Neue Review, Berlin 2003—04

In this ongoing series of interviews and talks the Alte Nationalgalerie, a museum on the Berlin “Museum Island” which shows mainly 19th century German art and a few Impressionists, is visited by artists and writers of different nationalities. With Ulrike Kuschel[1] we didn’t get past the museum shop; Rajeev Balasubramanyam[2] finds its portraits of white men repulsive; Sylvia Sleigh[3] fondly discovers parallels to her own work; while Neal Tait and Mathilde Rosier[4] talk about painting and the vanity of all things.

I tried as much as possible not to interfere with the choice of paintings my guests felt like talking about. Böcklin reappears frequently, being a quite impressive and very narrative painter.

As a prelude I also included my visit to the Art Nouveau Bröhan Museum in Berlin with Ingo Niermann[5].

All of these texts were published in Neue Review, a Berlin art magazine edited by Raimar Stange and Dave Allen[6]. (www.neuereview.net)

[1] Ulrike Kuschel has been a very good friend ever since the group show Schöne Welt.

[2] See also: Antje Majewski, Rajeev Balasubramanyam, A conversation about art (2004)

[3] See also: Realistinnen(2000), an art historical text in which I try to describe Sleigh’s work; which had an influence on my own work, especially  on Spiegel, 1997, and on Invitation to a Voyage, 1999-2001

[4] Neal Tait and Mathilde Rosier both participated in the group show Atomkrieg, Kunsthaus Dresden 2004, curated by Ingo Niermann and me. Mathilde Rosier’s film Le Massacre des Animaux was shown in Legende, an evening with short films, curated by Anke Kempkes and me.

[5] My husband.

[6] Dave used to play the guitar in the band Dominique, in which I played the cello.(www.homagold.com/dominique)