Harry HACHMEISTER"Boxer", 2007 (left) & Rebekka BENZENBERG "too much future", 2020 (right). Installation view, Marburger Kunstverein. Photos: Christian Stein
MARBURG | Kunstverein & Kunstmusem | March 25 – May 19, 2022
WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER – COLLECTION PETERS-MESSER IN MARBURG
The exhibition "Why can't we live together" poses the question of the relationship between the individual, relationships and society, which, according to the sociologist Andreas Reckwitz, has evolved into a " Society of Singularities”


The Collection Peters-Messer combines well-known positions in contemporary art with works by young artists. It encompasses a broad spectrum of artistic attitudes that deal with the living conditions of the present and reflect on political and social developments - sometimes with disturbing directness, sometimes with expressive gestures or with conceptual clarity. Expansive installations are just as much a part of it as painting, drawing, photography and video art.
Iris KETTNER "Hund", 2007


The title of the exhibition "Why can't we live together" is taken from the picture of the same name by the artist Murat ÖNEN and poses the question of the relationship between the individual, relationships and society, which, according to the sociologist Andreas Reckwitz, has evolved into a " Society of Singularities”: The transformation from industrial to cultural capitalism resulted in an asymmetrical distribution of attention and appreciation – appreciation for a small part of the population, devaluation for all milieus below the new middle and upper classes. While some are busy with self-culturalization, development and realization, the others, the "losers of modernization", struggle with the adversities of survival and feel left behind. Bjarne MELGAARD's work "I am not a piece of shit I am a piece of society" criticizes this phenomenon. The canon of common values ​​is in the process of dissolving, society is becoming more and more divided.
Left: Bjarne MELGAARD "I am not a piece of shit I am a piece of society", 2009; Right: ELMGREEN & DRAGSET "Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man (Homosexual)", 2004


The tense conflict potential within our western hemisphere, but also in relation to the global south, is reflected in the exhibition in a multifaceted way. The artists of the Peters-Messer Collection unmask the beautiful appearance and unerringly hit the sore spot.

Achim RIETHMANN "MH06", 2018


The selection of works shown in the Marburg Art Museum focuses on the relationship between the state and the individual, drifting in public space, interpersonal encounters and self-questioning. In the Kunstverein, these themes are taken up and expanded to include questions of cultural identity and gender, migration and the consequences of colonialism and environmental destruction. Critical contemporary art can “contribute to changing entrenched points of view, pave the way for dealing with new content and, in the best case, offer orientation in our increasingly complex world” (Florian Peters-Messer).

Curated by Linda Peitz.

Marburger Kunstverein
Theo Altenberg / Kader Attia / Murat Önen / Alexander Basil / Rebekka Benzenberg / Viktoria Binschtok / Monica Bonvicini / Andrea Bowers / William Cordova / Larisa Crunteanu / Elmgreen & Dragset / Larissa Fassler / Christian Friedrich / Oska Gutheil / Harry Hachmeister / Diango Hernández / Jonathan Hernández / Thomas Hirschhorn / Paul Hutchinson / Sven Johne / Iris Kettner / Alexander Klaubert / Konrad Mühe / Bjarne Melgaard / Henrike Naumann / Manfred Pernice / Signe Pierce / Monty Richthofen / Santiago Sierra / Iiu Susiraja / Kon Trubkovich / Susan Turcot

Left: Christian FRIEDRICH "Sofa (Couple)", 2008; Right: Monty RICHTHOFEN "I watch Porn", 2020

From left to right: Paul HUTCHINSON "Schmetterlinge, pink and yellow", 2016, "Leinestrasse", 2017, "Silber", 2014

Thomas HIRSCHHORN "Art Center 3 (Blow Down)", 2001

Konrad MÜHE "Johannes", 2019

Left: Jonathan HERNANDEZ "You are under arrest", 2000; Right: Susan TURCOT "my city, my army, my captors", 2008

Kon TRUBKOVICH "Untitled (Suits)" and "Ant farm" (video), 2007

Left: ELMGREEN & DRAGSET "Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man (Homosexual)", 2004; Right: Manfred PERNICE "Ohne Titel (Haessliche Luise)", 2004

Iiu SUSIRAJA "Garden Party Is Over", 2018 & "Flirting with toilet seat cover", 2018

Oska GUTHEIL "me and other me", 2019


Kader ATTIA "Parabolic Self Poetry", 2015 (background); Diango HERNANDEZ "Melodia", 2018

Left: Henrike NAUMANN "What goes up must go down (AfD)", 2019; Right: Iris KETTNER "Reihe", 2006

Santiago SIERRA "3000 Huecos (3000 Hollows)", 2002

Exhibition title on facade of the Marburger Kunstverein by Monty RICHTHOFEN


Kunstmuseum Marburg
John Bock / Sophie Calle / William Cordova / Oska Gutheil / Harry Hachmeister / Thomas Hirschhorn / Paul Hutchinson / Miriam Jonas / Kris Lemsalu / Erik van Lieshout / Murat Önen / Jack Pierson / Moritz Riesenbeck / Achim Riethmann / Julian Röder / Gregor Schneider / Kon Trubkovich / Susan Turcot / Keith Tyson / Nicholas Warburg / Jan Zöller
Installation view Kunstmuseum Marburg with works by Miriam JONAS, Jan ZÖLLER and Oska GUTHEIL.
Kon TRUBKOVICH "What Paradise?", 2007 (left corner); Jack PIERSON "Provincetown #2 & #3", 2003
Left: Sophie CALLE "Prenez soin de vous (Le main en stenographie)", 2007 & "Prenez soin de vous (Braille)", 2007; Photos on right by Paul HUTCHINSON
Thomas HIRSCHHORN with Thomas STEINWEG: "Spinoza Map", 2007
Moritz RIESENBECK "Last (Karoshi)", 2021
Left: Thomas HIRSCHHORN "Arch (Growing Assertiveness)", 2006; Right: Nicholas WARBURG "Die normative Kraft des Faktischen", 2019
From left to right: Keith TYSON "Studio Wall Drawing: Velocity Arrows...", 2001, Kris LEMSALU "Phantom Camp", 2014, Erik VAN LIESHOUT "Untitled (VANL0023)", 2005
Background wall: William CORDOVA "Tupac Katari", 2007; Right: Erik VAN LIESHOUT "Du bist Deutschland", 2005
Left: Murat ÖNEN "Shelter me now", 2021; Right: Erik VAN LIESHOUT "o.T. Heimerstein Bench", 2003
Front wall, from left to right: Harry HACHMEISTER "Man", 2018, "Sich selbst umarmen", 2012, "Becoming Harry", 2018 & "o.T. (mit blauer Hose)", 2005