arns]

What is Modern Art? (Group Show)
Alfred H. Barr, Jr., Walter Benjamin, Arnold 
Bode, Kazimir Malevich, Porter McCray, Dorothy 
Miller, Piet Mondrian, Salon de Fleurus, 
International Exhibition of Modern Art, Museum of 
Modern Art, Museum of American Art

edited by Inke Arns, Berlin & Walter Benjamin, New York

Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien
Opening: Thursday, September 28, 2006, 19:00
With Christoph Tannert, Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien; 
Prof. Dr. Michael Fehr, Universitaet der Kuenste, 
Berlin; Dr. Inke Arns, Co-curator of the 
exhibition

& Galerie 35, Museum of American Art
Berlin, September 29 - October 29, 2006
www.whatismodernart.de

The exhibition What is Modern Art? (Group Show) 
which takes place in Berlin from 29 September 
until 29 October 2006 in parallel to ArtForum 
Berlin gathers a series of art projects that have 
contributed to the development of a specific art 
practice based on anonymity and copying. These 
projects examine authors, exhibitions and 
institutions central to 20th century art (and its 
historiography), using copies to de- and 
reconstruct their specific art historical events 
and narratives. Some of them, with roots in the 
(South-Eastern) European art scene of the 
1970s-80s, became a central point of inspiration 
for a younger generation of artists. So far, 
Salons, Mausoleums and Museums with permanent 
exhibitions have been established in New York, 
Belgrade and, most recently, Berlin.

What is Modern Art (Group Show) is the first 
exhibition internationally to gather these 
projects in a comprehensive group exhibit at the 
Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien, the Galerie 35 and the 
Museum of American Art in Berlin. It is being 
curated, or rather edited, by Inke Arns (Berlin) 
and Walter Benjamin (New York).

The exhibition at Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien 
includes Collection of Drawings of an Art Amateur 
Made on his Travels through a Mysterious and 
Faraway Land, 1900, Moderne Kunst from the Museum 
Folkwang, Hagen 1904, and From the Autobiography 
of Alice B. Toklas (1905-1913). All three works 
are by the Salon de Fleurus (New York), and 
examine the art of the 19th and the early 20th 
centuries. They are on display at the 
Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien in Studio 1 on the first 
floor. Studios 2 and 4 feature the International 
Exhibition of Modern Art (Armory Show), 2013, and 
Kazimir Malevich's Last Futurist Exhibition 0,10, 
two important exhibitions that took place in the 
US and Russia between 1913 and 1916. Studio 2 
also contains Alfred Barr's Museum of Modern Art, 
New York, 1936, while new works by the Museum of 
American Art focusing on documenta 2 (1959) can 
be found in Studio 1, ground floor: Arnold Bode, 
Documenta II - Opening (1959), Arnold Bode, 
Documenta II - Visitors (1959), Porter McCray, 
Documenta II - Americans (1959) and Dorothy 
Miller, Neue Amerikanische Malerei (1958).

As the Museum of American Art in 
Berlin-Friedrichshain shows its permanent 
collection (predominantly representatives of 
Abstract Expressionism 1953-59), the Galerie 35 
presents Recent Works by Piet Mondrian, 
accompanied by video recordings of lectures by 
Walter Benjamin and Katherine Dreier.

A comprehensive two-volume catalogue 
(German/English) will be published by Revolver - 
Archiv fuer aktuelle Kunst, Frankfurt am Main 
2006.


Exhibition Venues:

Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien
Mariannenplatz 2, D-10997 Berlin
Tel. ++49 - 30 - 616 903-0
Opening: Thursday, September 28, 2006, 19:00
With Christoph Tannert, Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien; 
Prof. Dr. Michael Fehr, Universitaet der Kuenste, 
Berlin; Dr. Inke Arns, Co-curator of the 
exhibition
Duration: September 29 - October 29, 2006
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 14:00 - 19:00

Museum of American Art
Frankfurter Allee 91, Berlin-Friedrichshain
Tel. ++49 - 30 - 420 222 21
Opening hours: Wed - Sun 14:00 - 19:00

Galerie 35
Simon-Dach-Str. 35, Berlin-Friedrichshain
Tel. ++49 - 30 - 257 688 89
Opening: Saturday, September 30, 2006, 20:00
Duration: October 1 - 29, 2006
Opening hours: Thu-Sun 15:00 - 20:00

Website:
www.whatismodernart.de

Curators/Editors:
Inke Arns, Berlin/Dortmund & Walter Benjamin, New York

Catalogue:
A comprehensive two-volume catalogue will be 
published (source material / critical texts) in 
English and German.

Inke Arns, Walter Benjamin (eds.)
What is Modern Art? (Group Show)
Revolver - Archiv fuer aktuelle Kunst, Frankfurt am Main 2006
Vol. 1: 116 pages, ca. 110 color ill., Vol. 2: 96 
pages, b/w, both 19x25,5 cm, 35 ¤

Press contact:
Christina Sickert, Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien, 
sickert at bethanien.de, Tel. ++49 - 30 - 616903-15
Dr. Inke Arns, inke.arns at hmkv.de, Mobil ++49 - 173 - 9889984

Funded by:
Kulturstiftung des Bundes

A project by mikro e.V., Berlin
Supported by Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien GmbH, Berlin and reboot.fm/bootlab



-- 

Dr. Inke Arns
Künstlerische Leiterin / Artistic Director
Hartware MedienKunstVerein
Güntherstrasse 65 * D-44143 Dortmund
T ++49 (0) 231 - 823 106
F ++49 (0) 231 - 882 02 40
inke.arns at hmkv.de
www.inkearns.de

Berlin:
Pestalozzistr. 5 * D-10625 Berlin
T ++49 (0)30 313 66 78
M ++49 (0)173 988 99 84

Running:
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF IRATIONAL.ORG
PHOENIX Halle Dortmund, Aug 30 - Oct 29, 2006
www.hmkv.de

Upcoming:
WHAT IS MODERN ART? (GROUP SHOW), Sep 29 - Oct 29, 2006
Opening: Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Thu, Sep 28, 2006, 19:00
www.whatismodernart.de