(set of ephemera housed in illustrated envelope)
Köln: Art Intermedia, 1969 (02)
a. 16,2×22,7 cm. Printed envelope doubling as a kind of gallery communique. Apart from programmatic statements and the announcement of events and editions there is an interesting collage of press snippets reproduced, providing a fascinating snapshot of the state of affairs concerning contemporary art in late 1960s Western Germany. Part of it is a rather ‘favourable’ piece from Spiegel (Dec 1968) reporting on Beuys’ activities. “In fact, the sight of the artist in action best disproves the suspicion of idle joke: When Beuys takes action, as recently in the Cologne gallery “Art intermedia”, he is far more like a distant shaman than a clown. Acting to the point of exhaustion, he turns the seemingly absurd drama into an existential pantomime “(..FAZ”). (…) A figure like Beuys can be tolerated all the more because it does not endanger the development of human society, but rather safeguards it. (…) He rejects the external revolution; In his opinion, real revolutions do not begin with changing external structures, but with changing the individual under his own power.” Another snippet mentions that (while Beuys met and discussed with guests in the gallery) “Ansgar Nierhoff asked him why he used people in actions. A reporter in Kölnischer Rundschau reported that Nierhoff alleged that Beuys was abusing people” There is an overall polemic tone running through the whole of this idiosyncratic newsletter even compiling and correcting a hilarious press misconception concerning an ‘imaginary’ Robert Indiana exhibition. “It is not true that an exhibition by Robert Indiana is being prepared in the Kölner Kunsthalle – as Mr Sello noted in ZEIT. It is, however, an exhibition on the subject of North American Indians. (See DIE ZEIT, No. 1/1969)”. Another interesting clue given, is the size of circulation of the gallery’s invitations, as it is stated that “Recently, we had to put a lot of people interested in our invitations in waiting lists, as the invitation budget of art intermedia (fifteen hundred sent invitations per month) cannot be increased”. This is an indication of the scarcity of this envelope and its contents (see next page). Mailed, showing usual signs of handling. In VG overall condition.
b. 26,5×17,5 cm. Invitation / multiple made by Daniel Spoerri for his ‘eat art’ event to take place during the vernissage of Thomkins’ exhibition (7.2.1969). “Daniel Spoerri cooks a soup for his friend André (…)”. Die cut paper napkin rubber stamped. Folded once for mailing. In VG+ condition
c. 29,5×20,9 cm. Exhibition invitation published in conjunction with the opening of André Thomkins’ solo show in February of 1969. Folded twice as issued. Artist statement printed verso. Some apparent creasing. In VG condition.
condition: [see above]
Daniel Spoerri
