JOHN BOCK: IM MODDER DER SUMMENMUTATION

from the top: John Bock Unzone/Eierloch, 2012 Foto: Raphael Binder © John Bock, 2013, Courtesy: Anton Kern, NY; Sprüth Magers Berlin, Giò Marconi, Mailand; Sadie Coles HQ, London; Regen Projects, LA; the other five images: John Bock, exhibition views, Photos: Mark Brandenburgh © Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

A mutation is commonly known as a defect in the DNA – a biological mistake. How this term might be interpreted in relation to the current solo exhibition by 1965-born German multi-media-artist John Bock at Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn is up to discussion: "Im Modder der Summenmutation" (In the mud of sum-mutation) is both, a visual and a conceptual mutation.

INTERVIEW: CRISTINA MORENO GARCíA

Samaritana's Factory Reset, 2013, HDV, 10:03 Min., 16:9, Color, Stereo, Video still © Cristina Moreno García

In her thoughtful and poetic video works, the 1985-born Spanish artist Cristina Moreno García often merges real and imaginary memories. Without any tacky tools or cliches, peaceful images silently transmit a sense of melancholia. Cristina's work is narrative without forcing the audience to follow the exact storyline – she uses personal imagery without telling too much about herself. "Samaritana's Factory Reset", a recent work of hers, is currently on display at the Goldrausch-Scholarship show "Körnelia", which is a group exhibition at Galerie am Körnerpark in Berlin-Neukölln. In an interview Cristina told me about her relation to memories, the reason why she decides to 'lie' to the audience and how her work got more political than she had planned it...

INTERVIEW: SHAN BLUME

Shan Blume is a true media artist – his green laser-space at the Olympus exhibition in Berlin's Opernwerkstätten was an experience with performative qualities. Shan, who is one of the few 'real' Berliners, has his studio in his spacious Berlin-Neukölln flat. It's really cosy: Lots of books, art works from friends, as well as his own small sculptures, prototypes, and some older two-dimensional prints cover the walls and the shelves. But Shan de-materialised most of his work a while ago. Each art piece is site-specific and has ephemeral characteristics: laser beams and holography are amongst his favourite tools. He creates hallucinatory spaces and tricks the audiences' perception. While eating delicious self-made Pesto-Pizza and drinking white wine, we talked about Shan's early experimental works, about his upcoming country life, the virtualisation of the future and, of course, about philosophical media-art. Read the interview...

all studio photos by artfridge / courtesy Shan Blume 

INTERVIEW: CHRIS SUCCO

All images: 'Total Recall' by Chris Succo at Rod Barton, London; Courtesy Rod Barton, London

The use of pop-culture quotes in a context of art can be misleading: "Total Recall" reminds of Arnold Schwarzenegger (or alternatively Colin Farrell) having his phantasies turned into real memories by a viscous and dystopian company. "Total Recall" is also the title of Chris Succo's current solo exhibition and its probably the smallest retrospective that the artist will ever show. Three large works, all kept in black and white tones, fill the small gallery space of Rod Barton in London Islington. The German artist Chris Succo combines text, quotes and art to provoke a convenient imbalance. While keeping his works in mostly strict patterns of minimalist working series, the titles play and challenge with the visual severity. He told us a bit a about his thoughts on the show in a small interview:

13. ISTANBUL BIENALI

Nathan Coley Adam Kokesch Zbigniew Libera Carla Filipe Wouter Osterholt & Elke Uitentuis Jorge Mendez Blake Entrance to Antrepo no.3 
All images: Courtesy the artists and/or their galleries; photos by artfridge

Since the severe demonstrations in June at Taksim Square, Istanbul became one of the most prominent places of civil revolution. While outside Turkey, the riots have been declared as intellectual, even aesthetically artistic revolts – a liberation from religious dogmas, from gentrification, from suppression and governmental power – inside Turkey, the riots were condemned or concealed. Therefore the 13th edition of the Istanbul Bienali was expected respond to the country's political situation and to use the international attention to manifest a statement of freedom. But instead of a statement, we get a question: The title "MOM, AM I A BARBARIAN?", which is a quote that the curator Fulya Erdemci borrowed from the Turkish poet Lale Müldür, highlights the latent feeling that the Istanbul Bienale does not at all have as much freedom, as the individual protesters at Gezi-Park. These, in turn, ironically reacted to the exhibition with signs saying " MOM, AM I HUMAN".