Same Standing is an ongoing artwork/curatorial project, planned as series of group exhibitions, to occur at different locations. Having only one selection criteria - the artists' height (determined by data from id or measurement). The ones who match the preannounced height (which is sometimes randomly chosen, while others for specific reason) are automatically allowed/invited trough open call to show work together. Resulting in unpredictable, but at the same time objective groupings, replacing the usual ways of gathering, by notions of taste, quality, subject matter, friendships etc.,
on 16.8.2014 Same Standing /166 took place at Kreuzberg Pavillon, Berlin, and it was also part of Project Space Festival - see link. The height of 166cm for artists was determined by a random draw from the numbers between 150 and 200 (representing common human heights in centimeters) done trough the website www.random.org. An open call was announced by Kreuzber Pavillon, after the oficcial measurement process, six participants were approved to submit artworks (one by each), these were: Karin Beulke; Natacha Mankowski; Marlene Stark; Danielle Zimmermann; Anna Livia Löwendahl - Atomic; Antoanetta Marinov. For more info and photo documentation follow the link: http://kreuzbergpavillon.tumblr.com/14-08-16
from 5th until 27th of September 2014, Same Standing /183 was organized in the context of the group exhibition "Bulgarische Arbeit" at GEH8, Dresden. With the participation of: Béatrice Metzmacher, René Trinks, Nicolás Dupont, Nastasja Keller, Frank Zitzmann
text for the exhibition "Same Standing /183":
How does the ‘I’ belong to different kinds of ‘We’?
If “Bulgarische Arbeit” is a group exhibition of artists who share the same nationality, “Same Standing /183” is an exhibition inside the exhibition that has artists of exactly the same height – 183 centimeters tall (which happens to be the curator’s height). The five participants responded to an open call (announced trough internet and posters in Dresden), each was measured and approved to submit an artwork of their choice - thus resulting in the small group show that you now see.
Nationality and height are two of many other qualities of an artistic persona, and both are inscribed on ID documents. National and subsequently cultural belonging gives certain context, place in the world and is usually often taken into consideration. Same height could mean same point of view - same bodily feature that probably influences one's living conditions, behavior and decisions or simply something to speculate with. Both qualities seem to remain relatively permanent throughout life.
Do these artists and their artworks belong together, how appropriate is such grouping, how does height matter in comparison with other selection criteria? Questioning these and other workings of art worlds, while at the same time giving a try to seemingly open and unpredictable scheme.
Miná Minov, Dresden 2014
exhibition view, with works by René Trinks (left) and Nastasja Keller (right)
exhibition view, with works by Béatrice Metzmacher (left), Nicolás Dupont (middle), Frank Zitzmann (right)
exhibition view
diy measuring device for same standing /183