Jannis Kounellis
The oeuvre of Jannis Kounellis, a pioneer of the Arte Povera movement, takes centre stage in this exhibition at the MKM / Museum Küppersmühle, which forms part of the inter-city project Art & Coal, mounted by the RuhrKunstMuseen. In addition to steel, stone or textile, coal is one the fundamental materials from which Kounellis crafted his expansive installations.
Jannis Kounellis
Jannis Kounellis / Photo Henning Krause
On show is a selection of works from private and public collections celebrating the archaic energy of this combustible rock. Kounellis’ presentation of this “poor” material abounds in associations and stored histories. His installations can be read as a reminiscence to the passing of the industrial age.
For me, iron and coal are materials which reflect most profoundly the world of the Industrial Revolution and, with it, the foundations of our present culture. – Kounellis / 1989.
Jannis Kounellis
Jannis Kounellis / Photo Henning Krause
This forms the conceptual basis of the exhibition in the MKM, which showcases further artistic positions in a kind of homage to Jannis Kounellis himself, all of which incorporate the use of coal as a working material, a motif or a theme. On view are installations and even entire rooms fashioned by Ayşe Erkmen, Anselm Kiefer, Michael Sailstorfer, Sun Xun, Timm Ulrichs und Bernar Venet.
Anselm Kiefer, Klingsors Garten, 2018 / Photo Georg Lukas
Ohne Titel, 2000 (Detail) / Gallery Karsten Greve, Photo Georg Lukas
This project has been made possible by the generous support of the RAG-Stiftung, the Brost-Stiftung and Evonik Industries AG, together with the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy and the Ministry for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
An accompanying catalogue will be published, including contributions by Peter Iden, Ines Goldbach, Ferdinand Ullrich, Dan Xu.
Art & Coal / Homage to Jannis Kounellis
June 8 – October 28, 2018 / MKM Museum Küppersmühle für Moderne Kunst
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