CORRIDOR 3: VALDEMAR DAA

Jenny Brockmann, Irina Birger, A/A – Andreas Greiner & Armin Keplinger, Kitty Kraus, Alicja Kwade, Helene Hellmich, huber.huber, Julian Rosefeldt, Elsa Salonen, Nika Fontaine, Scene Everything, Troika, Virginie Yassef

VIBORG KUNSTHAL
24.06–03.09.2017

»Corridor 3: Valdemar Daa« begins with a historic moment related to the legend around Valdemar Daa, whose body lies in a coffin at the Viborg Cathedral and whose story inspired the Hans Christian Andersen tale »The Story of the Wind« (1859).

Around 1660, the Danish alchemist Valdemar Daa - while depleting his family fortune in its pursuit - was convinced that he found the philosopher’s stone. Shortly after, so the story goes, the glass containing the precious liquid ruptured and smashed. He was never able to prove his discovery. The philosopher’s stone is one of the most sought-after treasures in the world of alchemy. Over hundreds of years, alchemists from the Arabic countries through to East Asia and Europe have tried to create the magical mixture said to prolong life and transform impure material into pure.

»Corridor 3: Valdemar Daa« invites visitors to enter into a mindset where different kinds of mystical knowledge and beliefs pervaded over today’s version of science. They are taken on a journey through the mysteries of alchemy, the human faith in the potential for natural materials to hold treasures of incredible power, and one person’s obsessive search for the seemingly impossible.

This unique exhibition includes a combination of specially commissioned works of art, existing works by prominent and emerging international artists, as well as thematic artefacts from other disciplines. The artworks and artefacts are presented throughout the multi-room Kunsthal according to key concepts related to the story of Valdemar Daa: Transmutation, Obsession for the Impossible, the Philosopher’s Stone, and the History of Alchemy.

This exhibition was curated as part of the Aarhus, European Capital of Culture 2017. It was the culmination of insitu collective's three exhibition cycle dealing with the potential of time travel. Described as Corridors, each exhibition takes visitors on an unfolding narrative into a significant moment related to scientific discoveries or notorious events in history. The cycle also includes »Corridor 1: Onkalo«, »Corridor 2: Pachamama« and the prelude »Timebridge«

24.06.–03.09.2017
OPENING Friday 23.06.2017, 5.00–7.00pm

Viborg Kunsthal
Riddergade 8, 8800 Viborg, Denmark
www.viborgkunsthal.viborg.dk

Images top - bottom: 

Troika »Arcades« (install view) 2012. Courtesy the artists. Photo: Chris Ifould.

»Corridor III: Valdemar Daa« (install view) 2017. Viborg Kunsthal. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Virginie Yassef »Untitled«» 2012. Courtesy the artist & Galerie Georges-Philippe & Nathalie Vallois, Paris. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

A/A (Andreas Greiner & Armin Keplinger). »A/:::« (detail) 2017. Installation, signal generator, water, powder coated aluminium. Courtesy the artists, Galerie Kwadrat, Berlin. With the friendly support of Geratherm.

Jenny Brockmann »EMAG-201-17-678« (detail) 2017. Magnetic fibres, magnet, motor, light. Courtesy the artist and Gallery Gerken, Berlin. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

huber.huber »Achatkonstrukt» 2015/16 and »Das Versprechen« 2016 (install view). Courtesy the artists. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Alicja Kwade »Intransmedium» 2016. Wood, bronze, books. Courtesy the artist & kamel mennour, Paris. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Julian Rosefeldt »The Perfectionist» 2005 (install view) «Trilogy of Failure (Part 3)« 25’ 18’’, colour, sound. Shot on Super-16mm, converted to PAL SD. Copyright Julian Rosefeldt and VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Julian Rosefeldt »The Perfectionist« 2005 (still) »Trilogy of Failure (Part 3)« 25’ 18’’, colour, sound. Shot on Super-16mm, converted to PAL SD. Copyright Julian Rosefeldt and VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Helene Hellmich »Museum: Part 2 (Clouds)«(install view) 2013 – 2017. Paper, plaster, wax, wood, display cases, floor plate, paint. Courtesy the artist. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Helene Hellmich »Museum: Part 2 (Clouds)« (detail) 2013 – 2017. Paper, plaster, wax, wood, display cases, floor plate, paint. Courtesy the artist. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Irina Birger »Ouroboros or What's Eating You« (still) 2016. 3D animation stills. Courtesy the artist. Supported by Mondriaan Fonds.

Elsa Salonen »Study of Eternal Cycle« 2014. Dimensions variable. Courtesy the artist. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Nika Fontaine »Akash 1« »Akash 6«» »Aleph-Shin-Mem« (install view) 2017. Glitter, acrylic on stretched burlap. Courtesy the artist and Wildpalms, Düsseldorf. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Kitty Kraus »Untitled (Light Box)« 2012. Painted plywood, painted glass, 250W light bulb, cable. Courtesy the artist and Galerie Neu, Berlin. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Hans Christian Andersen »Vinden fortæller om valdemar daae og hans døttre (The Story of the Wind)« First published in ‘Nye Eventyr og Historier. Tredie Samling’, 1859. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Scene Everything. »Laborious and the Wind: Three Acts of Alchemy« (install view) 2017. Multimedia installation. Courtesy the artists. Photo: Joseph Popper.

Images top - bottom: 

Troika »Arcades« (install view) 2012. Courtesy the artists. Photo: Chris Ifould.

»Corridor III: Valdemar Daa« (install view) 2017. Viborg Kunsthal. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Virginie Yassef »Untitled«» 2012. Courtesy the artist & Galerie Georges-Philippe & Nathalie Vallois, Paris. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

A/A (Andreas Greiner & Armin Keplinger). »A/:::« (detail) 2017. Installation, signal generator, water, powder coated aluminium. Courtesy the artists, Galerie Kwadrat, Berlin. With the friendly support of Geratherm.

Jenny Brockmann »EMAG-201-17-678« (detail) 2017. Magnetic fibres, magnet, motor, light. Courtesy the artist and Gallery Gerken, Berlin. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

huber.huber »Achatkonstrukt» 2015/16 and »Das Versprechen« 2016 (install view). Courtesy the artists. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Alicja Kwade »Intransmedium» 2016. Wood, bronze, books. Courtesy the artist & kamel mennour, Paris. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Julian Rosefeldt »The Perfectionist» 2005 (install view) «Trilogy of Failure (Part 3)« 25’ 18’’, colour, sound. Shot on Super-16mm, converted to PAL SD. Copyright Julian Rosefeldt and VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Julian Rosefeldt »The Perfectionist« 2005 (still) »Trilogy of Failure (Part 3)« 25’ 18’’, colour, sound. Shot on Super-16mm, converted to PAL SD. Copyright Julian Rosefeldt and VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2017. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Helene Hellmich »Museum: Part 2 (Clouds)«(install view) 2013 – 2017. Paper, plaster, wax, wood, display cases, floor plate, paint. Courtesy the artist. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Helene Hellmich »Museum: Part 2 (Clouds)« (detail) 2013 – 2017. Paper, plaster, wax, wood, display cases, floor plate, paint. Courtesy the artist. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Irina Birger »Ouroboros or What's Eating You« (still) 2016. 3D animation stills. Courtesy the artist. Supported by Mondriaan Fonds.

Elsa Salonen »Study of Eternal Cycle« 2014. Dimensions variable. Courtesy the artist. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Nika Fontaine »Akash 1« »Akash 6«» »Aleph-Shin-Mem« (install view) 2017. Glitter, acrylic on stretched burlap. Courtesy the artist and Wildpalms, Düsseldorf. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Kitty Kraus »Untitled (Light Box)« 2012. Painted plywood, painted glass, 250W light bulb, cable. Courtesy the artist and Galerie Neu, Berlin. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Hans Christian Andersen »Vinden fortæller om valdemar daae og hans døttre (The Story of the Wind)« First published in ‘Nye Eventyr og Historier. Tredie Samling’, 1859. Photo: Kurt Nielsen.

Scene Everything. »Laborious and the Wind: Three Acts of Alchemy« (install view) 2017. Multimedia installation. Courtesy the artists. Photo: Joseph Popper.