The artistic positions of the exhibition »TIPPING POINT« in Tirana reflects on the crucial moment, when opposing opinions, contradictory and challenging circumstances, and competing perspectives converge in seemingly insoluble situations. An artistic reflection on such a moment draws attention to the inherent conditions at the apparent climax of this state, where things could turn in a different direction: Everything is interconnected, closely intertwined, and every turning point marks a tense fluctuation between two extremes. Creative and process-oriented interventions in public urban spaces or within the gallery – the exhibition facilitates an intercultural and artistic dialogue on these conflicting yet partly converging dynamics of a tipping point in the context of socio-political issues and personal themes, reflecting on our coexistence as human beings.

In her silkscreen series »MIND THE GAP – THE FUTURE IS FEMALE«, the artist Kerstin Lichtblau addresses feminist topics with socially critical yet poetic depictions of women. ›MIND THE GAP‹ – a direct reference to the gender pay gap – initiates a discursive engagement with societal images of women, further enhanced through the engagement of local participants in Tirana.

How can we develop an expanded awareness of a tipping point in our perception? In Matthias Rudolph’s artistic practice we encounter a changing, gradually shifting visual language in a series of works that oscillate between order and disorder, logic and illogic, embodying the development of a tipping point. His paper collages incorporate original material from personal archives, magazines and books.

Vládmir Combre de Sena’s work »conspiracy theory« uses Artificial Intelligence to create fictional ›conspiracies‹. The work interrogates social discourses on race, gender and sexuality. Through a dialogue process with artificial intelligence, texts and quotes in the videos were created that place societal constructs and discourse into new, provocative contexts, exposing and deconstructing deeply rooted norms and beliefs while offering new perspectives on normative orders.

The multimedia work »On the Rebelliousness of Urban Spaces« Harald Etzemüller translates photographs of urban spaces into cartographic black plans, interwoven with anecdotal-associative text elements. The architect reflects on the interplay between clear and ambiguous spatial effects, whether stemming from centuries-old historical narratives or current uses. The work thereby reflects the ever changing relationship between people and urban space, which shifts within a constant negotiation among various actors.

The most obvious tool to measure balance is a spirit level. We trust this tool because it appears to operate on a scientific basis. But when different spirit levels suddenly show different results when measuring the same fact, what should we do? The simple answer: rethink everything! At least reconsider everything! Paul Hirsch has created several wooden objects with multiple integrated spirit levels. In some of these sculptures, the viewer can rotate the wooden object. At one point, only one integrated spirit level shows the expected result, while the others indicate an imbalance. The entire conception of truth seems to be called into question, but with a slight shift, the viewer may change their perspective, allowing them to reconcile all views of the world – though only one at a time.

The artist Ilse Dreher seeks to understand nature as a living whole in her installation and to reflect its ambivalence between beauty and destruction in her aesthetic. Artificial skin, wax, and silicone tubes — these elements are combined with photographic films encased in crystal-clear foil. The superimposition of the motifs and photographs, which depict water, ice, sand, and aerial shots, reflects possible tipping points in nature’s ambivalence.

Dalwin Kryeziu
(Art historian and curator)

OPENING | Eventi I Hapjes October 8, 2024 at 18:00 | 8 tetor 2024 ora 18:00 Gallery70 – Toptani Center, Rruga Abdi Toptani, Tirana

OPENING | Vernisazh October 8, 2024 at 19:30 | 8 tetor 2024 ora 19:30 GALERIAKALO – Rruga Ibrahim Rugova 1, Tirana

> Begleitpublikation zur Ausstellung

The exhibition »TIPPING POINT« is part of the EULENGASSE project EUROPEAN CITIES ART NETWORK Tirana/Albania & Frankfurt, September/October 2024.

Unterstützung