G2 Schaulager

S O U V E N I R  F R O M  R O M E
Antikenmuseum x Christian Holze x G2 Kunsthalle

 

Special Exhibition
June 30–October 8, 2023
Opening: Thursday, June 29, 5:30–8 p.m.

Opening Hours:
(only through public tours):
Wed. 6–7 p.m. / Fri. – Sun. 3–4 p.m.

 

The special exhibition SOUVENIR FROM ROME at G2 Schaulager shows together, works by contemporary artist Christian Holze (*1988) and works from the plaster cast collection of the University of Leipzig. Paintings and sculptures by the Leipzig artist will be on view, entering into a dialogue with casts and partial casts from the collection of the Antikenmuseum Leipzig.
In his works, Holze refers to ancient Roman and Greek sculptures, some of whose casts are part of the university collection. Holze’s work is characterized by an examination of quotation, copying, and appropriation within the art historical canon. Thus, through his work, he posits that formal aesthetics and substantive themes in art history repeat and refer to one another, and thus are more likely to be understood as the product of a collective exploitation of historical references and the juxtaposition of features than as fundamentally new creations. Holze uses scans of physical sculptures from art history and then deforms them on the computer, ultimately either dwelling in the digital or being transferred back into the analog.
In the process, Holze also repeatedly incorporates the commercialization of art. He often uses symbols and attributes of goods and products in his work. Sometimes Holze’s paintings feature stylized labels that label fashion products such as clothing or shoes. A recurring motif in Holzes work is the use of watermarks. These run in large numbers across textile-like materials in his paintings. Watermarks are used as copy protection, intended to protect digital content from unauthorized distribution. At the same time, the patterning of the fabrics is reminiscent of trademarks that line luxury bags, for example, and serve as a symbol of social and economic prosperity and success.

The technique of plaster casting, which originated in the 17th century, also carries the principle of copying as an essential motif. In this, direct casts are made from an original sculpture. Thus, the plaster casts are 1:1 transfers in the same format. The intention of the casts is to concentrate widely distributed sculptures in one place for research purposes. Beyond the exact copy, however, individual actors have repeatedly expanded gaps within a work with independent creations and additions, so that sometimes a mixture of different authors can be found within a cast.
The casts of the collection of the University of Leipzig were made mainly in the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. It belongs today with a collection size of 800 exhibits, it belongs to one of the most important and largest collections of its kind.

The exhibition SOUVENIR FROM ROME creates a complex conundrum of references and allusions to art history from antiquity to the present. In doing so, the combination of Christian Holze and the Museum of Antiquities raises questions about the relevance of historical models for contemporary art development, the possibility of fundamental re-creations, and the commercial exploitation of art historical works.

Text: Leo Wedepohl
The exhibition can only be visited via guided tours on the dates mentioned above.
We kindly ask you to register for this via our booking system.
We always try to make individual viewing appointments possible. Please send us an email at info@g2-leipzig.de or call us at 0341 35573793.

 

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