Angst, keine Angst / Fear, No Fear

From April 7 to July 17, 2021, the project Angst, keine Angst / Fear, No Fear will present different artistic perspectives on contemporary fears and insecurities in three chapters at the Times Art Center Berlin. Initiated by Huang Xiaopeng (1960–2020), the project is co-curated by Dorothee Albrecht, Antje Majewski and Stefan Rummel. The curatorial team has invited artists across generations, from the 1960s to the 1990s, to present works in the media of sculpture, installation, video, performance, painting, and photography. Many of them have been dealing with the theme of fear and anxiety for a long time. The exhibition explores the broad spectrum of forms of fear that have emerged in different geographical and historical contexts and reflects on the current state of the world determined by collective fear and anxiety. 

Fear and anxiety form the basis of superstitions and ideologies and influence societies in very concrete ways. In 1768, a rumor about “Soulstealers”—beggars and monks who secretly absorb human souls—spread over 12 Chinese provinces with a population of more than 200 million people within a few months. A mass hysteria triggered by fear took many lives. Fears were instrumentalized during the witch hunts in medieval Europe, the persecution of “communists” in the McCarthy era in the USA or the nuclear competition between East and West during the Cold War. In the current world, living conditions and interpersonal relationships lack stability; ecological, social and cultural principles are proving to be highly fragile. In our globalized communities, can fear inspire us to a common response to future threats? Can it provide us with constructive means to interpret the unknown? Are we able to choose courage instead of fear and thus bring about a new beginning?

Huang Xiaopeng’s untimely death in October 2020 means a tragic loss not only for his family and friends, but also for his colleagues, his students and the art community, to which he has contributed enormously over the past decades. Since the beginning of last year, Huang has been working together with Dorothee Albrecht, Antje Majewski and Stefan Rummel on the project Angst, keine Angst / Fear, No Fear. The participants decided to realize the exhibition in Huang’s spirit and in memory of his life-long commitment to close artistic collaborations.

Artists: Thomas Adebahr, Hank Yan Agassi, Dorothee Albrecht, Nine Budde, Chen Dandizi, Iyad Dayoub, Nina DeLudemann, Abrie Fourie, Anne Gathmann, Ge Yulu, Anja Gerecke, Olivier Guesselé-Garai, Huang Xiaopeng, Klaas Hübner, Franziska Hünig, Mwangi Hutter, Yuko Kaseki, Ange Kayifa, Friederike Klotz, Ulrike Kuschel, Lei Lijie, Li Juchuan, Li Lulu, Li Xiangwei, Li Yifan, Mikhail Lylov, Ma Xinyu, Ma Yujiang, Antje Majewski, Sajan Mani, Elke Marhöfer, Maternal Fantasies, Alice Musiol, Paulo Nazareth, Bettina Nürnberg & Dirk Peuker, Pınar Öğrenci, Qin Jin, Stefan Rummel, RZhen, Song Ta, Erwin Stache, Sun Haili, Tam Waiping, Vangjush Vellahu, Janin Walter, Wang Yinjie & Yao Chunchun, Wei Yuan, Wu Sibo, Wu Tiao Ren, Xi Lei, Yang Xinjia, Zhong Jialing, Zhu Tao

Over a period of ten weeks, each chapter of the project Angst, keine Angst / Fear, No Fear deals with a different perspective on these topics: 

Chapter 1: Uncertainties – Walking on Unstable Grounds
April 7–May 1, 2021 
Nine Budde, Anne Gathmann, Anja Gerecke, Huang Xiaopeng, Klaas Hübner, Franziska Hünig, Friederike Klotz, Ulrike Kuschel, Li Juchuan, Li Xiangwei, Li Yifan, Ma Xinyu, Ma Yujiang, Antje Majewski & Vangjush Vellahu, Alice Musiol, Dirk Peuker & Bettina Nürnberg, Qin Jin, Stefan Rummel, Erwin Stache, Tam Waiping, Wei Yuan, Wu Sibo, Zhu Tao

Chapter 2: Panic – The Moment of Fear
May 12–June 12, 2021
Iyad Dayoub, Abrie Fourie, Anne Gathmann, Ge Yulu, Anja Gerecke, Huang Xiaopeng, Franziska Hünig, Ange Kayifa, Friederike Klotz, Lei Lijie, Li Lulu, Li Yifan, Alice Musiol, Pınar Öğrenci, Stefan Rummel, RZhen, Erwin Stache, Vangjush Vellahu, Janin Walter, Xi Lei, Yang Xinjia

Chapter 3: Potentialities – Growing Out of Damaged Ground
June 25–July 17, 2021 
Thomas Adebahr, Hank Yan Agassi, Dorothee Albrecht, Chen Dandizi, Nina DeLudemann, Olivier Guesselé-Garai, Huang Xiaopeng, Mwangi Hutter, Yuko Kaseki, Ulrike Kuschel, Mikhail Lylov, Sajan Mani, Elke Marhöfer, Maternal Fantasies, Paulo Nazareth, Song Ta, Sun Haili, Wang Yinjie & Yao Chunchun, Wu Tiao Ren, Zhong Jialing

As an extension of the exhibition, a digital publication will launch on April 7 with an opening program. It will accompany Angst, keine Angst / Fear, No Fear with performances and screenings throughout the exhibition period. For updates on our exhibition program, sign up for our newsletter.

Press contact 
press [​at​] timesartcenter.org

To ensure a safe environment, book your visit in advance via our website: 
www.timesartcenter.org/visit-us