Upcoming exhibitions
11 July - 10 October 2010
Rirkrit Tiravanija + Kunsthalle Bielefeld Collection: New Acquisitions
Compared to Rirkrit Tiravanija, there is hardly any other artist who is as good at reminding us that art consists of communication and exchange. Tiravanija turns his exhibition sites into homes. He is constantly questioning the social significance of art. He nurtures the art community with his installations, in which, as a rule, he actually prepares meals. Through the experiences of pleasure and conversation, the question of the meaning of art in society arises indirectly.
Tirvanija was born to Thai parents in Buenos Aires in 1963. He was raised in Argentina, Bangkok, Ethiopia, and Canada. After studying art in New York and Chicago, he began traveling constantly, fulfilling the role of the “global artist.” The search for cultural identity has always been at the center of his art. He connects different cultures through his cooking. It is not just about the sense of community that arises when sharing a meal, but also about the recipes. Not only do they mix west and east, but they also make the two confront each other. Tirvanija made pad thai in a New York gallery in 1990; “pancake soup” at the Hamburg Kunstverein in 1993, and in Ludwigsburg in 1994, he made potato dumplings spiced with Asian chili.
Tiravanija’s retrospective at the Kunsthalle Bielefeld starts with the recipes that have been created over the years of his art show openings since 1990. Cooking is at the forefront, but the background deals with the issue of the museum as a place that is becoming more open in terms of aesthetics and society.
The Kunsthalle Bielefeld will be publishing Tiravanija’s recipes from the past twenty years, under the title Just Smile and Don’t Talk. In addition, we are presenting a multi-part retrospective of his “temporary cuisine” works. Here, freshly prepared meals will be offered every Wednesday (8 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.), until October 10. As part of the Hansjörg Mayer Edition, a color-illustrated, signed, and numbered cookbook will be available for 28 €.