Title: Art With(Out) Association
Author: Jenna MacLean
Publication Year/Date: May 2024
Document Version: Fine Art Hons dissertation
License: CC-BY-NC-ND
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-ncnd/4.0/
DOI: https://doi/org/10.20933/100001303
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A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) degree in Fine Art
I want to give a mention to all my pals and lecturers in the art school who have encouraged my practice and growth as an artist in my favourite place that is my wee Dundee, you’ve made my time here an absolute pleasure and something to remember always.
Time to enjoy the rest of it now, here’s to Paris! X
Abstract:
This exhibition proposal discusses the use and need for Intuitive and Automatic ways of creating art, as well as the unique relationship such art has with association and the opportunities and disadvantages this brings. It seeks to counteract the underrepresentation of such art with an exhibition designed to stimulate engaging with the intuitive creation process and how change of association can change the interpretation of its art pieces.
It is set within the Boros collection, housed in an old Nazi bunker. This venue allows for the pieces to be viewed without external association, as the bare concrete walls allow for a blank exhibition space. The history of the building surrounds this space and stands in direct juxtaposition; a monument built to shield a dictatorial regime which would have labelled all art in this exhibition as ‘degenerate’ and worthy of destruction, adding association to the pieces.
Introduction:
The following exhibition proposal dissects the creation of intuitive art, followed by association surrounding art. The exhibition itself is designed to encourage engagement with intuitive creating practices, as well as evaluate how associations around art are formed and how association can impact its interpretation.
For most people, the art education they experience is very linear, mainly focusing on technique development and achieving external goals. This forgoes artistic expression, and they must first unlearn this mindset to be able to fully realize themselves as an artist. One important method that is usually ignored is the creation of intuitive art, or what is also referred to as Automatism.
This refers to art creation suppressing rational thought and embracing subconscious impulses (Breton, 1924), and forms part of the surrealist and Abstract Expressionist art movement. Max Ernst (1891-1976), Jackson Pollock (1912- 1956) and Barnett Newman (1905-1970) all explored the use of Automatism in their art, and no doubt grew from its implementation.
Resistance to this approach comes in the way we view modern art.
In ‘The Death of the Author’, Roland Barthes (1915-1980) stipulates that the meaning of a creative piece completely changes when it passes to the public, with the author losing all relevance and the piece being fully subject to the consumer’s interpretation. Raymond Picard (1917-1975) contested that a piece cannot be fully interpreted without the author’s context.
Similarly, Karsten Harries (1937) argues that art is a product of the ideals of man, meaning that even Automatic Art is a product of the ideals of Automatism.
This presents two hurdles in the acceptance of intuitive art: The art is never fully without association, and the art is, by its nature, subject to much more subjective interpretation due to its lack of association. The author of the work is killed by design, so to say, and the piece is purely subject to the consumers. This is a great strength, allowing for endless possible engagements with the piece, and a great weakness, as it is almost impossible to reach a consensus on the quality of such art, or even define its properties that make a good piece. This means such art is underrepresented in exhibitions, unless it is commonly perceived as ‘good’ and can be put into a category such as ‘Abstract Expressionism’. There is a need for exhibitions exploring Intuitive art and its unique relationship with association.
The Exhibition is set at the Boros Gallery in Berlin. Its history as a Nazi bunker is in direct juxtaposition to its modern use as an art gallery exhibiting art they would have labelled ‘degenerate’. This was part of an attempt to control the associations around art and use them to enforce desirable values and ways of thinking on the population, while punishing the undesirable. The exhibition will explore artists whose practice revolves around the idea of the physical act of creating art rather than basing their art from a narrative, some of which was created while the building was still a bunker, and some contemporary.
The gallery offers a unique space due to its history and architecture, the concrete rooms providing an almost blank space which any art can transform.
To begin the base of my research, I want to give some background on what I have learned so far being an artist in this industry and how my experience with studying Art and Design/Fine Art has brought my practice to the way it is today. Firstly, I look towards my own studio practice in which none of my paintings are associated with an in-depth narrative. Through my six years in this industry, my practice has developed greatly. From beginning college after school, I believed that every painting or drawing I created had to be based on a story, place, person or experience. I feel my practice back then suffered as a result of this. My personality did not shine through, it was dull, repetitive and ultimately lacking excitement, engagement and development.As I began studying my first degree at Stirling University to study Art and Design, I believe my practice began to resolve itself through my research into Intuitive art, Outsider Art and Art Brut. I realised through this research I could focus my passion outside of a narrative. I began to focus on the idea of creating art through mark-making and the use of text and phrases. Heavily inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1860-1988) at the time, I included a lot of phases and words in my paintings, which had no connotations towards the painting, but the act of writing whatever I wanted on the surface was so refreshing and exciting to me. During my second degree studying Fine Art at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, I began to gravitate towards Abstract Art and Abstract Expressionism. This was the beginning of my freedom as an artist and when my voice as an artist began to show. Impulsive and intuitive mark-making flowed through my paintings and the physical creation of painting pushed me to paint this way. One way I can describe the creation process of my abstract paintings, is that the piece and I are having a conversation. At that moment in time, there is no thoughts, no end result in mind. Just pure emotion, movement and no feeling of fear. I as the artist and the piece bounce back off each other. Its reaction is my next reaction. My practice is all about the physical creation of the painting. For example, throwing paint, dripping paint and being one hundred percent involved in it. In a way, it’s a sort of performance. I do not plan my next move, in fact, I do not think at all.
Another way to refer to this process is Automatism. Automatic drawing/painting is creating art in a way without involving conscious thought. It represses rational thought, and the subconscious takes over. The term Automatism was taken from physiology and involves the body making subconscious movement, in this case, drawing or painting. A historic application of Automatic drawing comes from psychoanalysis, with Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) attempting to use this technique to gain a deeper understanding of his patient’s thoughts. Freud was heavily influenced by French poet Andre Breton, who refers to automatism in his work, ‘The Manifesto of Surrealism’:
SURREALISM, n. Psychic automatism in its pure state, by which one proposes to express (…) the actual functioning of thought. Dictated by the thought, in the absence of any control exercised by reason, (…) aesthetic or moral concern. (…) based on the belief in the superior reality of certain forms of previously neglected associations… (Breton, 1924)
I have also used automatic drawing in art therapy and my personal life. When a member of my family was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, their cognition and communicative ability drastically deteriorated (Maclean, n.d.). One way I attempted to communicate with them was through automatic drawing and writing. The images they created involved familiar elements, but in a disordered nonsensical way, without association.
Fig 2 & 3- Ninian Smith‘Untitled’, Gourock, (2018) Drawing on paper In Visual art, Max Ernst (1891-1976) practiced this technique when he would make unanticipated mark-making within his surrealist collages. Jackson Pollock (19121956) delved into Automatism with his vigorous throwing and dripping of paint in his
Abstract Expressionist paintings. In a research paper by Michael Schreyach (Schreyach, 2013) discusses Jackson Pollock working alongside fellow abstract expressionists exploring representation in art and retaliating from conventional ways of creating:
The historical coincidence of Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s (1908-1961) phenomenology and the representational practices of Abstract Expressionist artists such as Barnett Newman (1905-1970) and Jackson Pollock has often been noted, but the possible implications of the connection for interpretation have only occasionally been pursued in a sustained manner. The parallel development of the careers of these two figures is remarkable. Both Pollock and Merleau-Ponty attempted to resist and to negate the conventional conceptions governing our understanding of perception and representation.
The paper discusses philosophy and it is clear that it plays a drastic role within perception and interpretation. The research mentions philosopher Maurice MerleauPonty and his phenomenology on interpretation within our world and how that is depicted through art:
Broadly speaking, Merleau-Ponty theorizes the pre-objective world to counter both empiricist and rationalist approaches to perception, which reduce all phenomena which bear witness to the union of subject and world, putting in their place the clear idea of the object as in itself and of the subject as pure consciousness (Schreyach, 2013)
Merleau-Ponty, like the Surrealist Breton, believes in a non-objective, idealised world with deeper association that cannot be observed in our objective reality. For me as an artist I do not feel that my artwork connects to a higher, pure consciousness but it does allow me to connect to my emotions and essence, as-well as the space around me. In a way, transcending the objective world.
Meaning of Modern Art:
Agreat deal of concepts is involved when viewing a piece of art. Such as interpretation, assessing, perception, analysing and understanding. A work of art does not necessarily need to provide a picture-perfect image to be classed as worthy or beautiful. In Abstract Art, the ‘narrative’ is greater focused on form, shape and use of
colour. In this exhibition, the art on display revolves around similar ideologies. In the book titled, ‘Meaning of Modern Art by German Author, Karsten Harries, (Karsten Harries, 1991), he covers the philosophical approach used when viewing art, specifically, Modern Art.
Karsten makes the point that art is a reflection of the ideals of humanity. He suggests that Modern Art has changed drastically because the ideal person and society have evolved. As such, one must consider the societal idea that influenced a piece of art to analyse it. This stands as a direct contrast to Breton’s ‘Manifesto of Surrealism’ essentially stating that Surrealist Art reflects the Surrealist ideal rather than being purely automatic. Pollock and Ponty are two examples of artists striving to reject association within their practice. However, in a modern context, we discuss their works by categorising them and automatically infer associations through pattern-recognition.
Does Art need a Meaning?
It can be argued that art does need a defined meaning to gain a certain sense of understanding to become valid in the art world. One example of this is the well established artist, Tracey Emin (1963) whose work typically conveys a clear and direct meaning. Emin was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1999 for her work, ‘My Bed’. This piece is pure association capturing her depression through the focal point of her bed. It is one of her most well-known and has made a huge mark and influence on the art industry, “launching her career and catapulting her to fame” (Maeve Scully, 2022).
As for the viewers, one could relate to the association behind this particular piece. The story of Emin’s post- breakup depression coincides with the real problems in life that we all face at one point or another and this bed represents that for us as the viewer.
Talking about ‘Art, Meaning and Perception’, the philosopher W.P. Seeley, gives an overview of how neuroscience in art plays a role with how we interpret what we see as the viewer.
He discusses the idea of using neuroscientific methods to quantify interpretive behaviour when viewing art. He sees this approach as limited, as “the salient semantic properties of artworks” are almost impossible to objectively define (Seeley, 2013) Thus, one could say that no matter how much an artist wishes to distance themselves from association, association is inevitable and needed for interpretation by the audience.
Interpretation, however, cannot be objectively quantified and is subjective to every consumer.
My exhibition overall, is intended to engage the viewer in a way that pushes them towards actively thinking about art in association. It includes pieces with some intended association. Also, what happens when that intended association is lost? My exhibition includes pieces from different art movements that actively distanced themselves from association. Some of these are entirely automatic, while others want to induce a desired emotion.
Curatorial approach
I will now discuss my reasons for the curatorial approach to this research and explain my intention for the exhibition.
Target Audience
My exhibition is suitable for a variety of audiences. ‘Art With(out)Association’ can pose as an introduction for people from all educated backgrounds willing to engage with the application methods behind Abstract Art and Abstract Expressionism. I want my target audience to receive a sense of understanding through the paintings on display, allowing their mind to overlook what they physically see in front of them and engage with the art in a way that transcends the physical object. The art on display will hopefully spark debate between the viewers, allowing equally valid and varied opinions on the artwork. Ideally, I want the exhibition to be a non-judgmental space, formed through the reaction towards the art, rather than relying on traditional art criticism.
Venue:
I chose the Boros Bunker to host my exhibition for its ever-changing history and what it stands to be today. Many of the Abstract Art movements of the twentieth century evolved in Germany and the bunker represents Germany’s turbulent attitude towards this art. What I strived for was an interesting exhibition with an impactful place in Berlin’s history. Like Karsten Harries, Hitler believed that art reflected the artist’s ideals. As such it became doctrine that abstract art could only be the result of a mentally and morally corrupted mind, hence the label ‘degenerate art’. Traditional art, with the association of German virtue and strength was promoted, to instil those ideals into the Germans (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC, 2019). The Nazis attempted to confiscate all artwork. “Degenerate Art”, including Expressionist, Cubist and Impressionist art, was stolen and destroyed. One example described in a recent news article was the sale of a Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) painting, grossing at forty-five million United States Dollars to Sothebys. This painting titled, ‘Murnau mit Kirche II’ was stolen from the rightful owner, who unfortunately died in the holocaust. (Neate and correspondent, 2023)
Twenty percent of art in Europe was stolen by the Nazis from artists, galleries and private collections, especially Jewish ones. Private collectors such as Guggenheim allegedly bought art for a vastly cheaper price than what the piece was worth from people who were desperate to flee the Nazis. Private collectors such as Guggenheim allegedly bought art for a vastly cheaper price than what the piece was worth from people who were desperate to flee the Nazis (Sutton, 2023). In this exhibition, I want to emphasise the importance of this part of Germany’s history, and encourage the art on exhibition, that most definitely would have been put under the ‘degenerate art’ category. This stands in juxtaposition to the bunker, which was one of the main bunkers in the Third Reich’s capital, designed to shield its occupants from all outside forces.
The artworks in my exhibition in the Boros Gallery do not represent a definite meaning. Understanding a piece of art for what it has to offer physically to the viewer I find, is a great way of understanding the artist and their work.
Alma Goering.
‘Fiesta De Bodas’, (2022)
Alma Goering is a German Artist interpreting her use of impulsive and raw energy into her paintings to gain an understanding of the painting, instead of being based on a defined narrative. Online Art Gallery Signulart gives a brief overview of Goering’s practice and what it includes:
Through colours and gestures, she endeavours to express what she cannot put into words. While Goering's works have no inherent messages, they provide the viewer with a projection surface for their own interpretations and feelings. (Art, 2022)
The act of creating is what Goering focuses her practice around. The physical creation process overrides any sort of narrative in the painting, thus providing the viewer strong and vivid mark-making through physical movement and impulse energy. This painting represents pure Automatism. No association is given to or by the author, and any association is inferred by the audience.
Mark Rothko, ‘Untitled (Black on Grey)’
Fig – 6 – Mark Rothko- Untitled (Black on grey) Russia (1970), Acrylic on Canvas. 80 1/8 x 69 1/8 inches (203.3 x 175.5 cm)
In Rothko’s (1903-1970) practice, he focuses on utilising block colour and form and enlarging it. He often spoke about how when people viewed his art, they cried.
Whether this was intentional or not, I think it’s important to focus on the viewer’s correspondence with his paintings as I feel their reaction can determine if the intentional meaning behind a piece possesses greater importance over what the viewer can gather about the piece, just by looking at it. It can be debated whether once a piece of art is out in a gallery, in advertisements, on billboards etc. it loses its first intentional meaning because once it’s out there, it’s the viewer who interprets its meaning from there on.
Roland Barthes’s (1915-1980) essay, ‘Death of theAuthor’, demonstrates the meaning behind a piece of art and if that specific meaning is determined by the interpretation of the viewer. In this essay, written in 1967, it is described as the ‘death’ of the author when the piece is released into the eye of the public thus relying on the viewer to analyse and decide its meaning. In other words, “The Birth of the reader” (Barthes, 1967). Barthes’ work provides this research with a contemporary focus on interpretation. The essay sparked debates with the opposition, for example, French Author, Raymond Picard (1917-1975). During this time, Picard debated Barthes’s views as explored in ‘An Analysis of The Death of the Author’:
Picard argued that New Criticism hypocritically made great claims on generating new and more accurate understandings of literary texts, but that these claims simply could not work in practice……Picard contended that this was because an author’s text is intimately bound up with that author’s life. (Seymour, 2018)
Raymond Picard’s views went against those of Barthes. Arguing that “the idea of the Death of the author stops texts from being interpreted properly”. (Seymour, 2018) This once again echoes Karsten Harries’s idea that art is the result of ideals, but in this case rather influenced by the context of the artist’s making. This painting is one rare case where these theories don’t apply, as it can be interpreted without considering the artist.
Jenna Maclean
‘Untitled’ , 2023
Fig 7- Jenna Maclean- Untitled, Scotland (2023), Emulsion, Acrylic, Pastel and Laser cut-offs on MDF. (120x120cm)
Jenna Maclean (2001) is an artist from the West coast of Scotland and is now based in Dundee, Scotland. Her work consists of Intuitive and gestural Abstract paintings. What is consistent throughout her work is the intuitive form within her paintings, and visible use of impulsive energy carried out through her vigorous mark-making. While not feeling she fitted well within ‘traditional’ concepts of creating art, her practice follows the ideas of automatic drawing and painting. Her art strives for full automatism but has one distinct association: the use of exclusively recycled materials. This means her art is not just a result of her artistic expression, but also the reality of the materials she can find.
Sean Scully‘Floating Painting no.5’
Fig 8 – Sean Scully - Floating Painting no.5’, New York (1996), Oil on Metal. 36 x 24 x 4 in91.4 x 61.0 x 10.2 cm
Sean Scully (1945) is an Irish artist, currently based in New York. Scully’s painting processes are depicted through thick mark-making and prominent brushstrokes. Alongside his re-occurring geometric shapes, his strong use of colour is clear throughout his work. Scully’s paintings are typically large-scale, in a way when you visit one in person, you are completely emerged by it. It can be seen with this piece here, that the painting is not flush against the wall. This possesses somewhat of an advantage to my exhibition as most of the pieces on show are large-scale. I plan to curate the pieces in a way that they all flow together while attempting to no be overcrowded.
Wassily Kandinsky ‘Improvisation 35’, 1914
Fig 9 – Wassily Kadinsky – Improvisation 35, (1914), Oil on Canvas. 43.3 × 47.2" (110.0 × 120.0 cm) Kunstmuseum Basel
Kandinsky (1866-1944) competed a series of paintings exploring the ideologies of intuition and eliminating all meaning from a painting. Instead, he relied on what the paintings involves, for example – interplay of form and impulsive use of colour to gain interpretation.
Wassily Kandinsky created a group called, ‘Der Blaue Reiter’ translating to ‘The Blue Rider’. This sub-movement is relevant to this research as it was established for expressionist artists who wanted to pursue creating art in a way to just simply enjoy the act of creating art without being subjected to traditional structure and expectations. Artists such as Paul Klee (1879-1940), Gabriele Münter (1877-1962) and August Macke (1887-1914) created paintings that were also involved in this group. Music proved itself be prominent with the artists in the movement, and artists used this to some how connect art with spirituality. The inaptitude of music to the physical space we live, and the spirituality of what is art.
Art from the Blaue Reiter movement was part of the Munich ‘DegenerateArt’exhibition during Nazi rule. The Lenbachhaus in Munich now hosts the biggest permanent collection of the group’s art.
Piet Mondrian ‘Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow’,1930.
This Piece by Mondrian (1872-1914) is one of his most sought-after paintings. It consists of various compositions with primary colours, red, blue and yellow which were consistent throughout most of his paintings. Mondrian is best known for his thick application of brushstrokes followed by mark-making. Like Kandinsky, Mondrian’s work was part of the post- World War One Abstract Art movement, taking unseen and unconventional approaches to his work and this altered Modern Art from there on. Other movements that emerged in this period such as Dadaism, Cubism and Surrealism became more prominent, prompting questions about this new way of creating art such as, ‘What does this actually mean?’ And ‘what is the purpose?’ One wonders who gets to be the one to decide this? In my exhibition, I feel the viewers would have similar thoughts to these- and this is what I want as the curator. Form and colour play key roles within Mondrian’s paintings, and this was called the ‘De Stijl art movement’ and Mondrian, being one of the main artists practicing this, shows an example of that through this piece. The Dutch De Stijl art movement focused on balance, symmetry and using the very basic primary colours. The reason why I have decided to include this piece by Mondrian in my exhibition, ‘Art With(out)Association’ is that one of his pieces was hung upside down for a long period of time, seventy-five years and nobody noticed it. ‘New York city I’ hung upside down for this length of time and now in The Kunstsammlung Museum in Düsseldorf, they cannot hang it the right way around now, in case of potential damage to the painting.
Curator of the museum, Susanne Meyer -Büser talks about how she noticed the seventy-five-year long error in The Guardian Interview:
“The thickening of the grid should be at the top, like a dark sky,” said Meyer-Büser. “Once I pointed it out to the other curators, we realised it was very obvious. I am 100% certain the picture is the wrong way around.” (Oltermann, 2022)
This is one of Mondrian’s most well-known pieces before it was noticed hanging upside down. The public still appreciated it for what it was, maybe even trying to analyse and study it for a define meaning. At the end of the day, it was the wrong way around so ultimately, the first meaning critiques attached to this painting might no longer be valid and a whole new one may be created. The painting does not possess a signature from Mondrian, meaning the correct hanging was always going to be an underlying issue.
Images of the final model of my exhibition can be seen in Appendix A. These show how the paintings are laid out in the exhibition space.
Exhibition Theory:
An interesting look to how practicing Intuitive art can encourage individuals in specifically children, is this study from an art practice group, Neighbourhood Art Centre’s (2021) blog, which they discussed their results after letting children take part in an intuitive abstract painting class:
We showed the students the piece above and talked about the emotions the different squares evoked. We tried to stay away from assigning emotions to colours (red to anger, blue to sadness) and instead thought about each square by itself and how it made each individual feel. (Center, 2021)
This example of teaching children, perhaps inspiring artists, this approach to painting is a great way of teaching intuitive Abstract Art and allowing an individual to simply create what they feel in the moment:
The most important thing during discussions like this is to make sure each student knows their personal interpretation is just as possible and correct as anyone else’s the ambiguity of art and the ability to be intuitive in art making go hand in hand. (Center, 2021)
In this class they experimented with music, allowing form and colour naturally occur, resulting in an Intuitive art piece. While this is taking place, the source states that they informed the children that their approach to the painting was just as valid as the next person, and that all interpretation was considered. Inspired by this, I am including art supplied in my exhibition, giving my audience the opportunity to explore intuitive creation.
Karen Lohmann and Christian (1964) Boro’s are art collectors currently living in their penthouse apartment, directly on-top of the bunker in Berlin. Both collectors were interested in hosting ‘unusual art’ in their chosen space, which became the Boros Gallery:
Karen and Christian Boros have a reputation for collecting art that many other high-profile collectors are more likely to avoid from the experimental to the untested. “I like artists that make it difficult for me at first,” Christian, the German advertising maestro, in 2007. “Artists that challenge me, question my conventions and show me something new. (Ariel Hauter, 2017)
The fact that Karen and Christian were interested in exhibiting art outside of the ‘conventional’ art bracket pushed me further to research the Boros Bunker as my exhibition venue. The bunker is thirty-thousand square feet and contains approximately eighty rooms. Its three-meter-thick walls completely break up the visitor from the outside world, forcing the viewer to be totally immersed within the bunker, as sound and light from the outside world is eliminated. Inside this reinforced “concrete monster” (MAAK, 2007) the visitor is surrounded by what could be described as a ‘prison-like’ grey, environment. From personal experience of visiting the bunker, I had a first-hand, raw impression of the building and what it had to offer as a place to host my exhibition.
Fig 13 – Section (2024), Digital Drawing.
Boros’ Gallery, Berlin
The Boros’ Gallery stands as the best possible venue to hold this exhibition, ‘Art With(Out) Association.’ From World War Two bunker to techno sex club, this historical piece of architecture, at a standstill in the area of Freidrichshain, Berlin, constitutes as a conjunction between historical time, art and the viewer. The space provides a connection between art and history in a way that allows for a unique presentation of art contemporary to the bunker and current times.
The history of the bunker is what granted the attraction as the venue, and when visiting the bunker in person, one can feel a real sense of its past lingering in the atmosphere. The Boros bunker, “Reichsbahnbunker Friedrichstraße”, was once one of many ‘bombproof’ refuges for one thousand-two hundred Berliners in 1940. By 1944, the bunker held up to four-thousand people. In 1945, the Reichsbahnbunker became occupied by the RedArmy and was then used as a prisoner- of- war camp. When visiting the bunker in modern day, one cannot even begin to imagine what it must have felt like, being hauled into this dark, damp space, overloaded with people for days and weeks.
In the nineties, techno became apparent in Berlin and the bunker recieved the name of being the toughest techno club in the world. ‘Sexperimenta’, a fetish festival, took place in the bunker and then-after, it was the hub for all things techno and fetish culture in Berlin. In 1995 the very last techno party was hosted at the Berlin bunker, named
‘The last days of Saigon’ this was a banned New Year’s Eve party, but it continued anyway deep inside the bunker. From then on, the bunker was closed by the authorities and shut off to the public. (Edgar, 2017)
14 – The Last Days of Saigon,(2013) [Photograph]. Berlin
The Boros gallery proves itself to be a very worthy place to host my exhibition, specifically the insides of the building. An exhibition exploring the values of ‘unusual art’ is shown here. This exhibition is the fourth to take place in the bunker and this particular one was that of inspiration towards designing and curating my own. The history of this bunker is what stood out the most to me as the curator, and noticing the small details of its past on the walls shows a piece of history meeting with the art. For example, in one room there was air vents, used to provide ventilation for the thousands of people piled in during the war. In another room, fading away but still visible, “Rauchen Verboten” displayed on the wall. This translated to English, as “No Smoking” and this was from the time when it was a
techno club. The works of art on display here are cut off from their surroundings. The bunker encases them in a space of its own, completely shielding them from the outside world. The whole thought around the sound and ambience of the space is what interested me as a potential curator, as once, I am sure, the sound of the bunker would have stuck with those who had to gain shelter as Berlin burned around them. What a contradiction to what it must have sounded like as a club. One can somehow still feel the sense of time gone by and the buzz of what it once was. The use of sound is very important partnered with the art on view. Accompanied by the art on show, sound can provide another layer of interpreting an art piece. Another important point to make is that this exhibition had one hundred and fourteen works on view. These are spread apart over the floors of the bunker and congregated in individual rooms- eighty to be exact, which improves representations of the art alongside the artist. It was as if each room possessed a different world, one could be present in. Having these contemporary artworks displaying in a ‘non-conventional’ art gallery is what owners, Karen and Christian Boros strived for when looking for a place to host their collections.
One piece on showthat caught my eye when visiting was the piece by Cyprien Gaillard. (1980) Initially, it only seems like a shovel from a digger completely on its own in the middle of the concrete room.
At first glance, the viewer may interpret this piece in many ways but what surrounds this piece helps towards gaining an understanding of its intended ‘meaning’. This piece by Gaillard describes Berlin as the city of construction and demolition. In Berlin, the Boros Bunker was built to survive and stand as a reminder of its time.
“Bunkers were intended to eventually serve as monuments in the world capital of Germania, which fortunately never came to pass.”. (Boros Collection, 2022)
Concrete in Art Exhibitions:
It has been clearly trialled that concrete buildings can be a great candidate for exhibiting art. Concrete is making its way into art today and art galleries are using concrete space to hold art exhibitions.An example of this would be the Tripitz Museum in Northern Denmark. This museum in Denmark and the Boros Bunker in Berlin prove to be extremely alike, with the Tripitz museum also once being a German war bunker from 1944. The museum has been described as a “dive into history” and “a transcendental experience” (Work, 2017). The bunker is divided into four large exhibition spaces posing as ideal spaces to host an exhibition.
“The materials used – such as concrete – create a common point between the old and the new.” (Work, 2017)
[Photograph]. Blåvand, Denmark
Concrete can provide several advantages for hosting an exhibition, from durability to the aesthetic of the material. Concrete is made to last, and these bunkers are a prime example of its endurance far beyond the war. Sustainability is something that a gallery may be interested in, and with a concrete space, it retains heat and because of its strong durability it can last a long time , not acquiring renovations in the future. Furthermore, concrete can exhibit a variety of textures and this play on texture achieves an interesting look for an art exhibition. Scratches and dents, while also having a smooth surface can create a fascinating effect combined with the art on display. Being able to host an exhibition in a non-conventual way is important to me as the curator and with concrete being a more ‘rugged’ material, it can also be taken in on a modern light. That middle ground between modern and historical is captivating. The minimalistic atmosphere that concrete gives allow for a blank canvas when curating an exhibition, allowing a range of varied art types or styles, leaving no limitations.
Another look at using a space to host art would most definitely be in theARos Museum in Aarhus, Denmark. The gallery has an interesting take on curating their exhibitions, giving previous works new locations, thus allowing varied interpretations on their meanings and associations within the space. When visiting the museum, the viewer is captivated by a huge range of various artworks. From sculpture to interactive rooms, to traditional and abstract paintings. Artists such as Grayson Perry (1960), Olafur Eliasson (1967) and James Turrell. (1943) have exhibited showcasing their work in one of Denmark’s largest art collections. Particularly the piece by Olafur Eliasson, which is set at the very top of the museum, overlooking the whole city from multiple directions.
Denmark This permanent piece showcases as a three-hundred and ten square foot walkway circling the whole city and as one moves around the piece the colours gradually begin to change. Eliasson strived to encourage viewers to view art in a more non-traditional
sense, using the space available to create something unique and to give a long-lasting impression, Olafur Eliasson describes what his intentions were for the piece in conjunction with the space he had to work with:
I have created a space that can almost be said to erase the boundary between inside and outside – a place where you become a little uncertain as to whether you have stepped into a work of art or into part of the museum. This uncertainty is important to me, as it encourages people to think and sense beyond the limits within which they are accustomed to function. (ARoS, 2024)
According to research provided by the Seventies documentary series, ‘Ways of seeing by john Berger’ (1926-2017), states that a painting loses all meaning when it is out of the artists’ hands, “Once the painting has left the artist's studio, it no longer has its original intended meaning”. (Ways of Seeing, 1972) Berger states that this is because once the painting receives another view or opinion, it automatically gains another functionality or meaning. John Berger, Art critic and author discusses the argument if art needs a defined meaning, over the four series television show in the seventies. Berger also mentions through the series that how we see as humans, can be derived from what we believe in and what we know. This gives a suggestion that viewing art and giving a meaning or association on a painting may derive from physiological sources and not just what we see in front of us:
An image is a sight which has been recreated or reproduced. It is an appearance, or a set of appearances, which has been detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance and preserved - for a few moments or a few centuries. Every image embodies a way of seeing. (Ways of seeing, 1972)
A painting, especially if digitised can reach the views of many, so eventually, the meaning will alter depending on that moment in time, person and belief.
Aestheticism
Aestheticism is a movement in which the sole purpose of creating is to be aesthetically beautiful to the viewers’ eye. The movement of Aestheticism was founded in the late
nineteenth century and involved all aspects of art such as film and literature. Specifically in art, usually all concepts of political views and in-depth meanings were eliminated. The movement still very much exists to this day, for example, high-end designer stores products, jewellery and interior designs gravitating towards the rich. In Oscar Wildes’, ‘The Decay of Lying’ delves into the view of ‘Art or Art’s Sake’ and the purpose of art. In a video analysis of ‘Art for art’s Sake’ and ‘What isAestheticism?’ By Carneades.org, gives an overview on what the publics’ reaction to art is and how that may define the art works meaning:
“Art is independent of the public’s desire to define it, enjoy it or attach it to a particular narrative.” (Carneades, 2023)
Aestheticism encourages the use of the medium as the main component, instead of what narrative the painting suggests. The movement strives for a lack in reality but does not necessarily reject all depiction of life. One wonders if it's possible that what we view in art alters our view on reality itself? The Art Critic plays a role in understanding, valuing and gaining an impression on what the piece is about. The two types of criticism involved are artistic criticism and interpretive criticism. With regards to Aestheticism and artistic criticism, it is all about observation. Any criticism towards the artwork would be based on the form and features of the painting. With conventional interpretive criticism, the critic bases the artwork’s value on the way the narrative would be understood to the viewer. From then on, the piece of artwork and artist receives somewhat of a brand for themselves. With interpretive criticism, the critic can then understand through form, what the subject matter is visually showing us as the viewer. This is a problem for the Aestheticists, interpretive criticism implies the art should be valued for what It physically depicts rather than for aesthetic reasons. This idea clearly collides with the idea of ‘Art for Art’s Sake.’
Aestheticism suggests another way of looking at a piece of art. If perhaps, one evaluated a piece of work for its play with form and use of chosen medium. It suggests that the critique towards the piece should be appreciated for what it is, a successful painting that exhibits a perfected use of artistic skill and creation process.
Abstract Expressionism involves gestural elements within painting and can be categorised through drastic mark-making. The impression given from an abstract expressionist painting shows a sense of impulsiveness and raw, automatic thought processes. The term was first coined in Germany in 1919 but the movement was most commonly practiced in New York and further developed in the 1940’s. Abstract Expressionism proves to be a highly important movement in the art world and was the turning point for modern painting that we see today in art. The movement challenged traditional and conventional ways of painting through dynamic, gestural form and mark-making. This new way of painting would have faced some discouragement at the time. Abstract expressionism is important because the movement stands as a rapid change from painting conventionally to non-conventional. The Abstract Expressionists of that time were influenced by the Surrealist ideas of creating with the unconscious mind, in other words, Automatism.
An important part of German History and history within art is the period during World War Two, is when the Nazis stole and destroyed art and they considered to be ‘degenerate’. Hitler done everything in his power to uproot paintings from their original owners and create his own museum. This museum was to be filled with stolen art that to him, was perfection to German society at the time.
In 2022 in Art gallery in Strasbourg, France, presented to the public an exhibition of twenty-seven works looted by the Nazis in 1945. This particular collection was ‘owned’ by Hitler’s associate, Hermann Goering who was one of the people who funded Hitler’s ‘Führer Museum’. The quote below from the European Jewish Congress states the importance of this exhibition (II, 2022),
“It’s an exhibition that responds to a scientific mission, a legal mission but above all a moral duty,” (Lang, 2022)
Fig 18 – AFP. (2022). A Visitor looks at a Painting at the ‘Past, Present, Future of works recovered in Germany in 1945. [Photograph]. Strasbourg
One group of allied volunteers was called ‘The Monuments Men’as they actively fought to retrieve most of the stolen art back to their original owners, most of them Jewish, and they succeeded in returning thousands of artworks. They were art historians, and they believed these artworks shaped our view on art and will continue to do so in the future, they had to save these works of art or all that we knew of art would be lost.
The film ‘The Monuments Men’ (2014) follows their story and inspired me to research this.
Documentaries:
Another inspiration for my research was the Seventies documentary series, ‘Ways of seeing by john Berger’ (1926-2017). It states that a painting loses all meaning when it is out of the artists’ hands, “Once the painting has left the artist's studio, it no longer has its original intended meaning”. (Ways of Seeing, 1972) Berger states that this is because once the painting receives another view or opinion, it automatically gains another functionality or meaning. John Berger, Art critic and author discusses the argument if art needs a defined meaning, over the four series television show in the seventies. Berger also mentions through the series that how we see as humans, can be derived from what we believe in and what we know. This gives a suggestion that
viewing art and giving a meaning or association on a painting may derive from physiological sources and not just what we see in front of us:
An image is a sight which has been recreated or reproduced. It is an appearance, or a set of appearances, which has been detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance and preserved - for a few moments or a few centuries. Every image embodies a way of seeing. (Ways of seeing, 1972)
A painting, especially if digitised can reach the views of many, so eventually, the meaning will alter depending on that moment in time, person and belief.
This exhibition dissertation aims to explore the idea of Automatism in art creation and Association within art interpretation. This is important due to the lack of acknowledgement of this subject in the art industry. The vast majority of individuals will experience art education in a way that is far more focused on technique and end result. This leads to an artificial separation of the artist from their art. What they create is not truly theirs and to realise themselves as an artist, they must first unlearn the conventional norms. Furthermore, art exhibitions are biased towards pieces with a clear focus on subject and association. Even non-associative art is mainly only attractive towards exhibitions when categorised in a specific art movement.
When it comes to interpreting art, it can never be truly free from association but is instead influenced by the artist and their viewer’s subjectivity. As a result of this, a piece of art has essentially infinite iterations as it is interpreted differently by every consumer. Inversely, known association of a piece, can greatly influence its interpretation.
The Boros bunker has proven to be an interesting and well-suited space to host my exhibition for its history, influence, and recognition of artists exploring the unconventional themes of art. An important part of my research follows German artist’s, philosophers and authors followed by Germany’s historical past, so choosing the bunker in Berlin carries the past into the present in this exhibition.
Artworks
FIG 2&3 - Smith, N. Untitled. (2018) [Drawing on paper].
FIG 5 – Goering, A. Fiesta De Bodas. (2022) [Acrylic, spray paint on Canvas].
FIG 6 – Scully, S. Untitled. (N.d.) (Black on Grey). [Acrylic on Canvas]. Guggenheim
Fig 7 - Maclean, J. Untitled. (2023) [Emulsion, Acrylic, Pastel and Laser cut-offs on MDF].
FIG 9 – Kadinsky, W. Improvisation no.5. (1914) [Oil on Canvas]. Kunstmuseum Basel
FIG 10 - Mondrian, P. (n.d.). Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow. [Oil on Canvas]. Kunsthaus Zurich
FIG 13 - Award, E. (2024). Section. [Digital Drawing] Available at: https://miesarch.com/work/140 [Accessed 2 Jan. 2024].
FIG 15- Fig 15 – Cyprien Gailliard, Lesser Kai Moorhen, (2013)
Images
FIG 1- Breitz , E. (2016). The Boros Collection. [Photograph ] Available at: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-the-boros-collection-a-private-collection-ofartworksin-a-ww2-bunker-96516398.html?imageid=F6592C1A-6210-4326931592BBF0C7A1A3&p=158544&pn=1&searchId=3e15b9f0a3d69f57db70aafeb3ae74c 6 &searchtype=0 [Accessed 20 Sep. 2023].
FIG 4- Guardian , T. (2014). Untitled . [Photograph ] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/nov/13/david-shrigleyngvmelbourne-interview [Accessed 9 Jan. 2024].
FIG 8 - Scully , S. (1996). Floating Painting no.5. [Oil on Metal ] Available at: https://fineartbiblio.com/artworks/sean-scully/3074/floating-painting-5 [Accessed 12 Nov. 2023].
FIG 11 - Guardian , T. (2022). Mondrian Painting Has Been Hanging Upside Down for 75 Years. [Photograph ] Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/oct/28/mondrian-painting-hasbeenhanging-upside-down-for-75-years [Accessed 20 Sep. 2023].
FIG 12 - Liefeld, A. (2013). Karen and Christian Boros . [Photograph ]. [Accessed 9 Dec 2023].
FIG 14 - Flock, P. (2023). Last Days of Saigon . [Photograph ] Available at: https://partyflock.nl/party/254515:The-last-days-of-Saigon [Accessed 10 Dec. 2023].
FIG 16 - Mike Bink, Jesper Ray Manley, Rasmus Hjortshoj (2017), Untitled. [Photograph]. Blåvand, Denmark
Fig 17 – Jenna MacLean. (2022). Rainbow Panorama. [Photograph]. Aarhus
Fig 18 – AFP. (2022). A Visitor looks at a Painting at the ‘Past, Present, Future of works recovered in Germany in 1945. [Photograph]. Strasbourg
Fig 19a),19b),20 Jenna Maclean (2024). Model drafts I & II. [Digital drawings], Dundee
Fig 21-27- Jenna Maclean (2024). Final Model Photographs. [Photographs], Dundee
Fig 28,29- Culture Travel. (2023). Untitled I & II. [Photograph]. Berlin.
Blog
Center, N.A. (2021) Intuitive Art: Frankenthaler, Kandinsky, & Pollock, Medium
Available at: https://neighborhoodartcenter.medium.com/intuitive-artfrankenthalerkandinsky-pollock-99f1917c0dd7 [Accessed 18 Dec. 2023].
Books
Karsten Harries (1991). The meaning of modern art : a philosophical interpretation New Haven U.A: Yale Univ. Press.
Seymour, L. (2018). Roland Barthes’s The Death of the Author. Taylor & Francis.
Boros Collection (2022). Boros Collection / Bunker Berlin #4. DISTANZ.
Berger, J. (2008). Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin Books.
Dean, D. (2015). Museum exhibition : theory and practice. Abingdon, Oxfordshire ; New York, Ny: Routledge.
Breton, A. (1924). MANIFESTO OF SURREALISM. [online] Available at: https://www2.hawaii.edu/~freeman/courses/phil330/MANIFESTO%20OF%20SURRE ALISM.pdf. [Accesssed 8 Jan. 2024]
Balzer, D. (2014). Curationism : how curating took over the art world and everything else. Toronto: Coach House Books.
Exhibitions:
Lang, P. (2022). Past, Present, Future of Works recovered in Germany in 1945. [Paintings]. Strasbourg.
Boros, C. (2022). Boros collection Bunker Berlin #4. [Mixed Media]. Berlin
Papers
Schreyach, M. (2013). Pre-objective Depth in Merleau-Ponty and Jackson Pollock. Research in Phenomenology, 43(1), pp.49–70. doi:https://doi.org/10.1163/15691640-12341243. [Acessed 19 Dec. 2023].
Seeley, W.P. (2013). Art, Meaning, and Perception: A Question of Methods for a Cognitive Neuroscience of Art. The British Journal of Aesthetics, 53(4), pp.443–460. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/aesthj/ayt022.
Davis , J. (2016). Curation: a theoretical treatment. [online] Taylor and Francis Online, Taylor and Francis Online, pp.770–783. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1369118X.2016.1203972 [Accessed 19 Dec. 2023].
Maclean , J. (n.d.). Outsider Art and the Self-Taught . pp.1–13.
Barthes, R. (1967). The Death of the Author. Translated by R. Howard. Aspen, [online] 5+6, pp.1–7. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20200419132326/http://www.ubu.com/aspen/aspen5and 6/threeEssays.html#barthes [Accessed 8 Jan. 2024].
Videos
Lin, M. and Bond, G. (2017). Der Bunker, Reichsbahnbunker. [online] prezi.com.
Available at: https://prezi.com/gu6ftzzbyaoq/der-bunker-reichsbahnbunker/ [Accessed 18 Dec. 2023].
Gallina, A. (2023). Meet the collectors | Karen and Christian Boros. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8NAE2KKO8w [Accessed 18 Dec. 2023].
Alder, M. (2021). Composition with Red Blue and Yellow Analysis | De Stijl Art. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://youtu.be/Qx0FlyN59Sg [Accessed 8 Jan. 2024].
Carneades (2023). What is Aestheticism? (Art for Art’s Sake). [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNPYT3crjEo&t=473s [Accessed 8 Jan. 2024].
Ways of Seeing , (1972). BBC. 8 Jan. [Accessed 14 Sep. 2023].
Websites
ARoS (2024). Your Rainbow Panorama. [online] ARoS. Available at: https://www.aros.dk/en/art/the-collection/your-rainbow-panorama/ [Accessed 20th Dec. 2023]
Edgar, S. (2017). The Bunker, Berlin, Germany. [online] WartimeNI. Available at: https://archives.wartimeni.com/location/bunker-berlin-germany/ [Accessed 18 Dec. 2023].
maevescully (2022). The Impact of Tracey Emin’s My Bed. [online] Artsper Magazine. Available at: https://blog.artsper.com/en/a-closer-look/the-impact-oftracey-emins-mybed/.
frede (2013). Karen & Christian Boros. [online] Friends of Friends / Freunde von Freunden (FvF). Available at: https://www.friendsoffriends.com/profiles/karenandchristian-boros/ [Accessed 7 Jan. 2024].
Work, I. (2017). Tirpitz Museum. [online] Idealwork: concrete finishes for internal and external use. Available at: https://www.idealwork.com/projects/tirpitz-museum/. [Accessed 7Jan. 2024].
One, U. (2023). Concrete in Art Galleries and Exhibition Spaces Supporting the Arts [online] Utilities One. Available at: https://utilitiesone.com/concrete-in-artgalleriesand-exhibition-spaces-supporting-the-arts [Accessed 7 Jan. 2024].
Oltermann , P. (2022). Mondrian painting has been hanging upside down for 75 years [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/oct/28/mondrian-painting-hasbeenhanging-upside-down-for-75-years [Accessed 8 Jan. 2024].
Gopnik, A. (2022). Learning to Love the Upside-Down Mondrian. [online] The New Yorker. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-caseofthe-upside-down-mondrian [Accessed 8 Jan. 2024].
II, D. (2022). Artworks stolen by the Nazis go on display in Strasbourg. [online] European Jewish Congress. Available at: https://eurojewcong.org/news/communitiesnews/france/artworks-stolen-by-thenazis-go-on-display-in-strasbourg/ [Accessed 20 Dec.2023].
Farrant, T. (2022). Artworks stolen by the Nazis go on display in new exhibition in France. [online] euronews. Available at: https://www.euronews.com/culture/2022/11/02/holocaust-restitution-artworks-stolenbythe-nazis-go-on-display-in-strasbourg. [Accessed 17 Dec. 2023].
Art, S. (2022). Mixing Up A Cake For Dessert - Alma Goering - Acrylic, Spray Paint on Canvas. [online] www.singulart.com. Available at: https://www.singulart.com/en/artworks/alma-goering-mixing-up-a-cake-fordessert1748822#:~:text=Alma%20Goering%20is%20an%20artist [Accessed 8 Jan. 2024].
arielhauter (2017). Karen and Christian Boros. [online] ARTnews.com. Available at: https://www.artnews.com/art-collectors/top-200-profiles/karen-andchristianboros/#:~:text=Karen%20and%20Christian%20Boros%20have [Accessed 9 Jan. 2024].
MAAK, N. (2007). Art Under Construction. [online] 032c. Available at: https://032c.com/magazine/art-under-construction [Accessed 13 Oct. 2023].
Neate, R. and correspondent, R.N.W. (2023). Kandinsky painting stolen by Nazis fetches record £37.2m at auction. The Guardian. [online] 3 Mar. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/mar/03/kandinsky-masterpiecesoldfor-record-372m-at-auction-in-london [Accessed 9 Jan. 2024].
Sutton, B. (2023). Jewish collectors’ heirs sue the Guggenheim for return of Blue Period Picasso. [online] The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. Available at: https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/01/23/picasso-blueperiodpainting-jewish-collectors-heirs-sueguggenheim?fbclid=IwAR0jo1Yea8pKc7eJvXNqptawaZEdLf1b0UTFpyY4dYMIu2Cr Ci9U_shHqvw [Accessed 9 Jan. 2024].
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC (2019). Culture in the Third Reich: Disseminating the Nazi Worldview. [online] Ushmm.org. Available at: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/culture-in-the-thirdreichdisseminating-the-nazi-worldview [Accessed 9 Jan. 2024].
In these floor plans, I show possible placement for paintings on display, followed by what material is used to create the exterior and interior of the model. Draft one shows an initial view of what my model was going to look like, but in the end, I opted for my second draft as my final project. Nine second-hand tiles were used in the making of my model, alongside using cardboard to design the stairs and wood for the railings of the stairs.
Second Draft – Model Plan
Fig 20- My model showcases the bunker, over two floors with a flight of stairs leading to the second floor. As this is a physical model, I had to represent the Boros Bunker the most accurate I could, on a smaller scale. My model is made from re-used tiles to best represent the bunker’s concrete walls. I attempted to re-create the walls of the bunker using emulsion paint on top of the tiles and scoring away at it to receive a worn effect. The tiles really helped to achieve the best look of the concrete bunker, so not much paint was needed. Next, the stairs were formed using cardboard and wood, finishing off with grey emulsion paint. Adding once again, a rougher application of paint to achieve the worn look. Typically, no photos are allowed inside of the bunker considering the collection is private, therefore i only had my memory of the space and the very few images on the internet and the catalogue. It is evident in the images of the bunker, that it a very blank and empty space, so filling it with energetic pieces of art acts as a contradictory between space’s past and the current arton exhibition. Once I was content with the walls and stairs of the space, I wanted to add small details to allow a more in person and life-like approach to the model. This involved writing in ‘Rauchen Verboten’ on the wall and slightly scraping away at it. Also, adding in the original air vents as these small details still physically remain as a reminder of the bunker’s past.
Going by the drawing plans, I had to think about how the floors were executed though the physical model. This involved playing around with various layouts in the planning stage. As I included the stairs, I decided to make the model over two floors instead of having one large ground floor.
21
Model Images - completed
The Boros Bunker - Inside
