In search of a new modesty

[Тютчев]

in search of a new modesty

Alexander Ovchinnikov

Development Fund of the Polytechnic Museum has announced a competition to create a new concept store contemporary art. Izvestia, in turn, found three good examples of how organized "Museum of the XXI century". One of them, which is located in Japan, so called. Other - American - uses the latest technology. And the third - is devoted to oil, which remains the most important raw material in the XXI, and possibly in the XXII century. This museum is located in Norway. That's what Alexander Ovchinnikov learned.

Daniel Birnbaum - curator of the Biennale, "Creating Worlds". And since every museum is also a kind of peace, "Izvestia" asked for a comment just to Birnbaum. Our interlocutor - a person in Russia is not a stranger. He was curator of the first two Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art.

News: How do you see the concept of the Museum of the XXI century?

Daniel Birnbaum: This is a museum in itself conceived which reflected the realities that are inherent in the new century. What is it? Now I'm talking from the standpoint of a European man who lives and works in Germany. In XX century, we Europeans have been limited in their submissions that there is a new art. We were evropotsentrichny. That is believed that all the new art is created in Europe or the States. There were two to three cultural capital: Paris, New York, for Germany - Cologne.

In 1990, it all started to change. Then at the Venice Biennale for the first time Chinese artists were represented. And it became a sensation! The exhibition was discussed at length. Everybody was saying: "The Chinese art - is something new. It is beautiful!" And twenty years later, no one can imagine a major international exhibition without being on it was not by artists from all over the world. From India, Korea, Japan, China, Middle East, South America and Africa. Such a trend you can see, for example, at the Biennale. But all this you can not see in museums. Naturally, to unite such different art in the permanent exhibition - not an easy task. The museum, which will cope with it, can rightfully be called the Museum of the XXI century.

and: What could be the architectural design for such a museum?

Birnbaum: The main thing is that its architect is not eclipsed by the exhibits hall. Museum - a space for exhibitions, to showcase works of art. When the museum building itself aspires to the role of art is, in my opinion, the problem is. For example, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, which was built by Frank Gehry. I am in no way would not like to criticize the museum, because it really is fantastic. And yet ... In the XXI century such tremendous, "author" architectural projects - not comme il faut. It should find some new form of modesty, prudence in this matter.

and: Glass, concrete and iron - the favorite building material of today's architects. They are still relevant?

Birnbaum: It is not necessary to build a museum of glass and concrete. Moreover, these materials are really outdated. Future - for new synthetic and textile materials. Of course, the textile can not build a museum for classical art collections, and it will not replace the glass wall. However, it can be used for projection of digital images, creation of acoustic spaces. Cutting-edge architects from Europe and Japan are currently working on projects related to the use of textiles in architecture.

and: In the XX century artists and architects inspired by the technique. Has the trend in the XXI century?

Читать дальше... 

Birnbaum: Yes. Now, inspired by nature. And this was reflected in including in the search for new architectural forms. For example, bio-tech architects tend to give their designs forms close to those found in nature.

and: Let's talk about "stuffing" of the museum. XXI century - a century paintings, sculptures and multimedia art, performance, or "..

Birnbaum: I think that all these classical types of classification for the XXI century are no longer suitable. The use of high technology in the arts often leads to the fact that you can not always say for sure: that we face? Object if this painting? Performance? Or sculpture? For the art of the XXI century needs a new classification.

and: At the beginning of XX century, more than once when attempting to "modernize" the legacy of the old masters. Marcel Duchamp pririsoval in 1919, his mustache to the Mona Lisa reproduction, Chapman Brothers in 2003, completed the look of the heroes of the original etchings of Goya mask of Mickey Mouse. How such "innovations" in the spirit of the XXI century?

Birnbaum: As for Mickey Mouse: I do not think that this art can be interesting. Of course, art is not created from scratch. It comes from the art of past generations. In this case, there are a number of artists who work with straight "quotes" from the works of their predecessors, their work is called appropriation. However, too ironic and critical citations are rarely interesting. This is a provocation. A provocation - one of the greatest art forms. Few who manage to make it really interesting.

and: And here is a phenomenon of XX century: the performances of nude art. This is still true, or in the XXI century must seek new forms of expression?

Birnbaum: Avant-garde - the concept of the military lexicon. It involves a constant overcoming more and more new frontiers.

and: Who of artists, in your opinion, can be a spokesman for the XXI century?

Birnbaum: That's none of us knows. But I, as rector of the Academy (Graduate school of art "Shtedel in Frankfurt-am-Main. -" The News "), interested in the new and young artists. And among them I would pick Thomas Saraceno. He participated in the Venice Biennale last year. Saraceno work at the interface between high-Tecom and classical utopian forms. Architectural Utopias 1960, he turns into a reality using the latest materials and technology. He constructs the clouds, balloons, people who might know how to fly. But I do not even know how to call it. Artist? Engineer? Architect? Utopian?

and: Leonardo da Vinci was also not just an artist.

Birnbaum: Exactly! And now, a lot of artists who try their hand at different areas. They are interested in new materials technologies. Maybe someday we will return to the classic definition of art. Art as an autonomous substance which does not carry any features. Personally, I do not advocate such a concept and not working on its realization. However, I admit that we may well return to it.

http://www.izvestia.ru/culture/article3147207/