Rocking the Establishment: Action Art in Dresden and Erfurt under DDR Rule
Dresden's Art collections showcasing East German Action Art - Dresden's Art Collections Considered in Context of GDR's Action Art Movement
Step right up, folks! The Dresden State Art Collections (SKD) are bringing the art of the DDR-era action artists back into the limelight. Take center stage are the Erfurt artist group, formed in 1984, and the Dresden group Autoperforationsartisten, born in 1982, as announced by the SKD.
These nonconformist artists in Erfurt and Dresden back in the 80s broke away from the state-funded art scene of the DDR, carving out new avenues of expression, and creating bubbles of rebellion and self-determination.
The collaboration between painter Christine Schlegel and dancer Fine Kwiatkowski is also under the spotlight. The exhibition kicks off with costumes from the Erfurt group, previously showcased in fashion-object shows, performances, and Super-8 films. Interviews with some of the artists will share their thoughts and recollections about the action art that provided a lens for them to critique society.
"Stepping Out of Line: Action Artists in the DDR" takes center stage at the Dresden Albertinum from May 17 to August 31.
- Dresden
- DDR
- Art Collection
- Action Art
- Erfurt
Action Art, a cousin of performance and conceptual art, was a force to be reckoned with during the DDR era. Artists used this platform to challenge societal norms, air their grievances, and explore themes of freedom and identity in a heavily censored environment.
Importance:
- Speak the Unspoken: Action Art served as a hidden megaphone, giving artists a space to criticize the authoritarian regime through ambiguous or symbolic performances that often slipped past the censors' radar.
- Cultural Expansion: It opened the door for artists to express themselves beyond traditional art forms, leading to a burst of experimental and innovative artistic avenues.
- Community Impact: Action Art often engaged the community, encouraging a sense of shared experience and collective action against the backdrop of an oppressive socialist state.
Erfurt and Dresden:
Though specific details about Action Art in Erfurt and Dresden during this period are scarce, both cities played significant roles in East Germany's cultural landscape. Erfurt, brimming with history and cultural institutions, and Dresden, known for its bustling arts scene, likely hosted various expressions of Action Art reflecting broader themes of resistance and creative expression under DDR rule.
Exhibition Context:
If "Stepping Out of Line: Action Artists in the DDR" focuses on works from Dresden and Erfurt, it would likely shed light on how Action Art was employed as a weapon of artistic resistance and self-expression in these cities. It would display pieces that showcased how artists danced around the boundaries of the DDR, pushing the envelope and breaking the rules.
- Action Art, akin to performance and conceptual art, was a powerful force within the DDR era, serving as a covert megaphone for artists to express criticism of the authoritarian regime through obscure or symbolic performances.
- The exhibition "Stepping Out of Line: Action Artists in the DDR," taking place at the Dresden Albertinum from May 17 to August 31, promises to highlight works from both Dresden and Erfurt, showcasing the use of Action Art as a tool of artistic resistance and self-expression against the backdrop of the DDR.
- The collaboration between Christine Schlegel and Fine Kwiatkowski, key players in the DDR art scene, will be a central feature of the exhibition, featuring costumes from the Erfurt group previously showcased in fashion-object shows, performances, and Super-8 films.
- In Dresden, the Dresden State Art Collections (SKD) are regenerating the careers of DDR-era action artists, inviting the Erfurt artist group and the Dresden group, Autoperforationsartisten, to reclaim the limelight under the spotlight of their infectious creativity.