Harald Szeemann
Encyclopedia
Harald Szeemann was a Swiss
curator
and art historian
.
and journalism
in Bern and Paris
, and in 1956 he began working as an actor, stage designer and painter, as well as doing one-man shows. He started creating exhibitions in 1957. From 1961 to 1969 he was curator of the Kunsthalle Bern
. There he organised an exhibition of works by the "mentally ill" from the collection of the art historian and psychiatrist Hans Prinzhorn
in 1963, and the exhibition "When Attitudes Become Form" in 1969. In 1968 he gave Christo and Jeanne-Claude
their first opportunity to package an entire building: the Kunsthalle.
After leaving the Kunsthalle he founded the "Museum of Obsessions" and the Agentur für Geistige Gastarbeit
("Agency for Spiritual Migrant Work"). In 1972 he was the youngest artistic director at documenta 5 in Kassel
. He revolutionised the concept: conceived as a hundred-day event, he invited the artists to present not only paintings and sculptures, but also performances and "happenings". In 1980 he co-hosted the Venice Biennale
, where he created the "Aperto" exhibition for young artists. He was later among the few to curate the Biennale twice, in 1999 and 2001.
From 1981 to 1991 he was the sole curator of the Kunsthaus Zürich
. He also curated the international exhibition Einleuchten, the inaugural exhibition at the Deichtorhallen
in Hamburg
, in 1989. In 1982 Szeemann commissioned a three-dimensional reconstruction of Kurt Schwitters
's Hannover Merzbau (as photographed in 1933) for the exhibition "Der Hang zum Gesamtkunstwerk" in Zürich the following year. It was built by the Swiss stage designer Peter Bissegger and is now on permanent display in the Sprengel Museum
in Hanover
.
Szeemann played a key role in shaping the architecture faculty at the Università della Svizzera italiana
, the first university in Italian Switzerland, for the first six years after its founding in 1996.
From 1961 he belonged to the artists' group "Collège de 'Pataphysique'", from 1997 he was a member of the Akademie der Künste
in Berlin
, and in 2000 he was awarded the Max Beckmann Prize.
Szeemann was married to the artist Ingeborg Lüscher
, and lived in the village of Tegna
in Ticino
, Switzerland
. He died in Ticino in 2005.
announced the aquisition of the The Harald Szeemann Archive and Library, probably one of the most important research collection for Art (especially for Modern and Contemporary Art) worldwide. Szeemann constituted his archive and library during his whole lifetime, it contains thousands of documents related to his practice as an art historian, art critic and curator.
), and the Gesamtkunstwerk
("total artwork", Wagner
's concept of a work which spans all the arts, to which his own exhibitions were also indebted).
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
and art historian
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
.
Life
Szeemann was born in Bern. He studied art history, archaeologyArchaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
and journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
in Bern and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and in 1956 he began working as an actor, stage designer and painter, as well as doing one-man shows. He started creating exhibitions in 1957. From 1961 to 1969 he was curator of the Kunsthalle Bern
Kunsthalle Bern
The Kunsthalle Bern is a Kunsthalle on the Helvetiaplatz in Berne, Switzerland.It was built in 1917–1918 by the Kunsthalle Bern Association and opened on October 5, 1918. Since then, it has been the site of numerous expositions of contemporary art...
. There he organised an exhibition of works by the "mentally ill" from the collection of the art historian and psychiatrist Hans Prinzhorn
Hans Prinzhorn
Hans Prinzhorn was a German psychiatrist and art historian.Born in Hemer, Westphalia, he studied art history and philosophy at the University of Vienna, receiving his doctorate in 1908. He then went to England to receive voice training, as he planned to become a professional singer...
in 1963, and the exhibition "When Attitudes Become Form" in 1969. In 1968 he gave Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Christo and Jeanne-Claude were a married couple who created environmental works of art...
their first opportunity to package an entire building: the Kunsthalle.
After leaving the Kunsthalle he founded the "Museum of Obsessions" and the Agentur für Geistige Gastarbeit
Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter is German for "guest worker." It refers to migrant workers who had moved to West Germany mainly in the 1960s and 70s, seeking work as part of a formal guest worker programme...
("Agency for Spiritual Migrant Work"). In 1972 he was the youngest artistic director at documenta 5 in Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
. He revolutionised the concept: conceived as a hundred-day event, he invited the artists to present not only paintings and sculptures, but also performances and "happenings". In 1980 he co-hosted the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
, where he created the "Aperto" exhibition for young artists. He was later among the few to curate the Biennale twice, in 1999 and 2001.
From 1981 to 1991 he was the sole curator of the Kunsthaus Zürich
Kunsthaus Zürich
The Kunsthaus Zürich houses one of the most important art museums in Switzerland and Europe, collected by the local Kunstverein, called Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft, and holdings running from the Middle Ages to contemporary art, with an emphasis on Swiss art.Kunsthaus is also the name of the tram stop...
. He also curated the international exhibition Einleuchten, the inaugural exhibition at the Deichtorhallen
Deichtorhallen
Deichtorhallen, in Hamburg, is one of Europe's largest art centers for contemporary art and photography. The two historical buildings dating from 1911-13 are iconic in style, with their open steel-and-glass structures. It's architecture creates a backdrop for spectacular major international...
in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, in 1989. In 1982 Szeemann commissioned a three-dimensional reconstruction of Kurt Schwitters
Kurt Schwitters
Kurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters was a German painter who was born in Hanover, Germany. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including Dada, Constructivism, Surrealism, poetry, sound, painting, sculpture, graphic design, typography and what came to be known as...
's Hannover Merzbau (as photographed in 1933) for the exhibition "Der Hang zum Gesamtkunstwerk" in Zürich the following year. It was built by the Swiss stage designer Peter Bissegger and is now on permanent display in the Sprengel Museum
Sprengel Museum
The Sprengel Museum in Hanover houses one of the most significant collections of modern art in Germany. It is located in a building designed by Peter and Ursula Trint and Dieter Quast , adjacent to the Maschsee...
in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
.
Szeemann played a key role in shaping the architecture faculty at the Università della Svizzera italiana
Università della Svizzera italiana
Università della Svizzera italiana is a public university located in Lugano, Switzerland, founded in 1996...
, the first university in Italian Switzerland, for the first six years after its founding in 1996.
From 1961 he belonged to the artists' group "Collège de 'Pataphysique'", from 1997 he was a member of the Akademie der Künste
Akademie der Künste
The Akademie der Künste, Berlin is an arts institution in Berlin, Germany. It was founded in 1696 by Elector Frederick III of Brandenburg as the Prussian Academy of Arts, an academic institution where members could meet and discuss and share ideas...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and in 2000 he was awarded the Max Beckmann Prize.
Szeemann was married to the artist Ingeborg Lüscher
Ingeborg Lüscher
Ingeborg Lüscher, born 1936 in Freiberg, is a German/Swiss painter, working on painting, sculpture, photography, installation and video. She was first married to the Swiss psychotherapist Max Lüscher, then to the Swiss curator and art historian Harald Szeemann.Since 1967 she works and lives in...
, and lived in the village of Tegna
Tegna
Tegna is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-Geography:Tegna has an area, , of . Of this area, or 11.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 59.5% is forested...
in Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He died in Ticino in 2005.
Archive and Library
In June 2011, the Getty Research InstituteGetty Research Institute
The Getty Research Institute , located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, is "dedicated to furthering knowledge and advancing understanding of the visual arts". A program of the J...
announced the aquisition of the The Harald Szeemann Archive and Library, probably one of the most important research collection for Art (especially for Modern and Contemporary Art) worldwide. Szeemann constituted his archive and library during his whole lifetime, it contains thousands of documents related to his practice as an art historian, art critic and curator.
Notability
Szeemann invented the modern-day Großausstellung ("great exhibition"), in which the artworks are tied to a central concept and are assembled into new and often surprising interrelationships. His over 200 exhibitions were distinguished by a great abundance of material and a broad range of themes. Important reference points were subversiveness, alternative lifestyles (for example Monte VeritàMonte Verita
Monte Verità is a hill in Ascona , which has served as the site of many different Utopian and cultural events and communities since the beginning of the twentieth century.-History:...
), and the Gesamtkunstwerk
Gesamtkunstwerk
A Gesamtkunstwerk is a work of art that makes use of all or many art forms or strives to do so...
("total artwork", Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's concept of a work which spans all the arts, to which his own exhibitions were also indebted).
Literature
- Hans-Joachim Muller, Harald Szeeman: Exhibition Maker, Hatje Cantz, 2006, ISBN-13: 978-3775717052
- Florence Derieux, Individual Methodology, JRP-RingierJRP-RingierJRP-Ringier, formerly JRP Editions, is a Swiss publisher of high-quality books on contemporary art.Run by Lionel Bovier in Zurich, Switzerland, the company has more than 400 titles in active distribution worldwide, including artists’ books, monographs, exhibition’s catalogues, anthologies and...
, Zurich, 2008, ISBN: 978-3-905829-09-9
External links
- L'Ecole du Magasin International Curatorial Training Program, CNAC http://www.ecolemagasin.com/session16/. Official website for session 16 of L'Ecole du Magasin, National Contemporary Art Center located in Grenoble, France. The theme of research for session 16 (2006-2007) was Harald Szeemann, his archive, and curatorial practice. On this site, you will find exhaustive information regarding their research, including audio, photo, and video documentation of interviews with artists and professionals in the art field.
- Obrist, Hans-Ulrich Mind over matter - interview with Harald Szeemann http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_n3_v35/ai_18963443 (Art Forum, November 1996)
- Smith, Roberta Obituary: Harald Szeemann, Innovative Curator http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/02/25/news/obits.php (New York Times, February 26, 2005)
- Vetrocq, Marcia E. Harald Szeemann (1933-2005) http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1248/is_4_93/ai_n13629202 (Art In America, April 2005)
- Winkelmann, Jan Failure as a poetic dimension. A conversation with Harald Szeemann http://www.jnwnklmnn.de/szeem_e.htm (Metropolis M. Tijdschrift over hedendaagse kunst, No. 3, June 2001)
- Preserving the Legacy of Harald Szeemann,Glenn Phillips and Marcia Reed, http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/preserving-the-legacy-of-harald-szeemann/
- THE GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE ACQUIRES HARALD SZEEMANN ARCHIVE AND LIBRARY, http://www.getty.edu/news/press/center/szeemann.html