METAPHOR TO METAMORPHOSIS
KÖNIG BERGSON is pleased to present its gallery within the newly constructed Bergson Kunstkraftwerk building with the group exhibition METAPHOR TO METAMORPHOSIS.
July 13 - November 17, 2024
The exhibition draws inspiration from Franz Kafka, reflecting his exploration of identity and transformation in an ever-changing and threatening world. Central to the show are themes of personal, national, sexual, and other forms of identity, examined as unstable constructs that are constantly in flux and transformation, and often questioned by the artists.
The exhibition does not seek direct references or interpretations of Kafka, nor does it offer an art historical analysis. Instead, it draws from the aura of his work, the sense of relentless search, an attempt to understand the world, and often alienation. On four floors and nearly 1600 square meters, works by nearly 100 artists are presented, coming from both the primary and secondary markets. Without setting a strict route, the exhibition is structured into thematic areas by floor.
The first-floor features works by artists such as Petrit Halilaj, Nasan Tur, and Emily Jacir, who often question identity in the context of national and cultural-historical boundaries. The works of Esra Gülmen and Bjarne Melgaard draw attention to gender and sexual identity. While Gülmen deals with censorship based on the political situation in her native Turkey, Melgaard's works reflect his personal experiences.
On the second floor, diverse works are presented, united by a specific sense of time and history. Just as in Kafka's work, historical time remains simultaneously familiar and indefinable. Here, artists whose work deals with the concept of time and the ever-returning trauma of the past are featured. For example, Rachel Monosov presents concrete sculptures with uranium glass, appropriating details from Soviet monuments.
Gender and the body are central themes on the third floor. Artists such as Zsófia Keresztes, Agnes Questionmark, and Anna Uddenberg explore femininity and the metamorphoses of the body. Another artist investigating the fluid boundaries of gender and the body is Anouk Lamm Anouk. The works of Juliette Minchin deal with absence, transience, and transformation, and although almost abstract, they carry a strong sense of both body, flesh, and bodilessness.
Metamorphosis and transformation of matter is the central theme on the fourth floor. Various artists are presented here, including historical positions such as Isa Genzken, Lili Reynaud-Dewar, and Judith Hopf. Other artists whose work is based on the use of familiar, everyday objects, transformed beyond recognition, include Stephen G. Rhodes, Karla Black, Aude Pariset, and Anne Cathrin November Høybo.