The Picture Chamber of Bruno Schulz - The final work of a genius

Transcription

1 The Picture Chamber of Bruno Schulz - The final work of a genius Mobile Installation by Benjamin Geissler The Picture Chamber that was created by Bruno Schulz in 1942 under German occupation and rediscovered in 2001 by Benjamin Geissler while shooting a documentary and destroyed a short time later by agents of the Yad Vashem Memorial and later still by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture when pieces of the chamber were removed. After years of systematic efforts, Benjamin Geissler has reconstructed the final work of the genius in a true-to-scale multi-media installation on the occasion of the Bruno Schulz Year INDEX (interactive) Short Description 2 The Virtual Reconstruction 6 Presentation of the exhibition 7 Framework Programmes 9 Installation s Ground plan 10 Shipping and Assembling / Dismantling of the installation 11 To provide at the exhibition place: 11 The construction Team 11 Contact 11 1

2 Short Description The Picture Chamber with the mural paintings by Bruno Schulz was painted in Drohobycz in 1942 (now the Ukraine) for the Viennese SS man Felix Landau. He commissioned the artist to paint the walls of the children s room in the villa he had confiscated. The filmmaker Benjamin Geissler discovered the Picture Chamber on 9 February, 2011 while shooting the film Finding Pictures. The Chamber was destroyed in May, 2001 through an undercover operation carried out by the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem: Three fragments from the Chamber were removed. Another five fragments were removed a short time later by representatives of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture. The Bruno Schulz Year 2012 provides a welcome occasion to recreate the last artistic project of an artist renowned for his literary and graphic works by presenting the mobile installation The Picture Chamber of Bruno Schulz the final work of a genius. The scientifically restored virtual reconstruction offers the viewer the opportunity to appreciate the complete composition in its original dimensions together with all the fragments which are scattered in Israel and the Ukraine. Bruno Schulz was one of the most significant writers of the 20th century. Yet during his lifetime he remained unknown for the general public. The work of this brilliant master of complexity served as a source of inspiration for many famous artists of all categories and from many different generations. The following writers stand for all those who have been deeply influenced by Bruno Schulz: Isaac Bashevis Singer, Tadeusz Kantor, Bohumil Hrabal, Danilo Kiš, Tadeusz Różewicz, Wojciech Has, John Updike, Cynthia Ozick, Philip Roth, Théâtre de Complicité, David Grossman, Quay Brothers, Josef Nadj, John Zorn, Nicole Kraus und Jonathan Safran Foer. The project is a contribution to the Bruno Schulz Year 2012 to honor the 120th anniversary of the artist s birth and on the occasion of his death 70 years ago. 2

3 The Story Amidst the terrors of the German occupation, the internationally renowned Polish-Jewish writer and artist Bruno Schulz (translated into 39 languages) painted murals in the children s room in the villa occupied by the Viennese SS officer Felix Landau in the Galician city of Drohobycz. Landau was not only an art lover. He also actively participated as a vicious murderer in the program to exterminate the entire population of Galician Jews. Bruno Schulz 1935 in Drohobycz The murals in the so-called Landau villa (photograph below) were the final artistic work completed by Bruno Schulz. On 19 November, 1942 he was killed by a Gestapo man who shot him twice in the head in broad daylight. Gertrud Segel, Felix Landau Hochzeit in Drohobycz am On that day which has gone down in history as wild Thursday 265 Jewish citizens of Drohobycz fell victim to the arbitrary ferocity of the occupying Nazi forces. 3

4 The murals of Bruno Schulz couldn t be found after the end of World War II despite extensive attempts to locate them. On 9 February, 2001 the film crew of director Benjamin Geissler discovered the long lost pictures while shooting the award-winning documentary Finding Pictures. On 17 February, 2001 a team of Polish-Ukrainian experts, which was commissioned by both governments following a request by Benjamin Geissler, began uncovering the murals. The Polish Ministry of Culture completed a detailed expertise on the paintings in March, The German Ministry of Culture was also involved in the procedure. In May, 2001 three fragments were removed from the murals in the villa during an undercover operation carried out by agents of the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem. Subsequently the fragments were illegally taken to Israel. The composition in its entirety had been destroyed. The actions of Yad Vashem led to an international controversy. On 9 June, 2001 Benjamin Geissler was able to document the damage done to the Chamber of Pictures both in a film and in photographs. Thanks to Benjamin Geissler s intense efforts, the team of Polish-Ukrainian experts came together again on 11 June, 2001 to officially document the damage. The results were described in a second expertise published by the Polish Ministry of Culture. In 2002 Ukrainian art restorers removed another five fragments from the walls of the Chamber of Pictures which were shown at exhibitions in the Ukraine and in Poland. 4

5 In February, 2009 the other three fragments were presented at the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. In the spring of 2010 Benjamin Geissler dealt with the murals once again. On behalf of the Jewish Museum in Stockholm, which was preparing an exhibition on Franz Kafka and Bruno Schulz, the loop Who owns the heritage? Or the murals of Bruno Schulz in Drohobycz. Was made. The cooperation partners of the exhibition Franz Kafka and Bruno Schulz Masters of the Borderlands (4 October, March, 2011) at the Jewish Museum in Stockholm were: The Czech Center in Stockholm, the Polish Institute in Stockholm, the Museum of Literature in Warsaw, the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, the Polish Book Institute in Krakow, the Franz Kafka Society in Prague, the Jewish Library in Stockholm, Benjamin Geissler. The exhibition was funded by the Swedish Academy (The Nobel Committee for Literature) and Stockholm s Training Board. 5

6 The Virtual Reconstruction As a result of his personally felt responsibility for the discovery, for German history and for the tragic destruction of the murals of Bruno Schulz, Benjamin Geissler made up his mind to use whatever means and materials were at his disposal to create a virtual true-to-scale reconstruction of the Chamber of Pictures. This reconstruction encompasses all the temporal phases: from the discovery to the various phases of destruction to the virtual reconstruction including all of the known fragments. In order to comply with scientific and artistic standards, the time and effort invested was considerable and exclusively a personal contribution. A first impression is conveyed by the DVD Finding Pictures 2nd Edition. For the first time, the entirety of Bruno Schulz s final project becomes tangible in a film. The further destruction of the murals between 9 and 11 June, 2001 is visualized as well. With the scientifically restored virtual reconstruction by Benjamin Geissler, supported by the German Ministry of Culture the 4 walls of the mural room are visible in High Definition scale. The basis for the contruction of the mobile installation The Picture Chamber of Bruno Schulz - The final work of a genius. 6

7 Presentation of the exhibition The viewer of the installation is confronted with a peculiar impression. While moving along the wooden floor of the true-to-scale reconstruction of the Chambers of Pictures, the projected images on the four walls keep changing. 7

8 All the phases from the moment of discovery to the various moments of destruction to the moment of reconstruction with all the known fragments drift past, slowly fading in and out, accompanied by soft music which was composed exclusively for this installation. Yet the viewer will neither be aware of the technical details nor the incredible amount of time and effort required to realize this exhibition. Ten visual presentation boards in A1 clip-on picture frames for multilingual texts allow the viewer to find out about Bruno Schulz, Drohobycz, the origin of the Chamber Pictures, the virtual reconstruction, the meaning of the fragments and the significant influence of Schulz as a source of inspiration for artists all over the world. This project is conceived to lure, appeal to and bring together a wide range of older and younger viewers, as it combines contemporary history, art and the virtual worlds of the present at the highest level of artistic, technical and art restoration competence. An accessible clarity is achieved which encourages reflection and discussion. As a result of the exhibition in Stockholm Franz Kafka and Bruno Schulz Masters of the Borderlands (2010/11) and thanks to the Bruno Schulz Year 2012 in Poland (70 years after his death and 120 years after his birth), this artist and his works will begin to interest people worldwide. Bruno Schulz has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for countless (also very famous) artists of many generations. An exhibition catalog is in preparation. 8

9 Framework Programmes The framework programmes are tailored to meet the needs and possibilities of local organizers with Benjamin Geissler and the Umweltbibliothek. READINGS 1. Bruno Schulz 2. Authors on Bruno Schulz. FILM Finding Pictures by Benjamin Geissler, D 2002, 103 Min. the search, finding and destruction of the murals of Bruno Schulz. DVD, subtitled in German, English, French, Italian and Polish. Sanatorium pod Klepsydrą by Wojciech Jerzy Has, PL min., English subtitled. Street of Crocodiles by the Quay Brothers, UK min. RADIO PLAY Zwillingsgassen by Christian Geissler, Min. SWR 2003 with direct connections to the Picture Chamber by Bruno Schulz. (Only in German) LECTURES AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS with Benjamin Geissler, Andreas Schönfelder, other participants and the audience about 1. genesis of the Picture Chamber and the film. 2. Bruno Schulz and his influence on artists around the world. 3. Drohobycz, border regions, changing spheres of influence and how the historical context is reverberating in the daily life. 4. International law: a critical perspective on control, access and ownership of art, as well as the livelihood of artists. 5. virtual worlds and the eye contact with the audience. 9

10 Installation s Ground plan Required minimum Exhibition space: 12,23 x 8,73 x 3,65 m / x x ft. (height). 10

11 Shipping and Assembling / Dismantling of the installation The installation will be delivered packed in 6 flight cases. For the assembling of the installation are needed two person for 2 working days. For the dismantling of the installation are needed two person for 2 working days. To provide at the exhibition place: 1 Exhibition space minimum: 12,23 x 8,73 x 3,65 m / x x ft. (height). The exhibition space must not be obscured. 1 twin ladder, working height: 2,5 Meter = 8.2 ft 1 rolling scaffold, working height: 3,5 Meter = ft 10 suspension devices for clip-on picture frames on the walls of the exhibition space Current source: 230 V or 110 V Guard of the exhibition space, as well as a Exhibition insurance against damage and total loss ( Euro). The construction Team Artistic Direktor: Benjamin Geissler, Hamburg, Germany Painter and Object Artist: Friedrich Stellmach, Barnitz, Germany Construction Grip: Martin Schulz-Libotte, Todendorf, Germany Composer: Guglielmo Pagnozzi, Venice, Italy Production: Umweltbibliothek Großhennersdorf e.v., Andreas Schönfelder Contact Further Information`s on request: by Benjamin Geissler Grandweg 90 B D Hamburg, Germany Ph.: Mobil: info@benjamingeissler.de Photo s page 1 and 8: 8/2011 by Eleonora Cucina, eleonoracucina@googl .com Production: Umweltbibliothek Großhennersdorf e.v. Project management: Andreas Schönfelder Am Sportplatz 3 D Großhennersdorf, Germany Fon ( ) Fax ( ) mail@umweltbibliothek.org 11