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GRAZ, STYRIA/AUSTRIA.
Neue Galerie. Exhibition "Phantom of Desire. Visions of Masochism in Art.
Graz 2003 Cultural Capital of Europe
Opening ceremony. Helmut Newton (r.) signs a copy of his book "White Women" for fellow photographer Adolf Horst Plankenauer.
The project "The Sacher-Masoch-Festival", conceived by Neue Galerie Graz, deals with the importance of Graz author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. The festival comprises both the exhibition "Phantom of Desire. Visions of Masochism in Art" and a series of events entitled "Masomania: Rhetorics and Scenarios".
Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-1895) lived from 1854 for decades in Graz, completed his doctoral studies here and taught history at the University of Graz.
Masochism has been the subject of many studies in film, literature, philosophy, music and fine arts which reflected the phenomenon and its complex social and historical ramifications. The exhibition "Phantom of Desire" takes these studies as its point of departure for developing a history of sexuality in art which traces the influence of Sacher-Masoch from the turn of the century to the present day. The exhibition reflects the artistic approach to the theme - the question of how art dealt with the social, political and psychoanalytic background of masochism. The visual representation of masochism in art does not refer to the sexual aspect, but rather encompasses the entire complex of punishment and resistance, surveillance and the victim, immersion and inversion.
Some 200 artists feature in the exhibition, including Christian Ludwig Attersee, Josef Beuys, Günter Brus, Salvador Dali, Valie Export, Rebecca Horn, Oskar Kokoschka, Elke Krystufek, Adolf Loos, Paul McCarthy, Helmut Newton, Cindy Sherman etc.
Duration: 26 April - 24 August 2003. Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Thu 10:00-20:00
Location: Neue Galerie Graz + Stadtmuseum Graz
Foto © der Plankenauer