Konzept »Stranger To…«

new, unknown, changed, unpleasant… inside and outside, us and them, here and there, far and near, local and foreigner…

In the postmodern era, order is again what needs to be built and maintained. However unlike modernity, the stranger is not outside and is not required to be excluded. Instead, ways of living with her (the other) are sought. This is undoubtedly evident in Bauman›s social identities (traveler, loiterer, tourist, actor) which are defined in his postmodern personalities. The removal of the boundaries between time and space (globalization) reveals the unity of existence that must be maintained together. Moreover, as we also consider the fact that we cannot imagine any life without strangers, the postmodern version of ‹being together› emerges. Pluralistic voices seek ways of living together. However to what extend is this possible? What does it mean to be a stranger with the changing time and space? According to Simmel; a stranger is one who is neither too close nor too far. If she is too close, she is not a stranger but a member of a group. If it is too far away, there will be no communication with the group. So is being a stranger a mixture of distance and proximity? These questions and discussions created by the concept of »stranger« are handled by the four artists in this exhibition. Florian Adolph, Harald Etzemüller, Vládmir Combre de Sena and Gözde Ju, who have different cultural backgrounds and memories, create a mutual space through their works and initiate a dialogue that includes the audience.

Ausstellungsraum EULENGASSE @ Platforms Project – Independent Art Fair, 13-16 October 2022 · Athens / Greece