Relics Collection 2015 - 2017
Monika Grabuschnigg, Gil Heitor Cortesão, Amba Sayal-Bennett, Bernhard Buhmann
Monika Grabuschnigg, Philip Mueller, Bernhard Buhmann
Vienna Contemporary, Carbon 12, Booth A19, 22nd – 21 – 24 September 2017 Bernhard Buhmann, André Butzer, Gil Heitor Cortesão, Monika Grabuschnigg, Philip Mueller, Anahita Razmi and Amba Sayal-Bennett
Unearthed, Rockelmann & Gallery, 2016Tyler Beard, Marnie Bettridge, Sabine Bokelberg, Monika Grabuschnigg, Dan Halm, Anat Homm, Stephanie Imbeau, Florian Japp, Ben Peterson, Doug Reyes, Su-Ran Sichling, Madeline Stillwell, Megan Stroech, Katy Stubbs, Lucy Teasdale, Carolin Wachter, Undisclosed Artist
The work series The Relics Collection deals with the
influence of war aesthetics in the local Afghan rug
industry from the 1980’s onwards and focuses on it’s
present representation in contemporary art collections
in Europe.
In Afghan war rugs, the traditional abstract floral and geometrical patterns gave way to multiple variations of grenades, tanks, and airplanes of foreign and own forces. At first a profound and immanent translation of political and social changes, those rugs became a commodity for foreign collectors and tourist souvenirs.
Translating this imagery into ceramic sculptures with the connotation of vitrine destined objects, the Relics collection is referring to fetish-driven consumer society, cultural voyeurism and the link between artwork and consumer commodity.
The works have been shown by Carbon 12 Gallery in Dubai, Art Dubai 2017, Nada New York 2017 and Vienna Contemporary 2016.
In Afghan war rugs, the traditional abstract floral and geometrical patterns gave way to multiple variations of grenades, tanks, and airplanes of foreign and own forces. At first a profound and immanent translation of political and social changes, those rugs became a commodity for foreign collectors and tourist souvenirs.
Translating this imagery into ceramic sculptures with the connotation of vitrine destined objects, the Relics collection is referring to fetish-driven consumer society, cultural voyeurism and the link between artwork and consumer commodity.
The works have been shown by Carbon 12 Gallery in Dubai, Art Dubai 2017, Nada New York 2017 and Vienna Contemporary 2016.
Pictures by Asaf Oren & Laia Sala