doublelife
Identity and Transformation in Contemporary Arts
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Curators: Sabine Breitwieser, Hemma Schmutz
Co-Curator for Internet and CD-Rom project: Yvonne Volkart
Exhibition production: Hemma Schmutz
Marina Abramovic (JUG/NL), Eleanor Antin (USA), VALIE EXPORT (AT), Dominique Gonzalez-Förster (FR), Ion Grigorescu (ROU), Lynn Hershman (USA), Pierre Huyghe (FR), Sanja Ivekovic (KRO), Elke Krystufek (AT), Friedl Kubelka (AT), David Lamelas (ARG/USA).
Who wouldn't like to be someone else at times, to take one's self off like a jacket and put on another? In "doublelife" the Generali Foundation presented works by international artists of different generations which seize upon the desire to assume another role.
Working with and constructing fictional characters as well as role reversals and masquerade have a particular significance in the work of many artists. This desire to shift set identities also incorporates a political aspect when a critique of existing relations is carried out. These relations are often criticized in a playful or ironic way in art works.
The themes of identity and transformation were presented in this exhibition which employs a variety of working methods. On the one hand the artists used photography, video, and text, i. e., media with which we document our "real" lives, and on the other, they staged events such as performances and installations. Further areas of the exhibition were dedicated to artists' books and to web and CD-Rom projects.