Fragment of an Infinite Discourse

Fragment of an Infinite Discourse is the title of a work of art by Mexican conceptual artist Mario García Torres: three glass rings interlock without touching one another. The work serves as the exhibition’s opening gambit and visualizes its program. It illustrates how subtly yet inextricably things are interwoven and prompts a variety of associations, sensations, and interpretations. As a basic geometric shape, the ring manifestly instantiates the infinite form of the circle. Adopted as the title of the exhibition, then, Fragment of an Infinite Discourse gestures toward the plethora of conceptual positions on view, while also opening up manifold possibilities for interpretations and perspectives.

In the first room of the presentation, we encounter Fragment of an Infinite Discourse in dialogue with pieces by Giorgio Griffa, Prabhavathi Meppayil, and Karin Sander. Taken together, the works lay out a range of artistic methods and cultural traditions that are gathered in the gallery to communicate with, and to illuminate, each other. The show’s focus is on the methods and work-specific logics of painting, conceptual art, and applied techniques. Because in the end it is the concrete physical property of a work that sets it apart from language and text.

The exhibition Fragment of an Infinite Discourse was designed in honor of the donation made by Jörg Johnen. It is presented together with selections from the collections of the Lenbachhaus and the KiCo Foundation.

Curated by Eva Huttenlauch and Matthias Mühling.

With works by: Rosa Barba, Maria Bartuszová, AA Bronson, David Claerbout, Katharina Fritsch, Maureen Gallace, Ryan Gander, Mario García Torres, General Idea, Rodney Graham, Giorgio Griffa, Wade Guyton, Eberhard Havekost, Olaf Holzapfel, Raimer Jochims, On Kawara, Barbara Klemm, Fritz Klemm, Beate Kuhn, Isa Melsheimer, Prabhavathi Meppayil, Florin Mitroi, Johannes Nagel, Senga Nengudi, Roman Ondak, Helga Paris, Stephen Prina, Anri Sala, Karin Sander, Wilhelm Sasnal, Tino Sehgal, Wiebke Siem, Phil Sims, Florian Süssmayr, Rosemarie Trockel, Jeff Wall, Peter Welz.