Curated by Constanze Kirchner, Johannes Kirschenmann and Nicola Pauli
This collection of artworks presents ten contributions of art education students of Augsburg University. Thereby, each piece relates to the topic by combining form and content aspects in its own way.
The works especially raise questions of an assumed reciprocal interrelation between the personal and the collective spheres such as:
- How are changes in one’s own memories connected to collective memories?
- How is one’s own identity shaped by the collective memories of groups such as one’s family or a political party?
- Does the individual at the same time shape collective memories in the context of communicative processes?
At the same time the artworks also reflect on the culture of commemoration and cultural discontinuities. For example, by depicting nearly forgotten crafting techniques or the fragility of the earth’s ecosystem, the artists aim at counteracting collective oblivion. In doing so the collection itself becomes part of commemoration processes and might even add to the perpetuation of collective memories and identities.
These content-related perspectives are also inherent in formal aspects of the artworks such as the materials used, artistic techniques and the overall compositions. For example, the special design and material of a teapot is connected to both, the artist’s individual and the collectively shared memories. This is just one example of how students developed their individual means of transporting their ideas and questions using artistic expressions. Against this background, this virtual exhibition is to find out about these individual artistic expressions.
All the works shown can initiate a dialogue and interactions to re-consider personal and collective identities.
Nicola Pauli
