Körper im Blick
Yvon Chabrowski, Haure Madjid
Opening: Jan 21, 2022, 7:00 pm
Duration: Jan 22, 2022 – Feb 20, 2022
Photos: Johannes Bendzulla
The exhibition "Körper im Blick" ("Bodies in View") with video sculptures by Yvon Chabrowski and paintings by Haure Madjid questions the relationship between the image, the space and the viewer.
Yvon Chabrowski is a fine artist originating in photography. In her work, within the mediums of moving-image and video sculpture, she employs performative strategies. Her video sculptures are of an inviting nature: visitors of the NKR – Neuer Kunstraum are encouraged to lay under a monitor, or to take up position opposite a swinging monitor. To view an image the monitor is not touched by the user, instead, those pictured touch the screen. A monitors display is an intersection between image, space and the viewer. It defines their position within the space. Here, the perception of the image is focused on the eyes. What happens when the display begins to move? Or the viewers step out of the familiar position? They perceive themselves differently within the space and their bodies gain importance. In this way, the rehearsed every day, museal and exhibition view points gain movement and viewing hierarchies are questioned. In Chabrowskis video sculptures, one encounters different bodies, which assert their autonomy in the image space. They show themselves and question stereotyped representations of bodies.
Haure Madjid is a painter. He develops series, in which he focuses on the transmission of remembered images in painting as well as the distortion of memories. At the NKR – Neuer Kunstraum he will show large scale paintings, larger than life sized and seemingly iconic depictions of fictitious faces. The faces cannot be allocated to any particular person, causing their origin to remain mysterious. The visitors may experience scrutinising gazes, curious gazes, controlling gazes, disdainful gazes, cold gazes, empathetic gazes, piercing gazes or empty gazes. They are not easily understood. The faces do not reveal much of themselves, through their gazes and painting style however, they are present within and command the space. They view the viewer, who are in turn viewing the painted faces. The line of sight tracing from the painted pupil to the real pupil and inversely. They create a flexible and invisible net within the space. To the visitors, it can appear as though they are constantly exposed to the paintings gazes, regardless of their position within the space. The paintings can create a surveillance effect within the space, thus taking the viewers body into view.
