3 December 2008 – 15 February 2009

RECOLLECTING - Looted Art and Restitution

In one sense “ReCollecting. Looted Art and Restitution” is focused on the shifting history of returning art and daily objects to the descendants of the former owners; yet it also investigates the question of whether restored objects are capable of imbuing new identity of activating family recollections or resurrecting buried memories. The goal of the exhibition is to reconstruct by means of already restored objects and their histories reconstruct already the symbolic, private and emotional significance of this act for generations to follow. In this context the artists’ works are intended to cast a future-oriented light on this chapter of European history, and at the same time examine current questions about cultural identity, the politics of history and cultural memory. The topic of “restitution” is not seen here as a legal term, rather as a cultural concept – as “negotiated history” in the words of Elazar Barkan. For the memory of looted Jewish assets is part of a European history marked by the loss of property. Restitution means bringing back to life those memories linked to the property and at the same time, however, is also the result of memories reawakened. “ReCollecting. Looted Art and Restitution”will present a selection of already restored objects, including artworks, furniture, books, and photographs. By means of documents such as the declaration of property, lists of assets, photographs of flats etc., the exhibition seeks to clarify the process of theft and restitution of each object. This documentation means to reveal – over and above the bureaucratic context – individual “stories” attaching to the object, particularly those which are relevant to the present-day descendants of the former owners. An Exhibition by Unlimited in cooperation with MAK.

Guest Curator
Alexandra Reininghaus

Address

MAK - Museum für angewandte Kunst / Gegenwartskunst
Stubenring 5
1010 Wien
phone +43 1 71 13 60
http://www.mak.at

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10 a.m. - Midnight, Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., closed on Monday.

Description of the Museum

several branches: Gefechtsturm Arenbergpark: MAK- Gegenwartskunstdepot

Within 10 days
starting exhibitions
ending exhibitions