SUPERHEROES
Authors / From the collection: Andor Borúth, Slavo Durkaj, Jozef Hanula, Jana Huljaková, Martin Imrich, János Istók (HU), Petr Jedlička (CZ), Zdeněk Jeřábek, Ladislav Kacvinský, Hugo Klein (AT), Matúš Lányi, Adam Macko, Ladislav Mednyánszky, August Meissl, Eva Moflárová, Viliam Pirchala, Peter Pollág, Richard Roháč, Peter Rónai, Mikuláš Siranko, Juraj Škatulár, Miro Trubač, Heidi Vogel (DE), Vladimíra Weiss
Guests: Aksel Haagensen (EE), Jan Pfeiffer (CZ), Magda Tothova (DE)
The Superheroes exhibition examines the theme of heroes and heroines in a broader historical and cultural context. Selected works from the Gallery’s collection ranging from the late 19th century to the present day are complemented by works by three foreign artists (CZ, EE, DE) and map out various approaches to the issue of heroism in an open-ended interpretative framework. The works react to historical, personal and also universal ideas of heroism; they hold up a mirror to the contemporary media situation; they reflect upon the desire for power and fame but also on resistance and the struggle for social change and personal growth. The exhibition is presented as part of the Collection in Dialogue dramaturgical cycle of exhibitions.
“The character of the hero has changed throughout history, yet despite this it remains the same. Heroes are brave and indomitable, they fearlessly stand up to the forces of evil, kings or the established social order. The archetype of the hero’s journey is crucial – a pilgrimage which typically features the character’s symbolic death and rebirth. The term “superman” is derived from the 1883 work Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900) which describes the “Übermensch”, a figure identified primarily by the will to power who stands outside the traditional concepts of good and evil. The “Übermensch” represents the overcoming of personal limits and the search for the path to absolute freedom. The Superman of comic book fame, like many other modern-day heroes, is a fighter for good and justice. Superman was the creation of Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, the children of Jewish immigrants. The imaginary character helped them to overcome their alienation and cope with the tragedy which was beginning to befall the Jews in Europe. This is what superheroes are all about – the desire to change the world for the better, the courage to take fate into our own hands, the possibility for mankind to transcend its limitations.
The exhibition is divided into three sections: Heroes in the Spotlight, Heroes at the Borderline, Personal Superheroes. Heroes in the Spotlight is a cross-section of perceptions of the hero through the ages, from the victors of the ancient Olympic Games to ice hockey world champions; from career men to media stars and comic book characters. Heroes at the Borderline reflects upon the ambivalent character of the hero or anti-hero – one man’s hero can be another man’s enemy. This is particularly the case with war heroes, political revolutionaries or those whose name has gone down in history in a negative light. While every war begins with cries of “For the homeland!” or “For freedom!”, the reality soon spins out of control and the “heroes” become little more than puppets of a system which seeks to profit from their moral conviction. The works in the section titled Personal Superheroes reflect upon the “invisible” heroes of real life – they are often our mothers or our grandparents who never hesitate to sacrifice themselves for the good of others.”
Vernisáž
16.11.2022 o 17.00 hod.
Miesto konania
Galéria umelcov Spiša
Zimná 46, Spišská Nová Ves
Trvanie
16.11.2022 - 31.07.2023