BREEDING GROUNDS
2024
Installation
The series of artistic works entitled Breeding Grounds takes a critical look at the subject of conservatism. The series is arranged in a room installation consisting of four lecterns, a serving table and four paintings with sculptural frames.
The paintings depict the rooms of conservative think tanks in the German and US context, whose aim is to promote conservative politics, values and norms in society. They also address the range of content and forms of conservatism, such as neoliberalism, libertarianism and the New Right, which are part of the current of thought. Furthermore, references are made to the "Hayek Gesellschaft" and the meeting of the "Düsseldorf Forum" in Potsdam, as well as to the US conservative think tank "Heritage Foundation" and the libertarian "The Seminar Network (Stand Together)". The paintings contextualize the respective spaces and content through the choice of materials for the painting ground (e.g. pinstripe fabric) or the materials for the frames, such as wood or metal.
Three lecterns that actually exist in the contexts and have been recreated, as well as an existing lectern, correspond with the respective context of the paintings and function both as sculptures in the installation and as active lecterns from which people can speak. Visitors can speak into the microphones and activate the installation; the sound is transmitted into the corridor of the building. Visitors can also help themselves to drinks at the serving table.
All parts of the installation are in dialog and encourage reflection on the respective contexts and their connections.
Photo: Jaewon Kim