by Solitude fellows

Anita’s Archive

This section is dedicated to the tales and treasures of Solitude’s archivist, Anita. The archive has collected all kinds of different documentation of the fellows’ activities for the last 25 years. It comprises art work, books, and letters as well as video and audio works from more than 1,300 artists and scientists from all over the world, about which there are at least just as many stories to be told.

Poster Campaign

Show You Are Not Afraid

»Show you are not afraid« Show you are not afraid is a series of interventions in the form of posters, documented by the artist Mikael Mikael through formally reduced photographs. The posters – black on white – quote the former mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, who asked people to show that they are not afraid one day after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. »Show you’re not afraid. Go to Restaurants. Go shopping!« By omitting the invitation to consume,

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Performance

Der Tag der Weißen Fahne

Am 18. Oktober 1988, während eines Gastaufenthaltes im Jerusalem Center for the Visual Arts, brachte Johannes Cladders eine weiße Fahne an die Außenmauer eines alten, ehrwürdigen Gebäudes an, das an der ehemaligen Demarkationslinie zwischen West- und Ostjerusalem stand. Bis auf die nüchterne Beschreibung des Gegenstands (Maße und Material) machte er keine weiteren Kommentare. Wie man es sich leicht vorstellen kann, fand diese Aktion wenig Verständnis bei der israelischen Polizei und die Fahne wurde kurz darauf entfernt. Für die dortige Bevölkerung

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Architecture

Responsive Architectures

»The work begins to suggest clues of another architecture. A responsive architecture, where her body-work and the conditions of its folds suggest a real, tectonic field.« Sir Peter Cook, London – A comment on Gabi Schillig´s work, in: »Mediating Space«, merz&solitude, 2009 In her artistic practice and teaching, Gabi Schillig investigates contemporary and future questions of spatial design such as the relationship between space and body, the evolution of spatial systems, the potentials of materiality and the experimental use of

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Solitude Literature #6

Hidden Treasures

During the 25 years of Solitude’s existence, an impressive number of writers have passed through Akademie Schloss Solitude, some spending more time at this special place, some less. Some Solituders selected their favorite book from the large amount of literature that has been produced at Solitude and then left behind by fellows. Listen to them reading a few lines from their personal favorites, which they’ve dug out of the library’s bookshelves, and read about the memories and feelings influenced their

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Performing Arts

Fluxus and Beyond

»Ben Patterson was a guest at the Solitude event »Luxusfahrt in Fluxusart« in July 1997, performing with the Solitude fellows »Fluxus and Beyond. The three operas: Carmen meets Mme Butterfly and Tristan und Isolde«. In three days and three nights Ben Patterson and Emmett Williams transformed the Akademie in what it is now: A ship which sinking is never ending. We owe both of them the spirit of Solitude« Jean-Baptiste Joly, 2016   »H.M.S. Solitude – eine luxusfahrt in fluxusart« In

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Performing Arts

The Word that Never Becomes Flesh

https://vimeo.com/170927893     »Femmina Balba was an attempt towards failure. According to its own logic, failure itself has failed: not enough, not beautiful enough, not absolute enough, may-be and probab-ly. My awe for Elisa’s achievement still remains. She has unearthed an eye in the darkness of the stomach in order to be able to decipher the writing of Rilke. Theater is the house of the word that never becomes flesh.« –Hamed Taheri, 2016   Femmina Balba, Guibal Saal, Akademie Schloss Solitude,

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Sauna Project

Never Ready – Always Ready

https://vimeo.com/168032793 umschichten’s UNIDENTIFIED MOVING OBJECT (UMO) NEVER READY – ALWAYS READY! This is about a container for trash, a heavy-weight object with an assumed potential and, in our eyes, very aesthetic proportions. You can move it with a truck and place it everywhere very easily and quickly. It’s always under construction, and we are in love with this object. (This video was part of the exhibition Chronicles of Work at Akademie Schloss Solitude, June 2-13 2013.) For more information about the

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Solitude Literature #5

Hidden Treasures

During the 25 years of Solitude’s existence, an impressive number of writers have passed through Akademie Schloss Solitude, some spending more time at this special place, some less. Some Solituders selected their favorite book from the large amount of literature that has been produced at Solitude and then left behind by fellows. Listen to them reading a few lines from their personal favorites, which they’ve dug out of the library’s bookshelves, and read about the memories and feelings influenced their

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Solitude Literature #4

Hidden Treasures

During the 25 years of Solitude’s existence, an impressive number of writers have passed through Akademie Schloss Solitude, some spending more time at this special place, some less. Some Solituders selected their favorite book from the large amount of literature that has been produced at Solitude and then left behind by fellows. Listen to them reading a few lines from their personal favorites, which they’ve dug out of the library’s bookshelves, and read about the memories and feelings influenced their

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Solitude Literature #3

Hidden Treasures

During the 25 years of Solitude’s existence, an impressive number of writers have passed through Akademie Schloss Solitude, some spending more time at this special place, some less. Some Solituders selected their favorite book from the large amount of literature that has been produced at Solitude and then left behind by fellows. Listen to them reading a few lines from their personal favorites, which they’ve dug out of the library’s bookshelves, and read about the memories and feelings influenced their

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Solitude Literature #2

Hidden Treasures

During the 25 years of Solitude’s existence, an impressive number of writers have passed through Akademie Schloss Solitude, some spending more time at this special place, some less. Some Solituders selected their favorite book from the large amount of literature that has been produced at Solitude and then left behind by fellows. Listen to them reading a few lines from their personal favorites, which they’ve dug out of the library’s bookshelves, and read about the memories and feelings influenced their choice.  

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Solitude Literature #1

Hidden Treasures

During the 25 years of Solitude’s existence, an impressive number of writers have passed through Akademie Schloss Solitude, some spending more time at this special place, some less. Some Solituders selected their favorite book from the large amount of literature that has been produced at Solitude and then left behind by fellows. Listen to them reading a few lines from their personal favorites, which they’ve dug out of the library’s bookshelves, and read about the memories and feelings influenced their

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Part II

The Hirschgang

With it’s over thirty meters length, the »Hirschgang« is the longest corridor at Akademie Schloss Solitude. As a passage it leads to thirteen artists studios as well as a library facing the court yard and the woods. Since Akademie’s foundation 25 years ago, the corridor isn’t a representative space for hunting trophies anymore, but serves as a space for contemporary art exhibitions of Akademie’s fellows. We show how this corridor has changed ever since. Access Denied this magazine is the wrong

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Performance

The Burden

https://vimeo.com/154591959 When Akademie Schloss Solitude was founded in 1990, a library was set up in addition. Since then, it has been growing every year – there are currently over 12,000 books and now several libraries. Each fellow is invited to suggest two books for the Solitude library to purchase. Visual artist Michl Schmidt suggested a formidably weighty work for the library in 2011, Chris Burden’s retrospective from 2007, and later paid special tribute to the artist’s legacy. Stuttgart, 07.06.2011 As

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In Transit

The Hirschgang

With it’s over thirty meters length, the »Hirschgang« is the longest corridor at Akademie Schloss Solitude. As a passage it leads to thirteen artists studios as well as a library facing the court yard and the woods. Since Akademie’s foundation 25 years ago, the corridor isn’t a representative space for hunting trophies anymore, but serves as a space for contemporary art exhibitions of Akademie’s fellows. As part of the latest project »In Transit« located in the Hirschgang from November 12, to

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Performing Arts

Who’s Afraid of Anything

https://vimeo.com/147005613 »…the space is strange—in parched geometry there is the naked written and writing body—and this strangeness is left alone by the soundscape of Hans Peter Kuhn…(he’s building, she’s building, apart), parallel, creating, for me, yet another space (a third) which belongs to neither, which belongs to the audience (a gift, if you want)« –Linda Marie Walker RealTime issue #24 April-May 1998 pg   3 Parts (working title in 1998) / Proposal for a dance piece by Junko Wada and

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Music/Sound

Oh Mensch

https://vimeo.com/118400160 »The typical aura that attaches itself to the guitar as a folk and art instrument encompasses the primitive as well as the highly sensitive, intimate, and collective.« –Helmut Lachenmann »…It also includes motives that may be exactly described in historic, geographic, and sociological terms. I started from the characteristic playing style of the guitar, simplifying it in technical fingering, but also reforming and developing it, often beyond the limits imposed by practice centering on that aura. I constantly had

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Dreams & Dreaming

Bolero At Solitude

https://youtu.be/V-HcgJVrX0s The short version of the original 33-minute video film »Solitudebolero oder Raskolnikowbesessenheit« by the Bulgarian director Javor Gardev, produced at Akademie Schloss Solitude in 1998, shows a very special side of the Schloss’ everyday life. Director: Javor Gardev Text: Ivan Stanev Design: Elena Carmagnani Editor: Frank Ugele Music: Kalin Nikolov Cast: Georgi Tenev, Chiyoko Szlavnics, Alexej Schipenko, Jean-Baptiste Joly, Ingeburg Wohlgemuth, Marieanne Roth, Anita Meyer, Ilse Babel, Gordon Shrigley, Christophe Marchand-Kiss, Bogomil Balkanski, Egle Rakauskaite, Gintaras Makarevicius, Elena Carmagnani, Angela Galabova, Marcela Quijano, Louise und Paula Hess, Christiane Zanger Special Guest: Eddi vom Wörnitzblick

Architecture

The House That Herman Built

https://vimeo.com/130293234 »[This project] helps me to maintain what little sanity I have left, to maintain my humanity and dignity. It’s probably the best move that I’ve ever made in my life.«– Herman Wallace In 2001 Herman Wallace a Black Panther activist and member of the Angola Three while in solitary confinement at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, received a letter from artist Jackie Sumell. After two years of writing, Jackie asked Herman a very simple question, »what kind of

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Music/Sound

Slot Machines & Solar Knockers

https://vimeo.com/127182582 Symphony of Lights, Unterer Hirschgang, Akademie Schloss Solitude, 1999 Lights and sound controlled by a slot machine: 36 lamps, two bells, and one radio are controlled by a gambling machine. 
By inserting coins, the visitor activates the light show. The variations in lighting are created by the structure of the game. The length of light show and the patterns of sound sources are defined according to the type of »win.« https://vimeo.com/127181168 Lights & Sounds, Kabinett, Akademie Schloss Solitude, 1999 Light box with

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Architecture

Chicks on Speed

https://vimeo.com/126380444 »philosophical farmer. once upon a time a passionate advocat of chicks on speed. since 2015 old school – old school havelberg.« – Ursula Achternkamp »Architecture and Chicks on Speed«: Take either hens or concrete to manifest your ideas in design of life processes. Or take both – or even neither the one or the other! Gestures such as architecture, chickens or even non-materialized expressions like to be read in their proportionality. As the maid of four hens, I accompanied

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Archive

Schloss Solitude

https://vimeo.com/125903595 »I’m something special«: a graceful lady in court dress declaims this sentence in the late Baroque interior of Schloss Solitude in Stuttgart. A chorus of male voices answers her from the castle stair: »We love you.« A monotonous yet grotesque litany is created, that acquires a rather neurotic note in being so repetitious. Reduction to two camera settings, which strictly track the two axes of the Baroque interior, enhances the impression. The prologue is a sequence in which a

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