2006 PRECIOUS COLLECTION(Holsdorf,Weimar)

2006 – „Art as a capture, capture as an art?“,
Holsdorf, Weimar, Germany
Curator : Katharina Hohmann

Installation “Precious collection”

Installation consists of 15 copies, made by children from original paintings of Otto Krebs collection, that is located nowadays in Hermitage State St.Petersburg Museum.
15 copies are exposed in the special construction, which is built in the room. The right sides of the pictures are turned inside, so that people entering the room see just white papers. To see the pictures, spectator has to enter the construction. He has to perform a symbolic passing of a border. This border might be border between countries, border of museum storehouse or difficult to access hiding-place. The video, showing salute, is projected on the ceiling. The sound includes shouts ‘Hurray!” and sound of guns and cannons. Nowadays salute is a symbol of a holiday, but sound of shooting and “Hurray!” shouts remind both party and war. From microphones, which are situated along the construction, comes the sound of children playground: laugh, shouts and so on.
Many works of art were perished in the war time, many were lost utterly, many stay till nowadays hidden in safe places. They might be in any place of the world. The collection of Otto Krebs was more fortunate. First of all, it is preserved, it’s location is well known, audience can see it. Though it also could encounter the fate of Petrodvorets and thousand of other destroyed museums and collections.

Value of impressionists’ works, that are contained in this collection, is enormous. But the ability to hold a conversation 65 years after war seems to be much more precious. For us precious collection – is our dialog, friendship, ability to make joint exhibitions and listen to children voices. And let cannon fire tell us only about salutes and holidays.

www.katharinahohmann.de/seiten/kurator/kurator_5.htm