E. Jane, E. The Avatar Ep3, 2015. Screenshot. courtesy of the artist.
“After Aesthetics” is a show by a group of Berlin artists based on the interpretation of a sci-fi novelette about three cybernetic kids who find a living dog. Through poetry, narration, music and film, each artist creates the atmosphere for the text and together they trace a landscape of social de-evolution. We spoke to the curator, PUNK IS DADA, about the end of “genre”, collaboration in Berlin and why she thinks Gallery Weekend only acts as a lived experience of capital.
What kind of collective art practice will be present in this show?
PUNK IS DADA: There’s approximately 17 situations over the evening, each artist has a 15 minute window (in true Warholien style) to react to a text given to them entitled “The people of sand and slag” by Paolo Bacigalupi. It’s an unpredictable sci-fi novelette about these three cybernetic kids who find a dog – dogs have been extinct for thousands of years, and what they do with it – keep it as a pet, sell it or eat it. The artists could be as implicit or explicit as they want in reference to the text. But we also see the entire event to be a colab each person creates the atmosphere for the text and in turn that reads with the present piece. Most artists have chosen to use poetry, narration, music and film, but together they will trace a landscape of imminent darkness: social de-evolution, physical decay, neuro-totalitarianism and the sublime.
Why is collaboration popular again?
I don’t think collaboration ever became unpopular, we have lived in Berlin since 2008 and their has always been this kinda of kindred unity much more so than I have seen in say London – naturally its vast and made up of many pockets of art gang with different criteria’s and agendas. From club kids to online peer to peer aesthetics groups, working as a unit seems to create better effects and networks – Ying Colosseum based in Berlin is a new but perfect example of this ideology of the artist network.
Ode to Algorithm, Vonverhille and PUNK IS DADA, 2016, image courtsey of the artist.
How do you think the cross-pollination of art forms and artistic collaborations in Berlin is changing art?
We believe the time of the individual has gone, we are in a state of dualism, thinking only about IRL and URL open us up to a 1000 times more possibilities, tastes, theories, trends and aesthetics – the idea of their never been an original thought has reached a new high and of course that also opens us up to new predicaments about the original and the authentic, which art has always been obsessed over but generally two or more minds will create more unique vision as they mesh together.
Why focus on aesthetics now? And is this more about aesthetics or the “lack” of them?
Ha, Well… we envisage a future where there will only be the aesthetics the “genre” will be eradicated with its limits and rules. No scenes, no genres only aesthetics. Aesthetics doesn’t prioritize a medium in Art it’s all inclusive. “After Aesthetics” explores the future of aesthetics, in relation to Branded Identity, Prosumerism, Valorised Aesthetics and Estrangement to Aesthetics – it’s really a visual symposium of how we can use aesthetics as autonomous unity.
Alex Chalmers, ‘Thank you, come again (image)’ 2016. Courtesy the artist
Which artists could you highlight?
We are also intrigued to see the final works “live” but Esben Holk Nielsen’s performance lecture “the cyberspace sadness” exploring the ancient internet in a unique mash of sound, theory in a crass culture clash will be exceptional. He brings up extinct artefacts, such as pixelation and the issues of compressing data and most importantly: the smiley face, which will be critically interesting next to E.jane’s ethereal YouTube episodes. She is best known for her digital Photobooth background that virally celebrated black women’s resistance with the tagline #NotYetDead #SayHerName. Plus each artist will have merchandise available to purchase and right now we seem to have everything from Maximilian Schmoetzer’ bird feeders to Sleep Hygiene’s hand sanitizers to coral red cassettes with the new album “Ode to Algorithm” on.
How does this show fit within the framework of an organised commercial event such as Gallery Weekend, of which you’re not officially part?
It doesn’t, but really Gallery Weekend (officially) only acts as a lived experience of capital not culture. As the collectors are chauffeur driven from white cube to white cube, money exchanges hands. “After Aesthetics” represents the life of the visual after the gallery.
“After Aesthetics” is at Bar Babette in Berlin on 30 April 2016