Amalia Pica - Chronic Listeners
Karsten Födinger - C30/37; XD1, XF2
28 January–1 April 2012
Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen
Davidstrasse 40
CH-9000 St. Gallen
Tuesday–Friday 12–6pm
Saturday–Sunday 11am–5pm
T +41 (0)71 222 10 14
F +41 (0)71 222 12 76
info [at] k9000.ch
The exhibitions by Amalia Pica and Karsten Födinger are another example of how Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen aims to stimulate the dialogue between two widely different artistic positions. This exhibition model, which builds on contrasts, is intended to generate new and fruitful conclusions for artists and public. Whereas Karsten Födinger (*1978, Germany) works with spectacular architectonic, almost brutal interventions in space, Amalia Pica (*1978, Argentina, lives in London) brings together poetry and political content in a very sensitive way. Both thus point towards the notion of structures in the physical and the abstract senses as well as the problems associated with them, whether they be of an institutional or of socio-political nature.
Amalia Pica announces listening as the central theme of her exhibition in the title. In “Chronic Listeners” she presents a constellation of new and existing works in which she addresses the problem of communication and sensory perception. Figuratively the artist also thereby refers to the relationship between artwork and viewer. The exhibited objects—which influence hearing, for example like earplugs or a tribune and can be defined as apparatus—generate a narrative context which turns viewers into listeners. Pica’s works, which have a strong sculptural character, become the embodiment of synaesthetic moments and thereby a precise metaphor for the sensuous overlaps fostered by the contemplation of art.
Karsten Födinger’s cryptic exhibition title “C30/37; XD1, XF2″ is an exact reference to construction and engineering: the formula is a specification and designates a particular class of strength and exposure of concrete. In the large exhibition hall the artist has completed a monumental sculpture in the form of a mould which includes all three columns of the early modernist frame construction (built in 1907) and has the dimensions of a bridge pier. With his installation Födinger questions the statics of the warehouse in which the Kunst Halle is accommodated and shows the limits of the exhibition space. Here he has created an artwork of minimalist beauty that however has the potential to cause the building to collapse.
The Mark Pezinger Verlag is a guest in the foyer of the Kunst Halle and is presenting its 29 publications with a specially designed display. The publishing house was founded in 2009 and is a non-commercial project by Karsten Födinger and Thomas Geiger which concentrates on artists’ books that are seen as sculptural objects. www.markpezinger.de
About the artists:
Solo exhibitions of Amalia Pica (*1978, Argentina, lives in London) took place at Chisenhale Gallery, London; Malmo Konsthall (SE); Galerie Diana Stigter, Amsterdam (NL) (2011); MARC FOXX, Los Angeles, Artis Den Bosch (NL) (2010). She participated in various group exhibitions such as: ILLUMInations, 54th Biennale, Venice; Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna (AT) (2011), Hayward Gallery, London (2010), Kunsthalle Basel and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2008).
Karsten Födinger (*1978, Germany) realised solo shows at Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2011); RaebervonStenglin, Zurich (2010), projektraum4, Mannheim (DE) (2009). Group exhibition took place at: SALTS, Birsfelden (CH); Städtische Galerie, Karlsruhe (DE); Temporäre Kunsthalle, Berlin; Haus für Kunst Uri (CH), Kunsthaus Baselland, Galerie Iris Kadel (2010).
High-resolution images can be found in the press kit on our website.
For further questions please contact Giovanni Carmine (carmine@k9000.ch) or Maren Brauner (brauner@k9000.ch).
The Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen is supported by St. Gallen City Council, Kulturförderung Kanton St.Gallen, Swisslos, Migros-Kulturprozent, Martel AG, St. Galler Tagblatt. The educational programme is made possible by Raiffeisen.
*Image above:
Photo: Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, Gunnar Meier.
