Project launch Berlin 2023 – 16 June 2023
Project launch Los Angeles 2023 – 22 July 2023
In 1924, André Breton published the Manifesto of Surrealism, initiating one of the essential art movements of 20th century – the Surrealism. Although the art movement had its end in the sixties of 20th century, Surrealism survived because some essentials became a genetic code of contemporary art.
100 years later, The Motto of the Year 2023 – at The New Museum of Networked Art – is dedicated to this genetic code taking influence on videoart –
1924-2023
Vacations in the Subconscious
100 years – The Manifesto of Surrealism by André Breton.
The motto year started on 20 January 2023 at Hall of Fame @ Alphabet Art Centre with the key manifestation of – The 3 Surrealists – featuring three Spanish video artists – Albert Merino, Laura / Sira Cabrera and Ausín Sáinz – https://the-surrealists.nmartproject.net/the-3-surrealists-2/– including 10 videos by each artist, interviews, video statements – and contextual references.
While during the early phase of medium development the artistic output in shape of the screening copy was limited in size, ratio and resolution (DVD standard), due to new technical developments, after 2010 HD (high definition – 16:9 ratio and 1920x1080px resolution/advanced image quality and new video format mp4/HTML5) was replacing the previous standard offering new creative freedom for an artist to run its own professional production studio.
The development of digital video and its creative possibilities has been a milestone in the emancipation of the artists using the medium of moving images.
Therefore, the chronological aspect became one of the criteria of the exhibition structure. The curated overview of the artistic video production of the past 20 years is using different sources: The primary source is representing the archives of The New Museum of Networked Art and its comprehensive art video collections as videoChannel, CologneOFF and topic specific collections as The 7 Memorials for Humanity starting all in 2000, including about 3000 artists and 10000 videos, complemented by a curated selection of the artists submissions on an open call.
While the key exhibition component, e.g. “The 3 Surrealists” is featuring a retrospective of 10 videos by the Spanish Artists Albert Merino, Laura/Sira Cabrera and Ausín Sainz, the individual exhibitions, e.g. Vacations in the Subconscious, include just one representative video work by the included individual artists, so that the complete exhibition will cover about 100 artists from 30 countries and 120 videos.
Had the classical Surrealism been covering the limited media (mainly static and literary) and understanding of media of its time, it had a fundamental, unlimited influence on the artistic freedom of the following artists generations until these days.
The general exhibition concept would like to offer the viewers a diversity of how contemporary artists are inspired/influenced by the principles/ideology/imagery of Surrealism through transformation, alienation and completely new visions, and being inspired themselves to become a curator themselves.
Associated to the major media art context –“Peace Letters to Ukraine”, also this exhibition @ Alphabet Art Center is realized in Solidarity with Ukraine.
The exhibition
Vacations in the Subconscious
is curated, directed and coordinated by Wilfried Agricola de Cologne
@ The New Museum of Networked Art // Alphabet Art Centre – Hall of Fame
https://nmartproject.net
All images/videos copyrigt © by the artist/owners
Contacts
artvideokoeln (at) gmail.com
