Some Demonstrations

24 Performances, 2016

some demonstrations 1

Some Demonstrations

Wolfgang Neumann (Kunstverein Ludwigsburg)

Some Demonstrations was part of the Manifestina – a project initiated by Maurizio Cattelan and artist curator Christian Jankowski with the aim to critically reflect the format of protest in the public sphere within the context of the Manifesta11 in Zurich. It  was a performance project composed of instructions from 24 contemporary artists. This work by Charlie Stein establishes connections between demonstrations and performances in the public sphere.

The instructions came from:

Tjorg Beer, Andy Best, Mike Bouchet, Birgit Brenner, Ceal Floyer, Ryan Gander, Lori Hersberger, Gregor Hildebrandt, Jaša, Mohammed Kazem, Liz Magic Laser, Sarah Lüdemann, Miao Xiaochun, Orlán, Jan-Hendrik Pelz, Pipilotti Ristorante, Stefan Römer, Römer+Römer, Nina E. Schönefeld, Santiago Sierra, Thaddeus Strode, Ryan Trecartin, Costa Vece, and Jorinde Voigt.

Each demonstration was only documented by a single black-and-white photograph. These photos were exhibited in 2017 at the Kunstverein Ludwigsburg.

The austere series of 24 small-format black-and-white photographs is entitled Some Demonstrations—shots that lie between staging and documentation. The focus is always on a young woman in a public place, busy conveying messages to the world with banners and signs. She is isolated in her actions, even though passers-by are occasionally seen, showing varying degrees of interest in these solo demonstrations.

The photos result from a concept in which the artist—the woman in the pictures—requested specific instructions for demonstrations from fellow artists, which she promised to execute. She interpreted these instructions by mail, email, or phone call, carrying them out daily during Manifesta 2016 in public spaces in Zurich. A photo was selected from each action to provide visual evidence of the demonstration. Delegation thus occurs in several directions: she activated other artists, who in turn provided her with commissions; in the execution, she incorporated their actions into her own work; and the respective photographer created the final documentary result according to the artist’s instructions.

The Manifesta framework nearly disappears. With a confident pose in all positions, Charlie Stein places herself at the center as an active subject and dramatically stages her role between art figure and protagonist in the art market or scene context of a major exhibition. The artist focuses the photos by removing color and adjusting contrasts to give them a timeless appearance. They are not snapshots but concentrated images. By removing color, Stein makes them even more aesthetically distant, sometimes reminiscent of Cindy Sherman’s early se

ries. She incorporates motifs, working methods, and names of other artists into her own work and then re-appropriates them in her strict photography. By featuring well-known artists, she infuses her work with meaning that can attract attention and market value, akin to an artist selfie with an art celebrity.

 

2016 some demonstrations roemer roemerRömer+Römer: Infinite Justice

 

2016 some demonstrations santiago sierra kleptesSantiago Sierra: Kleptes (Thieves)

 

2016 some demonstrations ceal floyer untitled shrugCeal Floyer: Untitled (Shrug)

 

charlie stein 2016 some demonstrations jorinde voigt private artistJorinde Voigt: Private Artist

 

2016 some demonstrations thaddeus strode free your mindThaddeus Strode: Free yourself from Entitlement.

 

2016 some demonstrations costa vece sono poveraCosta Vece: Sono povero.

 

2016 some demonstrations mohammed kazem a kissMohammed Kazem: Kisses

 

2016 some demonstrations stefan roemer flatrate bordellStefan Römer: Flatratebordell

 

2016 some demonstrations andy best snail protestAndy Best: Snail Protest

 

2016 some demonstrations ryan ganderRyan Gander: All artists are socialist until they see an artist with a house bigger than theirs. (TT D’Arby)

 

2016 some demonstrations birgit brenner the dictator decidesBirgit Brenner: The dictator decides / Don’t breathe out.

 

2016 some demonstrations jan pelz maskJan Hendrik Pelz: Mask

 

2016 some demonstrations mike bouchet leave verbs aloneMike Bouchet: No Conjugation.

 

2016 some demonstrations liz magic laser no offenseLiz Magic Laser: No Offense!

 

2016 some demonstrations sarah luedemannSarah Lüdemann: My Might is Yours.

 

2016 some demonstrations orlan petition against deathORLAN: Petition Against Death.

 

2016 some demonstrations miao xiaochun a grassrootMiao Xiaochun: A Grassroot

 

2016 some demonstrations tjorg douglas beer wie man dem toten meerschweinchen die finanzkrise erklaertTjorg Douglas Beer: Dem kleinen, toten Meerschweinchen die Finanzkrise erklären / Explaining the financial crisis to the little, dead guinea pig.

 

2016 some demonstrations pipilotti ristorante schreib mir eine postkartePipilotti Ristorante: Schreib mir eine Postkarte / Bitte nicht falsch verstehen

 

2016 some demonstrations jasa pollack we are so manyJaša: We are so many.

 

2016 some demonstrations gregor hildebrandt sie weiss und sie laechelt manifestina 2016Gregor Hildebrandt: Sie weiß und sie lächelt. (November/Sie)

 

charlie stein 2016 some demonstrations ryan trecartinRyan Trecartin: Untitled.

 

charlie stein 2016 some demonstrations lori hersberger zwingliLori Hersberger: Zwingli, ich führe persönlich Blocher + Schlumpf durch die Manifesta 11

 

charlie stein 2016 some demonstrations nina e schoenefeld prepper coatNina E Schönefeld: #PrepperCoat