Goethe Pop Up Houston is excited to present the next exhibition on display in our gallery, the mobile audio station
Ankersentrum (surviving in the ruinous ruin) by Natascha Sadr Haghighian.
The sound composition,
tribute to whistle, was presented as the centerpiece of the installation in Venice and can now be experienced in the Gallery of the Goethe Pop Up Houston! Along with the ambient sound and informational materials we will also be displaying video elements which Haghighian produced in anticipation of the opening of the Venice Biennale.
This interactive sound experience was first exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 2019.
Ankersentrum consisted of a large-scale installation that combined architectural elements, sound and sculpture to create an immersive experience for visitors.
Ankersentrum (surviving in the ruinous ruin) is a project by Natascha Sadr Haghighian in collaboration with Susanne Sachsse, Jessica Ekomane, Maurice Louca, DJ Marfox, Jako Maron, Tisha Mukarji, Elnaz Seyedi, Nicholas Bussmann, Kooperative für Darstellungspolitik, Maziyar Pahlevan, Sina Ahmadi, Jasper Kettner, and many others. Curated by Franciska Zólyom.
Please schedule your visit ahead of time through our website. Masks are required and social distancing measures are in place.
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About the project
As one of the art world’s most prestigious international art exhibitions, the Venice Biennale provides a platform for contemporary artists to confront the most urgent issues of our time. In 2019, multi-disciplinary artist Natascha Sadr Haghighian cast a spotlight on the topic of migration by transforming the German Pavilion into her
Ankersentrum. The title plays with the German word of “Ankerzentrum”, which may literally translate to “anchor center”. In Germany, this word was created for admission centers for refugees.
At the heart of Haghighian’s multi-media art work
Ankersentrum (surviving in the ruinous ruin) is the sound composition tribute to whistle, which was created by six musicians and composers from various musical backgrounds and genres. Inspired by the use of the whistle as a tool for communication and self-defense, each of the six musical contributions uses the piercing tone of a whistle as the main instrument. In Venice, the sound composition was played through loudspeakers that were part of a high and intricate scaffolding structure.
At the Goethe Pop Up,
tribute to whistle can now be experienced as an ambiental transmission. This will be accompanied by a video display, which follow the artist as she dons a mask and leads the way to various locations in Europe. These include transit camps for asylum seekers in Germany (“Ankerzentren”), as well as tomato plantations in Puglia and a rescue ship in the customs port of Trapani, both located in Italy.
Rounding out the exhibition is the publication
Ankersentrum, designed by Maziyar Pahlevan and published by Archive Books. It contains texts, drawings, and photographs that document and expand upon the project.
About the artist
Natascha Sadr Haghighian is known for her mixed-media works of art that call into question and disrupt prevailing sociopolitical, economic and cultural structures and practices, including the rituals and conventions of the art world. She favors a collaborative approach to her projects and plays with the concept of identity by providing conflicting information on her date of birth, country of origin or place of residence.
For the Biennale, Haghighian adopted the persona of Natascha Süder Happelmann. Complicating matters further, the artist erased all markers of personal identity by wearing a mask during all public appearances, and selecting a personal spokeswoman Helene Duldung, to speak on her behalf.
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