For the first time, the SPSG opens the doors of this venue to contemporary art.

“New Art in the New Chambers!” makes for a situation of enticing ambiguity: artists integrate their works into the historical rooms, (almost) without touching them. The artistic interventions comment on, interpret and ironize the impressive historical architecture and lifestyle of the 18th century – which results in an exciting dialogue between the past and the present. Most of the 20 artists have created their works specifically for the chambers and halls of the former guesthouse. In all cases, the selected works from the fields of painting, sculpture, performance, architecture, textile production and stage design take as their subject aspects of the place and its history.

The exhibition is accompanied by a series of events including talks with the participating artists and a demonstration of the work of a copyist in the Picture Gallery of Sanssouci. At the closing event, curator and artist Ellen Kobe will stage a performance with musical accompaniment to reflect on both the lives of the historical inhabitants of Sanssouci and the museum activities which characterize the current use of the palace.

An exhibition catalogue (edited by Ellen Kobe and Marvin Altner) will be published in August 2008.

Exhibition dates: July 19 – September 28, 2008
Potsdam, Park Sanssouci, New Chambers
Opening hours: Tue – Sun, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Admission fee: 3 euro / 2.50 euro (discounted tickets)
Additional information can be found at www.spsg.de.

Press conference: Thursday, July 17, 2008, 11:00 a.m.

Click here to download the press release on the exhibition as PDF file (in German only).
Participating artists:

Julia Büttelmann (Berlin), Eggs & Bitschin, Bonnard Woeffray (Sion/Switzerland), Jean Louis Garnell (Paris), Ruth Handschin (Zurich), Knut Helms (Berlin), Josh Kerner (Philadelphia/USA), Ellen Kobe (Berlin), Coco Kühn (Berlin), Annette Munk (Berlin), Simone Neidhard (Neuenstein), Anne Rosin (Berlin), Josef Michael Ruhl (Herbstein), Elisabeth Sonneck (Berlin), Sebastian Stiebert (Karlsruhe), Thorsten Streichardt (Berlin), 3 + x = Christina Kautz, Simone Neidhard, Uta Pottgiesser (Berlin/Neuenstein/Detmold), Falk Weiß (Berlin), Käthe Wenzel (Berlin), Dirk Westermann (Berlin), Anna Zosik (Berlin)