the thing is

10.11.2022 - 01.12.2022

Openings
part 1 modelo para armar Gerichtstr 45 Berlin Wedding opening: Oct 20, 7:00 pm \
part 2 panke.gallery Gerichtstr. 23, Hof 5, Berlin Wedding opening: Nov 10, 7:00 pm \
part 3 /rosa Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 35, Berlin Mitte opening: Nov 11, 7:00pm \

the thing is
analog-digital entanglements counteracting an ongoing crisis culture a project by THE THING, NYC

If we learned one thing from the days of the lockdown and its psychological side effects - is that the notion of the virtual, as mani- fested in a new breed of online culture, is more than ever untethered from reality. For many of us, this rupture provoked radical returns to analog production processes but now with a new impetus - Environmental anxieties have reframed much of the discourse around contemporary art practice. This “return to the physical world” also suggests a return of a special kind of knowledge production that was exclusively developed in the networked cultures of the digital realm, now transferred and transformed into analog procedures.

Back in the 90s, The THING, NY became known for building the first ever international net community of artists and art-related projects. This exhibition groups its founders and many active members living in New York throughout the 90s, 00s and 10s that were part of this community. Along came a few friends and colleagues that also worked closely with THE THING.

When New York was experiencing 9-11, it produced its most dramatic change in that decade, which in turn dramatically transformed artistic practices. A similar looming time of uncertainty as it seems prevalent today produced a number of responsive strategies. The works in this exhibition are reflection of this mindset. There are also two historic works included: Peter Fend as well as Eva+Franco Mattes. Coming from aforementioned moment in time in NY, the are now indicating an uncanny actuality.

the thing is collectively counteracts the myth of the individual that has been granted new life under neo-liberalism’s fractured, #mefirst precarities. It challenges the countless unseen connections that continue to nurture and sustain life. As mystics from Rumi to Cage attest, there is nothing we aren’t connected with. We are only the sum of our relationships.

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Artists at modelo para armar
Cory Arcangel (US/NO), Peter Fend (US), Heidrun Holzfeind (A/GER), Christoph Keller (GER), Giacomo Porfiri (I/GER), Wolfgang Staehle (GER/US)

Artists at panke.gallery
CAMP (IN), Christoph Draeger (CH/GER), Sebastian Lütgert (GER), Eva + Franco Mattes (I/US), Almagul Melibayeva (KAZ/B), Caspar Stracke (GER/MX)

Artists at /rosa
Eva + Franco Mattes (I/US), Almagul Melibayeva (KAZ/B), Wolfgang Staehle (GER/US) and videoloop with works by all exhibiting artists