Prague, November 28, 2024 – April 28, 2025, https://www.kunsthallepraha.org
A reminiscence of Shiota´s exhibition that I saw in Sinclair-Haus Bad Homburg. Much bigger and more labour intensive, but essentially the same. While walking through the show, I had to keep thinking about the dozens of “collaborators” (likely minimum wage art interns or so called volunteers) to whom the production of this “artwork” was outsourced. The result was spectacular, but also boring. More suitable for a Maison Hermes shop window than gallery.
The most interesting work was the documentation of Shiota´s early work where the was wallowing in mud, smearing herself with blood, sleeping on a beam and similar stunts. But sure, I understand that that is something you can do in your twenties and maybe thirties. Once enough working capital is amassed, its better to outsource the art to someone else and retire…
After visiting this show, I believe to have understood the essence of Kunsthalle Praha´s way of working and I feel a growing unease. Cannot totally explain. It´s not just about the focus on large, spectacular, but mostly boring installations, which give the whole institution an art shopping mall feel. The space has something uncanny that does not feel just right, similar to my feelings at the MMCA Seoul location (only Seoul, feeling at MMCA Gwacheon or others are fine) .
