The current show at Vienna’s 21haus examines the conditions that bring about the ubiquitous feeling of exhaustion, lethargy, and lack of motivation, not to mention depression that is the sign of times in our information society. As the show argues, this physical and mental state is caused by the paradigmatic shift from industrial society to information capitalism, characterised by a demand for flexibility and self-control, and which places increasing importance to immaterial and creative work.
The differences between these two societies can now commonly be established on the basis of the diseases that they cause. Stress, depression and burnout now replace role conflicts and schizophrenia, afflicting those who are no longer able or allowed to differentiate between work and leisure; those from whom total work-identification is demanded, everywhere, and at all times.
Art was once the utopian counter model to achievement-oriented gainful employment, a realm of freedom opposing the realm of necessities. Today, the artist too is expected to operate like a small agency, promoting themselves and their projects.
While taking note of these tendencies, the exhibition also outlines the reactions against them, and draws attention to movements such as Craftivism that attempt to once again include excluded skills through a re-evaluation of handicrafts and related forms of practice. And if nothing else helps, there’s always a little wooden corridor by Josef Strau you could crawl into and hide for a while.
Participating artists:
Thomas Baumann, James Benning, Cosima von Bonin, Josef Dabernig, Verena Dengler, Simon Dybbroe Møller, Manfred Erjautz, Claire Fontaine, Rodney Graham, Hans Hollein, Siggi Hofer, Judith Hopf, Lone Haugaard Madsen, Michel Majerus, Christoph Meier, John Miller, Ute Müller, Olaf Nicolai, Laura von Niederhäusern, Stefan Panhans, Josephine Pryde, Werner Reiterer, Kirstine Roepstorff, Santiago Sierra, Nicole Six & Paul Petritsch, Josef Strau, Adrian Williams
21er Haus
BUSY. Exhausted Self / Unlimited Ability
Until Jan 13, 2013