Virtuell I: 30 Jahre Spraybanane - part 3
3. - 31. March 2016
Blick in die Ausstellung
Carnival in Cologne, 2007 - Schramma and Schramma: Baumgärtel is dressed as a convict wearing a mask depicting the then mayor of Cologne, Fritz Schramma. The drooping banana cap symbolizes Cologne's lack of support for the arts. The coming years are characterised by a long battle to keep studios for artists and "hall 10" on the premises of the former Clouth factory.
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3. - 31. March 2016
Blick in die Ausstellung
Carnival in Cologne, 2007 - Schramma and Schramma: Baumgärtel is dressed as a convict wearing a mask depicting the then mayor of Cologne, Fritz Schramma. The drooping banana cap symbolizes Cologne's lack of support for the arts. The coming years are characterised by a long battle to keep studios for artists and "hall 10" on the premises of the former Clouth factory.
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Blick in die Ausstellung
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Virtuell I: 30 Jahre Spraybanane - part 3
"Freedom for art!" Thomas Baumgärtel started fighting for this maxim as a student - and his battle has been going on ever since. Some may say this postulate is totally exaggerated, but liberty is not a matter of course. One only needs to think of the imprisonment of Pussy Riot or the attacks on Charlie Hebdo.During the third decade Baumgärtel and his artist colleagues fight to maintain their studios and "hall 10" on the grounds of the former Clouth factory facilities in Cologne-Nippes - and they lose the battle. Baumgärtel expressed his disappointment in the city of Cologne and its lack of commitment for artists on a mural made during the Cityleaks Festival in 2011: the red garpet is rolled out for investors, while artists must use a battering ram to enter the city. What is art and culture worth?
Small anecdote: on a tour through Berlin a bus full of tourists passes the Federal Chancellery. The guide, a native of Berlin, points out the sculpture "Berlin" by Eduardo Chilidda in front of the building. She gives her best to her aversion to the sculpture and reaches the climax of her vocal excursion when she names the price paid for the sculpture. Laughter breaks out on the bus - a lot of the people on the bus seem to have little understanding for art but much sympathy for the guide. No attempt is made to describe the sculpture - except with the words "rusty" and "expensive". Only one sentence was missing: "My son/my daughter could have made that!"
This makes it all the more pleasant that in the year of the 30th anniversary of the spray banana the very first art exhibition ever to be shown in the former Government Bunker near Bonn this March will be with works by Thomas Baumgärtel and his colleague Harald Klemm. "German unification" is the title of the exhibition - it could hardly be more fitting.
30 years spray banane - 30 years of art - 30 years of history.
Many thanks to Thomas Baumgärtel for opening his archives for this series of virtual exhibitions.
