The Presence of Absence

12.10.2024 — 02.03.2025

Opening on October 11, 2024, at 6:30 PM

The exhibition is a cooperation with Senckenberg Society for Nature Research and Institute for Theoretical Physics at the Goethe University Frankfurt
Under the patronage of the Italian Consulate General in Frankfurt

With Heidi Bucher, Lawrence Malstaf, Marshmallow Laser Feast, Petra Noordkamp, Claudio Parmiggiani, Toni R. Toivonen and with exhibits from the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Florentine Museum and Institute of Prehistory “Paolo Graziosi”, the Natural History Museum of Vienna, the LWL-Museum of Natural History in Münster, Associazione Gibellina Parco Culturale and with Luciano Rezzolla, Institute for Theoretical Physics at Goethe University Frankfurt

Curated by: Franziska Nori, with scientific support from Anita Lavorano and Laura Perrone

 

The exhibition The Presence of Absence will occupy the entire exhibition space of the Frankfurter Kunstverein, covering 1,000 square meters. Thematically, the exhibition revolves around humanity’s timeless engagement with the idea of transience and its forms of representation in art. The title refers to matter as a presence where traces of the living are inscribed. Vital energy is powerful yet fleeting. It leaves a mark, a trace that, captured in matter, can endure over time.

The exhibition will juxtapose exhibits spatially, presenting the abstract idea of a “presence of the absent” from both artistic and scientific perspectives within an expanded conceptual space. The curatorial narrative will venture as far as the astrophysical phenomenon of the black hole. Thoughts on the expanse and time, and the infinity of the universe lie beyond our human imagination, yet simultaneously raise the question of who we are. Our planet hovers somewhere between immensity and eternity. And for a fleeting moment, our own lives open a window.

The self experiences the wonder of reality through the senses of our bodies. These consist of the elements of exploded stars in the cosmos: the nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our bones, the iron in our blood, or the carbon in our cells. In fleeting moments, we connect with eternity and give traces of being a material form. Art is one way to do that.

 

We thank

Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt: Prof. Dr. Andreas Mulch (Director), Prof. Dr. Ottmar Kullmer (Head of the Palaeoanthropology Department), Dr. Thorolf Müller (Head of Curation), Stefanie Klein (Exhibition Office) und and Olaf Vogel (Geological Preparation); Prof. Dr. Luciano Rezzolla (Institute for Theoretical Physics ITP, Goethe University Frankfurt); Italian Consulate General in Frankfurt: Massimo Darchini (Consul General), Michele Santoriello (Cultural Office); Archeological Park of Pompeii: Dr. Gabriel Zuchtriegel (Director), Dr. Silvia Martina Bertesago, Anna Civale (Exhibitions and Education), Paola Sabbatucci (Restorer); Florentine Museum and Institute of Prehistory “Paolo Graziosi”: Prof. Dr. Fabio Martini (Director) and Dr. Lapo Baglioni; Natural History Museum of Vienna: Dr. Karin Wiltschke-Schrotta (Head of Department Anthropology), Dr. Margit Berner (Staff Scientists and Curator); LWL-Museum of Natural History, Münster: Dr. Lothar Schöllmann (Head of Palaeontology Collection), Daria Carobene (Collection Manager Palaeontology), Sabine Frahling (Administration); Alberto Stabile (Gibellina Heartquake VR), The Heidi Bucher Estate: Indigo Bucher and Mayo Bucher; Ischa Tallieu (Tallieu Art Office); Ingrid Nelson (Artist Liason Lehmann Maupin); Michele Casamonti (Tornabuoni Art); Federica Popoli, Abel Herrero (Studio Claudio Parmiggiani); Tiziana Peparini and Marco Fusi (Ars Movendi); Galerie Forsblom: Ilkka Tikkanen (Director), Suvi Pajunen (Registrar); Nelimarkka Foundation: Joonas Seeck (Chairperson), Carmen Vendelin-Iaukkanen (Director); Anna Hjorth-Röntynen (Director Sara Hildén Art Museum); Tommi Pätilä; Ville Tuppurainen; Tobias Becker and the students of the Institute of Art Education at the Justus Liebig University Giessen; Andrea Cortellessa; Dr. Wolfgang David (Director Archaeological Museum Frankfurt); Matthias Eichhorn; Paolo Ferri; Daniel Gilgen (studio gilgen); Florian Langhammer (Collectors Agenda); Fabio Macaluso; Kathrin Sündermann; Dr. Norbert Zimmermann (German Archeological Institute, Rome); C.H. Beck Verlag; Ullstein Buchverlage GmbH