Zoo. An artists' c̶u̶r̶a̶t̶e̶d̶ exhibition
The word zoo was first used by the London Zoological Gardens, which opened in 1828 following the spirit of the menageries, collections of captive animals for the viewing pleasure of imperial, royal or aristocratic families. Under a Zoo, Human beings were also sometimes displayed, in cages along with non-human animals, to illustrate the supposed differences between people of European and non-European origin.
The Great Exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, in October 1851, was the first in a series of World's Fair exhibitions of culture and industry that became popular in the 19th century where all the countries around the world wanted to show what they were and what they wanted to be. Human zoos could also be found in these exhibitions, as in the 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition or the -very recent- 1958 Expo '58 in Brussels.
The Universal Exposition of Paris of 1855 also incorporated the traditional Salon that was customary since centuries before. That year however, Gustave Courbet decided to set his own show in a temporary space right next to the Salon entrance. His Pavilion of Realism, as he called it, aimed to present his work in a better and more free spirited way than the one imposed by the Academy, taking into his own hands the choice of location, organizing the setting, selecting the artworks and even planning a financing scheme for the reception of his work, all this long before the appearance of what we nowadays know as curators.
Zoo - an artists' c̶u̶r̶a̶t̶e̶d̶ exhibition - is an open, hearty, artist-organized show that links together a multicultural group of artists who quietly produce honest objects in their studios nearby the disappeared Zoo Park in Brehmplatz. The show relies on different artistic approaches and their interaction, showcasing works by Rimma Arslanov, Stefan à Wengen, Thomas Bambey, Lisa Bergsteiner, Giulia Bowinkel & Friedemann Banz, Zhenia Couso Martell, Rahel Gubari, Stephan Kaluza, Christoph Knecht, Haure Madjid, Roy Mordechay, Jon Moscow, Peter Müller, Linda Nadji, Ninakarlin Prinz, Nicolas Sanchez, Regina Magdalena Sebald, Gil Shachar, Ira Vinokurova and Jongsuk Yoon.
Nicolas Sanchez L.
Vernissage September 9th 2016, 19:00
Opening Hours: From Saturday 10th untill Friday 16th
10 - 6 pm & by appointment +49 01638000585
Finissage September 16th, 19:00
Lepsien Art Foundation
Müllheimer Str. 25
40239 Düsseldorf