10 Jahre Kunstverein

50 artists, 50 works for one module

9 November 2003 to 7 March 2004

For the anniversary exhibition of the Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim 50 artists were invited to "fill" a module. It is made of MDF and has an outer dimension of 60 x 40 x 30 cm. In retrospect, those artists who have realized an exhibition at Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim will come together again.
The exhibition also contains a documentary overview of the Kunstverein's ten years of work. Participating artists are (other nationality and corresponding exhibition year in brackets; "AZ" refers to the support program "Atelier auf Zeit" for artists in and from the region):

Harald Balke (AZ 1996), Fritz Balthaus (1998), Michael Bette (1993, 1998), Hede Bühl (1994, 1999, 2002), Fabrizio Corneli (I, 1996), Paul Dacey (USA, 2002), Alison Dalwood (UK, 2003), Marieke de Jong (NL, AZ 2002), Piet Dirkx (NL, 1993, 1996), Anke Doberauer (1997), Peter Downsbrough (B, 1996, 1998) , Hans Eijkelboom (NL, 2001), Yvonne Goulbier (1999), Marcia Hafif (USA, 1999), Dieter Hansmann (AZ 1996), Birgit Hölmer (summer 1998), Fré Ilgen (NL, 2002), Thomas Kaminsky (1996), Marin Kasimir (B, 1998), Barbara Klemm (1999), Stephan Klimas (2003), Robert Klümpen (2002), Jutta Konjer (AZ 1997, 2000), Manfred Kroboth (AZ 2000), Silke Leverkühne (2001), Nino Malfatti (2000), Ulrich Meister (1997), Christiane Möbus (2001), Lila Mookerjee (AZ 2001), Jakub Moravek (2000), Sarah Pelikan (1996), Richard Purdy (USA, 2003), Willem Sanders (NL,1994, 1995), Gisela Scheidler (1997), Rolf Schneider (2002), Alf Schuler (1996), Kaneyuki Shimoosako (Japan, AZ 2002), Phil Sims (USA, 2001), Peter Spaans (NL, 2001), Alexander Timtschenko (2000), Peer Veneman (NL, 1995 + 1997 + 2002), Henk Visch (NL, 1994 + 1995), Richard Wake (AZ 2003), Margret Weglage (AZ 1998), Ralf Werner (2000), Michael Wright (UK, 2003), Beat Zoderer (CH, 2000) and as guests: Jill Baroff, Stefana McClure (both USA).

"50 small treasures can be seen at the kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim since November 8, 2003. For the anniversary exhibition "10 years Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim" 50 artists, who have already exhibited at Hauptstraße 37 since the founding of the association, each filled a module with new works. 
What is presented to the visitors in the gallery rooms is, for all the miniature editions of art in the MDF modules, each measuring 60 x 40 x 30 centimetres, a veritable large-scale project in its entirety. Gudrun Thiessen-Schneider, artistic director of the Kunstverein, has once again succeeded in moving many artists to take part in a Neuenhauser exhibition and to "bring them together". (...) with the anniversary project the gallery has created new rooms of a special kind, here 50 mini-exhibitions are united in one show. (...) Examples of this are Sarah Pelikan in the room-filling sculptural work "Règlement Intérieur" or Marim Kasimir with the knee-high mirror box "Anamorphosis". Varied and always surprising, the stroll along these shop windows becomes art for the viewer. The choice of materials is varied, the stylistic palette is wide, multimedia alternates with painting, concept art with sculpture. At times funny and enigmatic-ironic, these boxes (such as in Thomas Kaminsky's "Relationship Box"), at times "classic" (in the small bronzes by Henk Visch or Hede Bühl), at times playful (such as in Christiane Möbus' two "Bonbonnieres") or with a winking socio-critical approach (as in Marieke de Jong's "Consumptie mij"). The current crisis of the Kunstverein, whose future is uncertain in view of the reduced subsidies, is also ... is uncertain, is taken up by artists and interpreted in part as an allusion to the public reception and status of art. In the painting cycle "Closed Windows" by Dieter Hansmann (Nordhorn), the viewer is immediately denied the entire work according to the motto "Art Closed Today"; Stephan Klimas reveals his solution for art with the photomontage "Selbst als Springbrunnen" ("Even as a Fountain") when budgets are tight and refers, as it were, to the eternal provisional fountain on Nordhorner Hauptstraße; Peter Spaans also gives free rein to associations with his photomontage "Neuenhaus International" ("New House International"), which is mocked. (...) Others have changed the module for their contribution, partly abandoned it or made it the object of the design themselves. Beat Zoderer went furthest here, dismantling the box into its individual parts and creating a new wall object from it (...)" (From: Thomas Kriegisch, Grafschafter Nachrichten, 8.11.2003)

A book has been published on the occasion of the exhibition: "10 Jahre Kunstverein Grafschaft Bentheim" with texts by Paolo Bianchi, Stefan Rasche, Dieter Ronte, Michael Stoeber, Gudrun Thiessen-Schneider and Annette Tietenberg. 94 illustrations (48 modules). Photos modules: Helmut Claus. Design: Tönis Käo, Gudrun Thie