Ibon Aranberri

Ibon Aranberri, who has worked extensively with archives, has recently participated in the exhibition project The Government, curated by Roger M. Buergel and Ruth Noack, (Kunstraum of the University of Lüneburg; MACBA-Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona; Miami Art Central; Secession, Vienna; Witte de With, Rotterdam; 2003–05). The Tucuman Arde Archive was included in the same project. Tucuman Arde is the name of a project executed by a collective of artists in Argentina in 1967-69. The artists conceived of art as an effective instrument for social change, and through the Tucuman Arde project they sought to bring the distressed social conditions of the Tucuman province to the attention of a large public. The project was conceived of as an intervention in mass communication, a circuit of counterinformation against the official one of the dictatorship. Today their archive is kept in Rosario by one of its members, Graciela Carnevale.

At Iaspis the exhibition organiser, author and artistic director to documenta XII (2007), Roger M. Buergel will meet Ibon Aranberri, artist and Iaspis resident, to discuss archives as artistic practice and strategy.

(Ir.T. no 513) The Cave, a project by Ibon Aranberri (Bilbao), staged by Markus Degerman (Stockholm). In the Project Studio 1-11 Dec 2005

Ibon Aranberri's extensive project (Ir.T. no 513) The Cave is situated at the intersection of nationalist ideology, the role of nature and research, and art in public space. This project is based on thorough research on a Basque mountain range, and it focuses on one particular cave, which is an archaeological site. The artist has used the cave as the site for a "public sculpture" in nature.

Posters and other material from Ibon Aranberri's archive based on research on the cave have been staged by the artist and architect Markus Degerman. The display is playfully imitating the aesthetics of administration, as well as the visual language of Iaspis' space. The modules making up the core of this precise display can best be described as abstract furniture.

Self-presentations

Ibon Aranberri, Bilbao

One could say that in local contexts with a marked national identity, the formalist tradition becomes prioritised in ways that are not always adjusted to the hegemonic version of modernity. Hastily we become forced to create an iconography that could be quickly accepted. Under the common imaginary, differentiating signs can be found, paradoxically to pre-established international aesthetics. In that sense, one of the artist’s creative praxis becomes itself the de-codification of the universal imaginary, as an accomplished way to respond to that cultural background. In the domains of the Basque Country (Spain), sculpture as an art form has played a decisive role in order to construct that iconography. The object was intrinsically linked to the symbolic landscape. To catalyse the metaphysical load reinforced around the art object was one of my obsessions at first. I’ve tried to understand the landscape only as a stage and to neutralise the object in favour of language, towards the operability of the signs. Now, the idea of sculpture has become as an experiment, a proposal. To delimit my area of activity, taking the measurement of time and space, creating a linear method which progress as a continuous transition. Escaping from the issues of repetition or style, it tends towards ground zero. But beyond literacy, the fact itself has to occur materially. By forcing imagination it is possible to create disorder in reality. Moreover, the transparency in which reality is presented makes it easy for the public to incorporate the artwork. As a result of this, social and political correspondences can be generated. Recent works include; Light over Lemoniz (2004-05). An old abandoned nuclear power station that has never been in use, thanks to social opposition and armed action. The (unsuccessful) plan was to reconstruct that episode on a map. By mixing happening, pyrotechnics, mass-movement and graphic documentation, a virtual “harmony” could be created; (Ir. T. no 513) The Cave, 2003. The entrance of a pre-historic cave which was physically closed, creating a distortion in the landscape surrounding it as well as in the original mythological culture. The habitat has been documented in its altered form.

Markus Degerman, Stockholm

In my practice as an artist I have been interested in working in different contexts, in order to extend my field of practice. My work basically tries to investigate questions on values, and their political and social connotations. Therefore my practice can assume different shapes while dealing with the same issues. I often take my point of departure in public spaces, in the way they are designed and described, and in the way their interior decorations are made. On a practical level this has, among other things, led me to work both with my own exhibitions as well as with formulating programmes and exhibitions where others participate. Other aspects of my practice that I find important are writing, teaching, and the work I do in collaboration with Uglycute. Uglycute are a group that, in addition to myself, consists of the architect Fredrik Stenberg, the interior designer Andreas Nobel, and the artist Jonas Nobel. Uglycute’s work can be said to move between the areas represented by its members. www.uglycute.com

Roger M. Buergel, Vienna

Roger M. Buergel, born 1962, exhibition organiser and author; two children. Curated Things we don’t understand (with Ruth Noack, Generali Foundation, Vienna, 2000), Governmentality. Art in conflict with the international hyper-bourgeoisie and the national petit-bourgeoisie (Alte Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover, 2000), The Subject and Power - the lyrical voice (CHA Moscow, 2001). The Government (with Ruth Noack, Kunstraum of the University of Lüneburg; MACBA-Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona; Miami Art Central; Secession, Vienna; Witte de With, Rotterdam; 2003-05). Books include Peter Friedl, Leipzig and Amsterdam, 1999; Abstrakter Expressionismus. Konstruktionen ästhetischer Erfahrung, Leipzig and Amsterdam, 2000. Regular contributions to Texte zur Kunst and Springerin - hefte für gegenwartskunst. Artistic director of Documenta XII (2007). Carl Palm, Stockholm Born 1980. Student at the Royal Art Academy since 2004. I agreed to join the exhibition group for Ibon’s exhibition at Iaspis because I believe there is a lot to learn from seeing other people work and from taking part in the process. I myself work in and out of different media in order to be able to see myself and my interests a bit clearer. I showed two works at the Royal Art Academy’s spring exhibition: the sound installation bla ett ljudverk, and the video my leg sleeps.

Pressetext

Ibon Aranberri, (Ir.T. no 513) The Cave
In conjunction with Ibon Aranberri's project (Ir.T. no 513) The Cave in the Project Studio at Iaspis:
Why Archives? On A Contemporary and A Historical Example Of Artistic Use Of Archives

01.12.05, 18:00 Seminar mit Roger M. Buergel und Ibon Aranberri
Ort: Iaspis Project Studio