The Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt is presenting self-portraits by contemporary artists in the thematic exhibition “ME”. The show features forty international positions in painting, photography, video, sculpture, and performance art, including works by artists such as John Bock, Eberhard Havekost, Alicja Kwade, Mark Leckey, Nam June Paik, Pamela Rosenkranz, Rosemarie Trockel, and Erwin Wurm.
Exhibition ME
Artist(s) John Bock, Eberhard Havekost, Alicja Kwade, Mark Leckey, Nam June Paik, Pamela Rosenkranz, Rosemarie Trockel, Erwin Wurm, Sarah Lucas, Vito Acconci, Jonathan Monk, Josh Smith, Jack Pierson, Thorsten Brinkmann
Venue Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt
What does one expect from a picture that is supposed to be a self-portrait? Strictly speaking, the ingredients are clear-cut. They have been tried and tested for centuries. Artists explore their faces in the mirror and render this experience in a portrait. The modern era spawned countless self-portraitists from whom nothing less than naked self-affirmation was to be expected in their exploration of their self. And today? Artists no longer show their faces to the viewer. They leave self-revelation behind, retreat from view, pursue less direct approaches—and distance themselves from their own self. We often only know that these are self-portraits because the titles tell us so: Imi Knoebel presents a collection of utensils as a “Selbstporträt mit Pappkarton”, and Gabriel Kuri a combination of insulating material and a shell. Abraham Cruzvillegas renders personal documents unreadable by overpainting them and calls it a “blind self-portrait,” while instead of portraits, Ryan Gander shows the palettes he allegedly used to paint them. Günther Förg portrays himself descending a stairway without a head, Wolfgang Tillmans shows only his knee, Pawel Althamer nothing but his clothes.
Exhibition view © Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, 2016, Foto: Norbert Miguletz
Thorsten Brinkmann, Brinkmann, 2006, Karton, Sneaker, Plastikbeine und Jeans des Künstlers, 193 x 40 x 34 cm, Courtesy Teutloff Museum e.V. Foto: Thorsten Brinkmann © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2016
Erwin Wurm, Selbstporträt als Essiggurkerl, 2010 Acryl, Acryllack, lackierte Holzpodeste, 36-teilige Installation, Foto: Museum der Moderne Salzburg © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2016
Jack Pierson, Self Portrait #25, 2005, C print, 134 x 109,2 cm, Courtesy Teutloff Museum e.V., Foto: Kurt Steinhausen, Köln
Exhibition view © Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, 2016, Foto: Norbert Miguletz
Josh Smith, Untitled, 2006, Öl auf Leinwand, 152 x 122 cm © Private Collection Belgium
Exhibition view © Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, 2016, Foto: Norbert Miguletz
Jonathan Monk, Senza Titolo VII, 2012 (Jesmonite bust with nose broken by the artist), Jesmonite, Büste 45,5 x 21 x 26 cm, Sockel: 150 x 50 x 50 cm, © Jonathan Monk, Courtesy, the artist and Lisson Gallery, London
Exhibition view © Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, 2016, Foto: Norbert Miguletz
Exhibition view © Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, 2016, Foto: Norbert Miguletz
Vito Acconci, Centers, 1971, B/W, Sound 22'50", Courtesy Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2016
Mark Leckey, Leckey Legs, 2014, 3D Photopolymer print, 110 x 80 x 50 cm, Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Köln/Berlin/New York, Foto: Sven Laurent
Exhibition view © Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, 2016, Foto: Norbert Miguletz
Wolfgang Tillmans, Lacanau (self), 1986, Chromogener Farbdruck, 145 x 211 cm x 6 cm (gerahmt als c-print), Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Berlin / Cologne © the artist
Exhibition view © Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, 2016, Foto: Norbert Miguletz
Sarah Lucas, I know what I like in your wardrobe, 1996, Glasfaser- Ei, Acryl und Farbe, 183 x 119 cm, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Copyright: Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo
Friederike Pezold, Brustwerk, 1973, Silbergelatine-Abzug, 65 x 100 cm, Bank Austria Kunstsammlung, Wien
Tags: Alicja Kwade,
Eberhard Havekost,
Erwin Wurm,
Exhibition,
Jack Pierson,
John Bock,
Jonathan Monk,
Josh Smith,
Mark Leckey,
Nam June Paik,
Pamela Rosenkranz,
Portrait,
Rosemarie Trockel,
Sarah Lucas,
Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt,
Selfportrait,
Thorsten Brinkmann,
Vito Acconci