Which part do bodies in motion play in Rebecca Horn’s work? Many outstanding and expert voices discussed questions of embodiment, technology, dance, and choreography from contemporary post-human, performative, and art historical perspectives for the symposium on Rebecca Horn’s oeuvre at Haus der Kunst in October 2024.
Introduction
With his welcoming words, Artistic Director of Haus der Kunst Andrea Lissoni thanked everyone who made the exhibition “Rebecca Horn” as well as the symposium “Rebecca Horn. Bodies in Motion” possible and honours the late artist.
In her introduction, curator Jana Baumann layed out the exhibition’s main themes and presents the symposium’s programme, including panel discussions, a performance and a film screening.
Read an excerpt from Jana Baumanns's contribution to the catalogue for the exhibition „Rebecca Horn“ here.
Sir Nicholas Serota and Andrea Lissoni in conversation
In their conversation, Sir Nicholas Serota and Andrea Lissoni discussed various developments over the course of Rebecca Horn’s practice as well as the choreographic quality of the artist’s kinetic works.
Panel 1: Performativity of Bodies: The Power of Transformation
On the first panel, Hendrik Folkerts, André T Lepecki and Lanka Tattersall broached the topic of the “Performativity of Bodies: The Power of Transformation”. Amongst others, they discussed the relation of the body and object, the human and non-human, the soul of a thing, conflict, desire and transformation.
Read an excerpt from Hendrik Folkerts' contribution to the catalogue for the exhibition „Rebecca Horn“ here.
Panel 2: Hybrid Beings: On Cyborgs and Body Concepts
On the second panel, Jack Halberstam, Amanda Cachia, Charlotte Matter and Sarah Sigmund discussed the topic of “Hybrid Beings: On Cyborgs and Body Concepts”. The keynotes raised questions of broken machines, illness, toxic materials, disability, violence, Rebecca Horn’s definition of the human as well as animality and animals as kinetic beings.
Read an excerpt from Jack Halberstam's contribution to the catalogue for the exhibition „Rebecca Horn“ here.
Panel 3: Choreographies of Perception: Cosmic Networks
On the third panel, Jana Baumann, Marta Dziewańska, Jessica Ekomane and Goyo Montero discussed “Choreographies of Perception: Cosmic Networks”. Informed by their own artistic and curatorial practice, the panelists reflected on topics such as bodily movement, sound and medium in Rebecca Horn’s work
Closing discussion
On the final panel, Andrea Lissoni is joined by Jana Baumann-Hendrik Folkerts and Charlotte Matter for a closing discussion, bringing together multiple topics raised during the symposium as well as pointing the way for future research.
Participants
Dr. Andrea Lissoni Artistic Director, Haus der Kunst, Munich
Jana Baumann Curator of the retrospective "Rebecca Horn", Haus der Kunst, Munich
Hendrik Folkerts Curator of International Contemporary Art and Head of Exhibitions, Moderna Museet, Stockholm
Andre Lepecki Professor of Performance Studies, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University
Lanka Tattersall Laurenz Foundation Curator, Department of Drawings and Prints, The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Jack Halberstam Director of the Institute for Research on Women, Gender and Sexuality; David Feinson Professor of the Humanities, Columbia University, New York
Charlotte Matter Research Associate at the Chair of Modern Art History, University of Zurich, and founding member of the research project Rethinking Art History through Disability
Amanda Cachia Assistant Professor and Assistant Director of the Masters of Arts in the Arts Leadership Graduate Program, Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts, University of Houston
Sarah Sigmund Research Associate, Research Center Technoaesthetics, Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
Marta Dziewańska Curator, KANAL, Brüssel
Jessica Ekomane Computer Musician and Artist, Lecturer in Sound Studies and Sonic Arts, Berlin University of the Arts
Sandra Beate Reimann Curator, Museum Tinguely, Basel
Doris von Drathen Professor of Art History, École Spéciale d’Architecture, Paris
Goyo Montero Ballet Director & Chief Choreographer at Staatstheater Nürnberg
We thank all the participants and everyone involved in organising the symposium.
Curated by Jana Baumann
The exhibition and symposium are funded by the Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation). Funded by the Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media).