Opening “UN–DERSTAND THE POWER OF ART AS A SOCIAL ARCHITECT“

September 27th 2018, 8 pm, marks the opening of the second big exhibition in the short history of the URBAN NATION MUSEUM FOR URBAN CONTEMPORARY ART: “UN—DERSTAND THE POWER OF ART AS A SOCIAL ARCHITECT“. In five years, URBAN NATION has grown “from vision to reality”. Throughout an eventful year since its opening, “the impossible museum” became „the living museum“ with around 600 visitors daily. With the new exhibition, “UN–DERSTAND THE POWER OF ART AS A SOCIAL ARCHITECT“, URBAN NATION takes a look back at its own history and one into the future.

Museum director and curator Yasha Young about the new exhibition:

My curation is a play on Beuys and the extraordinary idea or radical theory of everybody by being a human is an artist describing the essence of what it means to be a human being: The deep need and fundamental ability to create and be creative. But on the opposite end of the spectrum mirrored I place the  philosophy of Dr. Seuss and its approach and huge social impact via simplicity and compassion.

The elite idea of art being only for the chosen few in all its complex words and structures is dying and additionally the digital age is upon us but again not without challenges. Fast and without no respect for the process of creation it feeds on content, devours it and forgets it. That leads to an extraordinary devaluation of the creative work opening doors for purely money driven fast lived project to enhance or cover up a product or situation. This development we want to counter balance.

We will tell the story of the URBAN NATION and explain the importance of the idea of building something virtual but with emphasis on the “human factor” the real life experience. Connect, create and care and the goal to slow down get back to basics with visionary tools and concepts. Furthermore we explain the need of art and artists to interact with each other and influence aspects of everyday life such as social issues, politics and responsible city development. Always connecting diverse approaches and stand points to evolve as a community, as artists and as human beings.

Learning about each other and learning about a new thriving art form that knows no boundaries and works outside the common framework of traditional values and expectations but with equal technical quality no matter how different the subject matter or canvas is from the common expectation. UCA is using all and everything every bit of daily life and objects as surface and transforms even the most common things and moments of daily life into art. It does not need the white cube it wants to be seen by as many as possible and also heard with good reason because it actually has something to say.

Experiencing the work in a close space with dramatic impact of hear see touch and feel is a challenge that we want to accept. I want the viewer to immerse her: himself in the entirety that this art form is – from one on one talks with the artist to learning about technique and material as well as tools and playfully experiencing the community as well as the diversity of this art form. By visiting the apartments and entering the space and mind of the artists, the viewer will go even further and experience possibly uncomfortable and intimate moments that both artist and consumer have to be willing to share and endure beyond the internet speed of swiping away in order to transform that moment into something truly spectacular.

A total exchange of power with equal curiosity and the willingness  to stay in a human interaction for more than 3.8 seconds. 11 installations and a house that wants to be discovered inside and out up and down by the viewer with curiosity and an open mind. A timeline will guide through the years of development and past projects can be discovered by memorabilia in vitrines reminding of artifacts as well as a multi sensory movie tunnel showing images ever captured flooding the viewer in organized chaos which is a core quality of UCA. The diversity of the projects and the environments and changing challenges will introduce to the visitor a world wide art form that this house and myself have the pleasure and honor to guard and care for years to come. A peek into past, present and future.

Here’s a little glimpse of what’s waiting for you.

photos by Nika Kramer