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Lantern of Fear, in: Gulielmo Jacobo's Gravesande, Physices Elementa Mathematica, Geneva, 1748
RUB YOUR EYES
From the Werner Nekes Collection
22.07-28.08.2011
Part I
Awangarda Gallery
ul. Wita Stwosza 32
Part II (discreet show)
Design Gallery
u. ¦widnicka 2-4
opening on Friday, 22 July at 8.00 pm
curators: Werner Nekes i Katarzyna Roj
with cooperation with: Jonathan Nekes i Marta Kubik
Werner Nekes is a representative
of European film
experimentalists. He was
born in Germany in 1944,
at the age of 27 he already
ran his own curriculum of
classes in Hochschule für
bildende Künste in Hamburg.
At the beginning of
the 1970s, Nekes, despite his
young age, stood out from
the German film avantgarde.
In his first projects he
experimented with classic
film narration and psychology
of sight. These experiences
led him towards the
so-called “archeology” of
cinema – inventions from the
distant past which preceded
the emergence of cinematograph.
Interested in magic,
optics, paradoxes of sight
and the art of illusionism,
he studied tradition of the
forgotten techniques of film
construction and screening.
Laterna magica, camera obscura
and other instruments
which allow to capture
reality in all its dramaturgy,
served as an inspiration for
his own artistic work. Todayhis collection of protocinematographic
objects is one
of the largest in the world.
It is kept in a inactive leather
factory in Mülheim near
Ruhr River, which is at the
same time Nekes’ film studio
and the place where he lives.
The exhibition in
Awangarda gallery shows the
part of the collection which
is strongly connected with
prehistory of cinema. The
viewer may be surprised with
Nekes’ wide scope of interests;
attempts to present the
heart of his collection may be
difficult. It covers both works
of art (da Vinci, Rembrandt,
Duchamp, Dürer…) and
stunning presentations of
scientific discoveries, voyeuristic
machines, automata and
visual toys which once served
as an attraction for salons,
parlours as well as circuses
and funfairs. These objects
illustrate paradoxes of sight,
optic experiments such as
anamorphosis, refraction of
perspective, relationships
of light and shadow as well as hidden pictures. Most of
the objects show early forms
of animation, while the purpose
of others is to confuse
the viewer. A large part of
them contains elements of
eroticism. However, the viewer
has to know rules of functioning
of the objects, their
secret code, to experience
visual satisfaction. Objects
from this group, presented
as part of “the discreet
show” in Design gallery, also
point to an interesting connection
between early animation
practices and erotic
fantasies of their authors.
Nekes is a collector
overwhelmed by the passion
of possessing and especially
by the passion of knowledge,
including the secret one. Undoubtedly,
the feature which
distinguishes his collection
from others is an enormous
number of books, among
which an important position
certainly has Ars Magna
Lucis et Umbrae by Anthasius
Kircher, the second
edition from 1671 in which for the first time in history
was presented the magic
lantern (laterna magica),
an invention considered
today to be the first protocinematograph.
It is hard
to indicate its inventor in
the mists of time, although
Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch
astronomer and mathematician,
is commonly regarded
to have constructed it. His
first experiments with glass
slides concerned, among
others, the subject of vanitas.
It is worth mentioning
that in 15th century Giovanni
Fontana, a Venetian
inventor and magus, used
less advanced lantern for
the projection of Demon.
One can notice in these
first actions an interesting
aspect of the prehistory
of cinema – its bond
with diabolic iconography.
Every exhibition of
Werner Nekes Collection is
considered by experts as a
significant worldwide event
in the circle of experts. It is
also an extraordinary experience for enthusiasts and
hobbyists. The collection was
shown before in prestigious
galleries and museums
of Europe (among others,
Museum Ludwig in Cologne,
Hayward Gallery in London),
Japan and the United States,
and each time it fascinated
crowds of sightseers. The objects
require only one thing
– rubbing your eyes and freeing
from perceptive habits.
Katarzyna Roj
The exhibition accompanies
11. International Film Festival NEW HORIZONS
21–31.07.2011
www.nowehoryzonty.pl
The Project is implemented as part
of the Culture Season of North Rhine-
Westphalia in Poland 2011/2012
www.sezon-kultury-tamtam.pl
All exhibits belong to
Werner Nekes Collection
www.wernernekes.de
graphic design:
Magdalena i Artur Frankowscy / Fontarte
www.fontarte.com
interior designer:
Agnieszka Lasota
www.agnieszka-lasota.pl
2011-07-14
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