The question of a contemporary definition of public space art is certainly a serious one in our time which has also undergone a substantial change since the 1970s.
In his project series “public preposition”, Mischa Kuball reposits this topic within an extended context. “Preposition” here means words, such as “at/auf”, “among/unter” or “beside/neben” and thereby the relationship between historical sites and their context.
All “public prepositions” proceed from a precise analysis of the given site in which they take place. They incorporate their social, political or communal specificity and are considered to be temporary interventions that rely on the potential of an altered perception of seemingly familiar urban contexts. A key factor here is the exemplary character of the various installations.
In 2009, Mischa Kuball realised, among other things, the work “intervento” in the Caserma Cornoldi in Venice, as well as “Floater, silver / gold” in Marfa, Texas. It was also possible to see the action “Metzgergässchen” (Butcher’s Alley) as part of the Performance Festivals BONE 14 in Bern, as well as “swingstage” in Toronto in 2011. Unfortunately, “Damascus Gate” which was to take place during the “Light in Jerusalem” in 2012 had to be withdrawn for political reasons. A “public preposition” currently in the planning stage called “Solitary Grid” will be realised this year for the Scape Biennial in Christchurch, New Zealand to accompany and comment artistically upon the reconstruction of the city following two serious earthquakes. (Vanessa Joan Mueller)
In his project series “public preposition”, Mischa Kuball reposits this topic within an extended context. “Preposition” here means words, such as “at/auf”, “among/unter” or “beside/neben” and thereby the relationship between historical sites and their context.
All “public prepositions” proceed from a precise analysis of the given site in which they take place. They incorporate their social, political or communal specificity and are considered to be temporary interventions that rely on the potential of an altered perception of seemingly familiar urban contexts. A key factor here is the exemplary character of the various installations.
In 2009, Mischa Kuball realised, among other things, the work “intervento” in the Caserma Cornoldi in Venice, as well as “Floater, silver / gold” in Marfa, Texas. It was also possible to see the action “Metzgergässchen” (Butcher’s Alley) as part of the Performance Festivals BONE 14 in Bern, as well as “swingstage” in Toronto in 2011. Unfortunately, “Damascus Gate” which was to take place during the “Light in Jerusalem” in 2012 had to be withdrawn for political reasons. A “public preposition” currently in the planning stage called “Solitary Grid” will be realised this year for the Scape Biennial in Christchurch, New Zealand to accompany and comment artistically upon the reconstruction of the city following two serious earthquakes. (Vanessa Joan Mueller)
Mischa Kuball (*1959) has been working in the public and institutional sphere since 1984. In his installations and photographs he uses light as a medium to explore architectural spaces as well as social and political discourses. Public and private space merge into an indistinguishable whole in politically motivated participation projects, providing a platform for communication between the audience, the artist, the work itself and public space. Since 2007 Mischa Kuball is a Professor in the Academy of Media Arts, Cologne, and associate professor for media art at Hochschule für Gestaltung/ZKM, Karlsruhe. Since 2015 he is a member of the North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts, Düsseldorf. In 2016 he was honored with the German Light Art Award.