into the pill - Issue 11
Montgomery
[scroll down for the interview]
video by Wilhelm Hein, ca.1998, Karlsruhe, Music: Aleksander Cigale
The video is by the artist and filmmaker Wilhelm Hein.
Hein has created a framework that has grown and changed over the course of his longtime work with film and video.
Unconcerned by clear lines between art and life, staged elements in his work are often accompanied by documentary elements, which reflect Hein’s environment or spheres of influence.
Wilhelm Hein is a friend of ours and we have known his wonderful underground film archive and his work since our studies in Karlsruhe.
He has participated in two group exhibitions at Montgomery.
The recording that we are sending you shows Julia Pfeiffer, Roseline Rannoch, Eva Keil, Florian Ludwig and Aleksander Cigale – the last two of whom have strong connections to Montgomery. Aleksander Cigale did the sound for the video, and Florian Ludwig designs the invitations and graphics for Montgomery.
The video, realized in 2001/2002, captures a moment of collaboration and energy that led to the creation of Montgomery and which influences it to this day – the “gestation” and the “infancy” of Montgomery, so to say.
It could be that this might not entirely fit your project, since it fulfills your criteria in a roundabout way. The video is made by a single artist; still, it is not an art video in the traditional sense, but rather an excerpt of a way of working, that we feel (with a sense of nostalgia) represents us very well, and in which Montgomery is present.
***
For Montgomery answered Julia Pfeiffer and Roseline Rannoch. Interview by Vassiliea Stylianidou for Ιnto the pill.
1.When was your space founded? Tell me about its goals, direction and character.
The artist-run space Montgomery exists since 2005 in Berlin.
We – Julia Pfeiffer and Roseline Rannoch, both artists – organize exhibitions and events in Montgomery since September 2005. In the former storefront, we built a bar where exhibition visitors can relax; a few steps up on the mezzanine (“Hochparterre”) is the actual exhibition space. Until now, we have organized mostly solo and group shows, but also concerts, readings and performances. The space is a medium with which we can work diversely, often together with other artists. What is important for us is the art, the struggle and maintaining independence, autonomy and fun. We are for courage, subjectivity, solidarity and fun. And against bad art and boredom. We also run a small independent publishing house called Montgomery Media.
We have held solo shows, group exhibitions and thematic series where artists have been invited to address specific topics with an exhibition or event.
From 2005 to 2007 we held an exhibition series entitled “Evangelisch-Katholisch" (“Protestant-Catholic”).
Artists who work with religious themes and symbols were invited to conceive an exhibition in direct reference to that theme.
From 2007 to 2009 we held a series of exhibitions and events dealing with “Precarization” (“Prekarisierung”) and the way artists address this as a phenomenon of society in general and of artistic practice in particular. The idea of producing vs. non-producing was explored within the series. The entire project was co-financed by the Stiftung Kunstfonds.
Artists who have shown their works at Montgomery include:
Christian Aberle, Michael Bauer, Dirk Bell, Julien Binet, Jan Burmester Andrea Büttner, Aleksander Cigale, David Conroy, Carola Deye, Melusine Eichhorn, Michaela Eichwald, Berta Fischer, Annette Frick, Sebastian Hammwöhner, Wilhelm Hein, Helena Huneke, Dani Jakob, Eva Keil, Karsten Kemter, Jan Koch, Korpys/Loeffler, Peter Kortmann, Robert Kraiss, Dirk Lange, Doris Lasch, Olga Lewicka, Florian Ludwig, Phillip Maiwald, Karen Markert, Boris Mrkonjic, Roberto Moreira Junior, Julia Pfeiffer, Ursula Ponn, Stefanie Popp, Reto Pulfer, Roseline Rannoch, Marie Rotkopf, Setareh Shahbazi, Solmaz Shahbazi, Eve K. Tremblay, Harlald Thys/Jos de Gruyter, Gabriel Vormstein, Suse Weber, Thomas Winkler, Susanne Winterling.
2.What are your areas of focus and research?
3.How would you describe the artistic reality in Berlin? How would you integrate your space within it?
The enormous artistic and cultural production in Berlin that manifests itself in the plethora of independent exhibition and project spaces and in which we participate - both as artists as well as art space organizers – can certainly lead to doubt about why, what and with which criteria art continues to be produced, as well as how art spaces are run and can be run. In the series “Prekarisierung Oh weh Oh weh, Produktionsstop!” (2007-2009), which comprised performances and exhibitions, we addressed the economic situation of visual artists and cultural producers with regard to societal realities, visions and utopias within and outside of the art and culture industries.
With the exhibition ”Der silberne Koffer“ (“The silver suitcase”) ( 2007) we wanted to draw attention within the Berlin art context to the tradition of artist-run spaces in Germany. We wanted to bring together those we respect and deem important. We understand ourselves in this tradition of artist-run spaces. Space and its use is a further medium for us, whose form and character is in constant flux.
4.What would you change about the artistic reality of the city?
5.Do you pursue collaboration with local state institutions? What is your experience in that area?
6.Do you pursue other local or international collaborations and joint projects?
7.What form of curatorial action do you propose?
8.What form of cooperation between artist and curator do you investigate?
9.How do you fund your space?
Montgomery is funded mainly by our own efforts.
From 2007 to 2009 we held a series of exhibitions and events dealing with “Precarization” (“Prekarisierung”) and the way artists address this as a phenomenon of society in general and of artistic practice in particular. The idea of producing vs. non-producing was explored within the series. The entire project was co-financed by the Stiftung Kunstfonds.
Montgomery
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