Claus Richter
Höchst seltsame Chronologie verschiedenster Ereignisse des Kölnischen Kunstvereins der Jahre 1839 bis 1914
30 Aug - 30 Sep 2014
What did the members of the Kölnischer Kunstverein smell like in the 19th century? Was one of the institution’s chairmen of the board featured in a puppet theatre? What is the story behind the flag of the Kunstverein?
To mark the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Kölnischer Kunstverein, the Cologne artist Claus Richter (b.1971 in Lippstadt) has developed a unique project: based on ingeniously spun tall tales, it presents a humorous and unpredictable homage both to the institution and to the local region and customs of the Rhineland. Under the title Höchst seltsame Chronologie (Thoroughly Peculiar Chronicle), the project brings together diverse events from the history of the Kölnischer Kunstverein during the years 1839 to 1914 in the form of a total of ten objects designed specifically for the occasion and ranging from a Kunstverein flask of the renowned Eau de Cologne to a puppet figure caricaturing the chairman of the board from around the turn of the century to the art association’s flag, which has been preserved in the Church of the Apostles for decades. In keeping with the multi-layered nature of the themes dealt with, the pieces designed by Claus Richter can be seen at various public places around the city, with the exhibition thus becoming a kind of stroll through Cologne and its history. As a part of the exhibition, a special artist’s book and regularly scheduled tours will serve to present the project, which indubitably represents one of the most charming highlights of the 175th anniversary celebration of the Kölnischer Kunstverein.
To mark the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Kölnischer Kunstverein, the Cologne artist Claus Richter (b.1971 in Lippstadt) has developed a unique project: based on ingeniously spun tall tales, it presents a humorous and unpredictable homage both to the institution and to the local region and customs of the Rhineland. Under the title Höchst seltsame Chronologie (Thoroughly Peculiar Chronicle), the project brings together diverse events from the history of the Kölnischer Kunstverein during the years 1839 to 1914 in the form of a total of ten objects designed specifically for the occasion and ranging from a Kunstverein flask of the renowned Eau de Cologne to a puppet figure caricaturing the chairman of the board from around the turn of the century to the art association’s flag, which has been preserved in the Church of the Apostles for decades. In keeping with the multi-layered nature of the themes dealt with, the pieces designed by Claus Richter can be seen at various public places around the city, with the exhibition thus becoming a kind of stroll through Cologne and its history. As a part of the exhibition, a special artist’s book and regularly scheduled tours will serve to present the project, which indubitably represents one of the most charming highlights of the 175th anniversary celebration of the Kölnischer Kunstverein.