Henrike Naumann – Ruinenwert (2019)

Henrike Naumann – RUINENWERT
New production for the exhibition

Interiorities.
Njideka Akunyili Crosby
Leonor Antunes
Henrike Naumann
Adriana Varejão

Curated by Anna Schneider
Assisted by Dimona Stöckle

Opening Do. 28.11.2019 19 Uhr
Exhibition 29.11.2019 – 29.03.2020
Haus der Kunst
Prinzregentenstr. 1
80538 München
Infos


The installations by Henrike Naumann rely upon the suggestive power of used items of furniture and home decoration. Many of her works thus far examine the complexity of Germany's recent post and the new rise of right-wing ideology, which is subsequently accompanied by questions of belonging, iden­tity, and its uncertainty. For the Haus der Kunst, Neumann has developed a spatial installation entitled Ruinenwert. The work refers to the architecture of Hitler's Berghof residence on Obersalzberg which, like the former 'Haus der Deutschen Kunst' ('House of German Art'), was a representative building designed by Gerdy Troost for the National Socialists. We enter the installation through a replica of the fireplace of Berghof's 'Great Hall.' Even the hall's monumental re­tractable window, which provided impressive views of the surrounding mountains, is cited by the artist. Yet, Neumann has replaced the panorama of the Alps with the contours of an ensemble of used fur­niture from the 1990s, augmented by blue objects. These objects allude to the first film, The Blue Light by the controversial film director Leni Riefenstahl, who later made propaganda films for the Nazi government. With Ruinenwert, traces of the fascist architecture of the National Socialists coincide with fragmentary details, furniture and decorations, of the original interior of the museum. The minutely detailed room, which also references the Deutsche Architektur- und Kunsthandwerk-Ausstellung (German Architecture and Applied Arts Exhibition), which took place at 'Haus der Deutschen Kunst' during the Nazi era, impressively demonstrates how political ideologies and power structures manifest themselves in design, decoration, and interior furnishings.
Presented in a curved silver frame, the video work Brecher addresses the way in which the Nazis developed mythological images and aesthetics. The title itself recalls a public debate, several months ago, about an expressionist painting of the same name by Emil Nolde - a self-confessed Nazi sympathizer - which until recently hung in the office of Chancellor Angela Merkel. The video shows a fur blowing in the wind, which can be seen as a reference to the motif of the Nolde painting. Accompanying this image are illustrations of the procession planned for the opening ceremonies of 'Haus der Deutschen Kunst,' slowly captured by the camera as miniature furniture and objects, which can also be found in the installation, are carried through the picture by small figures. In addition, the "Song of Barbarossa," com­posed by Friedrich Silcher, plays in the background. What at first sounds like a choir is a collage of several recordings edited together of a single voice, whereby this formal intervention critically alludes to the supposed unity of "Volk" (people) and "Führer" (leader) claimed by Nazi ideology.

Henrike Naumann
Ruinenwert, 2019
Mixed-Media-Installation
“Donau“ carpet, furniture of Haus der Deutschen Kunst (1937)
designed by Atelier Troost, secondhand furniture from Munich’s
households, household objects, miniature furniture
Various dimensions
Courtesy the artist and KOW, Berlin/ Madrid
Commissioned by the Haus der Kunst for the occasion
of the exhibition

Henrike Naumann
Brecher, 2019
Digital video in neo-baroque frame, sound
Voice and Sound design: Bastian Hagedorn
Editing: Fritz Schiffers
Studio: Carlo Bernhardt, Nik Mantilla, Christin Rothe, Lara Wehrs
‚Der alte Barbarossa‘ (T: Friedrich Rückert, M: Friedrich Silcher)
Courtesy the artist and KOW, Berlin/Madrid
Commissioned by the Haus der Kunst for the occasion
of the exhibition

Thank you to Antje Böttger
There will be a catalogue published with an essay on Ruinenwert by Marietta Kesting.