Re: <nettime> Thomas Hirschhorn exhibition

[Andreas Hagenbach <a2h@gmx.ch>]

>Hi, I'm a curator in New York.

that's ok

>NY Times reports that Thomas Hirschhorn exhibited an artwork in
>Switzerland wchich criticizes Swiss nationalist, and the annual buduget of
>the museum cutted from $38.9 million to $1.1 million. I wrote one article
>about Hirschhorn, so if you are curious about, please check it.

The figures in the preface are wrong, but the article states it 
correct. The budget is cut from the Arts Council of Switzerland 
[www.prohelvetia.ch], which gave the money for the Hirschhorn show. 
The  other figure: the show did cost about 180'000 Swiss francs, 
that's roughly said about 120'000 US bucks.

The reaction of the parliament wasn't very promising, but during the 
debate harsh voices from outside - not only the artist's commnunity! 
- were heard, and we can assume, that not the last word has been 
spoken. Though one thing is clear: Pro Helvetia needs to be 
reorganised.

Looking at the quality of Hirschhorns work there are different 
oppinions around. Today he sells better than the P.Rist, but there is 
a lot to ask how he voices his issues. I have seen better satirical 
works about (and in) Switzerland, and that since years, including 
state funded theatres. So, he is a bit late, and maybe a bit stupid: 
He says, there is too much democracy in Switzerland, and that was not 
meant to be understood as ironic comment on Switzerland. The other 
thing, Hirschhorn said he would no more exhibit in Switzerland as 
long Blocher is in the Government. Now he exhibits in the Swiss 
Centre in Paris, and that is as much Switzerland as you can get. If 
he would have done the same thing in Switzerland - not in Swiss 
showcase in Paris - we would talk more about other issues of his work 
and how this really effects us. And, what are the aspirations of 
Michel Ritter? Well, there you go Thomas Hirschhorn!

Andreas Hagenbach, artist living and working in Basel, Switzerland.


#  distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission
#  <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: majordomo@bbs.thing.net and "info nettime-l" in the msg body
#  archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@bbs.thing.net