European Centre for Art, Culture and Science

Tuesday March 6 2012 / Arts & Philosophy

The Métamatic Artists’ Lectures Series #4: Olaf Breuning

The Métamatic Research Initiative's mission is to stimulate research into ideas stemming from the work and philosophy of the French-Swiss artist Jean Tinguely (1925-1991). Specifically, the research initiative focuses on Tinguely's exploration of the relationship between the artist, the art work and the viewer as expressed in his Métamatic sculptures.

Still from Home 3 

Eight artists have been awarded a commission to realize their individual project inspired on the legacy of Tinguely. In the fall of 2011 and the spring of 2012, these participants of the Métamatic Research Initiative will talk about their work in general and the commission specifically.

This edition features artist Olaf Breuning. In the past years Breuning made a series of films based on collage and fragmentation, addressing delicate social issues and conventions. The way he combines a large dose of dark humour and a critical view with the autonomous references and interpretation of his themes shows a strong connection to Tinguely. As does his keen sense for present-day social misconceptions. In Home 2 for example, he ridicules the Western need to visit primitive cultures and the conviction that their authenticity and purity can save us from our cultural doom, or can at least make us feel better about ourselves.

In Home 3 Breuning wants to further continue this method around the relation between modern man and his technological environment. Hoping for liberation from his tasks by (communication) technology, this human becomes more and more entangled in obligations and interaction.

Breuning was born in Schaffhausen, Switzerland in 1970 and currently lives and works in New York, NY. Breuning studied professional photography in Zurich, Switzerland and went on to complete postgraduate studies in photography at the HSFG Zurich.  Breuning has had solo exhibitions in Metro Pictures, New York; Migros Museum Zurich; Chisenhale, London; Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil, Mexico City; Magasin, Grenoble. He was also included in several international group exhibitions, including Whitney Biennial 2008, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Looking At Music at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (2008);  All About Laughter at Mori Art Museum, Japan (2007);  Let's Entertain at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; Centre Georges Pompidou.

The next lectures:
April 3, 2012: João Simões (Portugal)
May 1, 2012: Pors & Rao (India)
June 5, 2012: John Bock (Germany)
June 19, 2012: Jon Kessler (USA)

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