Bethan Huws

Bethan Huws (* 1961 in Bangor, Wales) is a Welsh artist object. Her work consists of what it termed " word showcases " organic objects and films.

Life and artistic topic

Bethan Huws grew up in North Wales with the Welsh and English languages ​​, and later came to French. Huws studied in the 80s at the Royal College of Art in London. She lived in Paris until she moved to Berlin in 2009. The study of language as a means of communication and the arts are central to the work of Bethan Huws. This topic follows the artist in different media, spatial interventions, objects, and text works. Starting points are always the beginnings of modern art, especially Marcel Duchamp, whose work on some work Bethan Huws relate. Your text work that they in London presented with the presentation of the " Lake Piece" in 1991, thematize language as a means of communication. Another issue which abuts the artist with their text works, is the problematic relationship between artist and curator.

About the artwork

In the earliest exhibitions closely written sheets were mounted on different walls, later text works were printed on metal plates and placed in open countryside or written by the artist in pencil directly on the wall of the gallery space.

Word - cabinets

Since 1998, Huws works with " word - cabinets ", commercially available metal box, fitted with glass front and black back panel, serve with flexible plug, white plastic letters conveying information of all kinds and there are, for example, in government offices or in restaurants, to the fact that prices display. Huws fill these boxes with your own content.

The texts of the " word - cabinets " that sometimes, sometimes provoking laughter to prune or to reflect, refer to the inconsistencies in the meaning of a word or the problematic position of an artist. So comment two of their " word showcases ," THAT DO NOT HAVE MUCH TO SAY ARTISTS: PROVES THAT THEY ARE SPEAKING AS SELFISH AS and A PAINTER (The artist had not much to say, proves that they raise their voices and Painters characterized by their egoism ), the artist's position in the present. In another " word showcase " with the letters " LLWYNCELYN " the meaning of this word for the viewer is not accessible. The English translation of "HOLLYWOOD " this Welsh word acts, however, the world as a logo and triggers associations.

Two other showcases call memories of two icons of modern art awake: "THIS IS NOT A PIPE: IS CORRECT. IT 'S A PAINTING " is on the one hand, to the very bottom " René Magritte. 1928 "; in the other is " PISS OFF, I'M A FOUNTAIN " to read. René Magritte and Marcel Duchamp, whose works are cited here, surveyed in different ways in the papers mentioned the relationship between objects and their representation in art. When the artist was invited to exhibit in the same room with the Japanese veteran On Kawara at the Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, she dedicated him a word showcase, "ON / ON KAWARA / 31.03.2006 ", with a short text: "Fully aware of all that / passes in the world around him, On Kawara chooses to sit / stand / quietly painting his painting. " In the reference to the fellow artists Huws sets can have their own sources open, as it has done repeatedly in René Magritte or Marcel Duchamp.

Objects

With its object works, Huws also refers to Marcel Duchamp. They reconstructed one of the first readymades of Duchamp, the " Bottle Rack " from 1914, with the help of fluorescent tubes. In contrast to Marcel Duchamp, who worked with industrially manufactured objects, the artist chooses, however, for her artistic work items that has made ​​nature, for which, however, also uses the term " readymade ". For example, the spring, she is devoted to her more recent work, for them a natural "Ready Made".

Movies

In addition to the text works and the objects themselves Huws dedicated in their work and the medium of film. The Chocolate Bar, the fourth film of the artist combines various aspects of their work. The four and a half minute film shows an absurd conversation, arising from the misunderstandings due to different terminologies and levels of meaning. The fine shifts in meaning and untranslatables from one language to another are discussed here. Between the protagonists of the film, talking past each other, is a constructed from neon readymade, reminiscent of Duchamp. The Chocolate Bar was shown in 2006 at the Galerie Friedrich, Basel.

Training and scholarships

  • 2007/ 08: DAAD Artist-in -Residence, Berlin
  • 2006: B.A.C.A. Biannual Award for Contemporary Art in Europe, Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht
  • 2004: Ludwig Gies Award for Small Sculpture of Letter Foundation, Cologne
  • 1998: Art Prize of Adolf Luther Foundation, Krefeld
  • 1986/88: Royal College of Art, London
  • 1981/85: Middlesex Polytechnic, London

Exhibitions

  • 2011/12: Labor Berlin 7: Reading DuchampHaus of World Cultures, Berlin
  • 2010: kestnergesellschaft, Hanover
  • 2008: Museum Serralves, Porto, Portugal
  • 2006: Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht
  • 2003: Kunsthalle Dusseldorf
  • 2003: K21 Art Collection North Rhine -Westphalia, Dusseldorf
  • 2002: producer Gallery, Hamburg
  • 2000: Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich
  • 1998/99: Watercolour, Kaiser Wilhelm Museum, Krefeld; Kunstmuseum, Bern
  • 1998: Elective Affinities, Art & Appenzell, Appenzell
  • 1997: Galerie Hollenbach, Stuttgart
  • 1997: Galerie Friedrich, Bern
  • 1993: Museum Haus Esters, Krefeld
  • 1992: Galerie Karlheinz Meyer, Karlsruhe
  • 1991: The Institute of Contemporary Arts, London
  • 1990: Kunsthalle Bern, Bern
  • 1989: Riverside Studios, London
German Academic Exchange Service Haus der Kulturen der Welt Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen Appenzell (town) Integrated Authority File
121047
de