"It’s a common dream we have in our childhood: being left behind for the night in a toy store, a zoo, a circus, a museum… A museum - imagine: just the artworks and you…" Iris Häussler
For three other exhibitions of this project (Bonner Kunstverein, Bonn; Lothringerstrasse Munich, Munich & and Kunstverein Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen, ) the furniture of the 1994 Xenotope project was reproduced. The old and the new Xenotope were installed side-by-side in the museum spaces: the used bed from Leipzig was "on exhibit" and the "new bed” was made every day, with fresh sheets, towels were available, bottled water and glasses - ready for use.
Over the different exhibitions, many sets of used bed sheets, towels and water glasses accumulated, becoming part of future exhibited objects.
Another aspect of this work was that it was shown in group-exhibitions. Guest’s access to all artist’s artworks in the stillness of the nights. They were trusted unobserved to be in these exhibitions.
A corner room facing the street, the top floor of a run-down, almost completely vacated turn-of-the-century rental house was partly renovated. New furniture was brought in, painted a uniform light-gray. A bed was supplied with a mattress and linens. A small table and a chair, a television set and a radiator completed the furnishings. The room appeared neutral and clear. A shelf was placed against the wall. It contained white bed sheets, these were dated and ordered chronologically. Likewise a stack of hand towels were supplied in proper order. Bottled water and glasses were made available for use.
On the back side of the door a notice was put on display:
"This room can be used as overnight accommodation from 27.10.94 to 06.11.94. To register, please address yourself to Mrs./Mr. ...
No payment was asked from the overnight-guest except the permission for the guest’s used bedding and towels to subsequently become objects of the art-project.
Originating project 1994 as participation of “Leerstand” (“vacancies” - curated by Klaus Werner) in Lessingstr. 23 3rd Floor, Apartment No. 4, Leipzig, Germany 1994
Xenotope Showings
- 2000 Xenotope und verlorene Blicke. Kunstverein Friedrichshafen, Germany (solo show)
- 1998 Stillehalten. Künstlerwerkstatt Lothringerstraße, Munich, Germany
- 1997 Vertrauenssache, Bonner Kunstverein, Germany
- 1994 Leerstand. Lessingstr. 23, Leipzig, Germany