Decoding art from 18th and 21st century: examples 'Apotheosis' and 'Faust'
'Dog Tales' series, 2nd episode (1st episode)
By Fashionoffice's publisher Karin Sawetz
At 'Faust', dogs in cages are the first impressions visitors get of the performance-installation by Anne Imhof at Biennale Arte Venezia 2017. At the 'Apotheosis' by Balthasar Permoser, a figure with wings sits in front of Prince Eugene; seen at the palace Schloss Hof in Austria nearby the border of Slovakia.
The two examples are significant for how society changed during the last 300 years as the content of the two artworks is the same: it's about the power of the state. In 'Faust', people are involved into the power play while at the Prince Eugene sculpture, one person plays the main role.
The two examples - the 'Apotheosis of Prince Eugene of Savoy' by Balthasar Permoser from 1721 and the installation 'Faust' by Anne Imhof at the German Pavilion at Biennale Arte Venezia 2017, have to be decoded to understand the content fully. Despite both mediate emotionally perceivable impressions of conquest, suppression, illustriousness, superiority, the whole story of the 'Apotheosis' and 'Faust' is more thrilling than probably by many viewers at first expected.
The viewer is immediately involved into both artworks. The 'Apotheosis' glorifies the life of Prince Eugene who was a successful military commander and one of the most important art collectors in the 18th century. He developed important buildings in Austria and commissioned works by artists, architects and craftsman such as for interior of his castles. Prince Eugene was an aesthete and personified success at his time. Left beside him sits the figure 'Fama' (means 'Fame'). Prince Eugene closes with his left hand her instrument just as he doesn't want that she uses her trombone to spread stardom-news about him. The winged figure symbolizes with the sun right beside Prince Eugene's face that his fame will last for ever. The figure at his feet is a representative for his success as military commander who brought literally his enemies under his feet.
Bringing somebody under ones' feet is even theme at the 'Faust' performance-installation by Anne Imhof. While the early 18th century 'Apotheosis' focuses on one person, the 21st century artwork throws light on democratic societies as a whole and the responsibility of the people themselves for balancing power.
At 'Faust' by Anne Imhof, the people are set into the leading roles. The visitors become part of the casting while strolling through the pavilion where the installation-performance 'Faust' happens. 'Faust' has a double-meaning and references the tragic play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe about selling one own's soul to the devil as well as the German word for 'fist' (faust means fist) for the rough nature of humans and people as human capital in contradiction to the finance economy which operates with non-existing values.
The recently uploaded Vernissage TV video about 'Faust' leads through the German pavilion where young people in sports-streetwear are sitting and lying under the pavilion's glass floor while the visitors walk above them. Outside of the pavilion, performers sit inside and at the barriers of the dog cages.
By Fashionoffice's publisher Karin Sawetz
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| fig.: The image shows me at the 'Apotheosis of Prince Eugene' at the former hunting palace Schloss Hof, one of the properties of Prince Eugene in Austria. I wear the skirt with print of a painting by 'Hondecoeter' which gave this series its title 'Dog Tales'. (At the first episode, I've introduced with a partly surrealistic text into the new art review series). |
The two examples - the 'Apotheosis of Prince Eugene of Savoy' by Balthasar Permoser from 1721 and the installation 'Faust' by Anne Imhof at the German Pavilion at Biennale Arte Venezia 2017, have to be decoded to understand the content fully. Despite both mediate emotionally perceivable impressions of conquest, suppression, illustriousness, superiority, the whole story of the 'Apotheosis' and 'Faust' is more thrilling than probably by many viewers at first expected.
The viewer is immediately involved into both artworks. The 'Apotheosis' glorifies the life of Prince Eugene who was a successful military commander and one of the most important art collectors in the 18th century. He developed important buildings in Austria and commissioned works by artists, architects and craftsman such as for interior of his castles. Prince Eugene was an aesthete and personified success at his time. Left beside him sits the figure 'Fama' (means 'Fame'). Prince Eugene closes with his left hand her instrument just as he doesn't want that she uses her trombone to spread stardom-news about him. The winged figure symbolizes with the sun right beside Prince Eugene's face that his fame will last for ever. The figure at his feet is a representative for his success as military commander who brought literally his enemies under his feet.
Bringing somebody under ones' feet is even theme at the 'Faust' performance-installation by Anne Imhof. While the early 18th century 'Apotheosis' focuses on one person, the 21st century artwork throws light on democratic societies as a whole and the responsibility of the people themselves for balancing power.
At 'Faust' by Anne Imhof, the people are set into the leading roles. The visitors become part of the casting while strolling through the pavilion where the installation-performance 'Faust' happens. 'Faust' has a double-meaning and references the tragic play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe about selling one own's soul to the devil as well as the German word for 'fist' (faust means fist) for the rough nature of humans and people as human capital in contradiction to the finance economy which operates with non-existing values.
The recently uploaded Vernissage TV video about 'Faust' leads through the German pavilion where young people in sports-streetwear are sitting and lying under the pavilion's glass floor while the visitors walk above them. Outside of the pavilion, performers sit inside and at the barriers of the dog cages.
