The "Mind the Gap!" sign at London Underground stations warns passengers of a gap between the platform and the approaching train. At the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD), the warning has a completely different emphasis. Under the motto "Accent - Mind the Gap!", it is about a gap that young artists are supposed to fill between exhibition reconstruction breaks. In the Kupferstich-Kabinett of the Residenzschloss, photographer Robert Vanis is currently responsible for this until Easter Monday.
Young artists can draw on the full range of possibilities in the Kupferstich-Kabinett
The young artists can draw on the full range of possibilities. With more than half a million drawings, prints and photographs from the Middle Ages to the present day, the Kupferstich-Kabinett houses works by important masters such as Dürer, Rembrandt, Toulouse-Lautrec and Baselitz. It is a great pleasure for the HBFK graduates to be able to exhibit there, says Robert Vanis. He can still remember his first encounter with originals in the Kabinett's study room.
Bridge between art of the present and the past
Director Buck emphasizes that this space is open to everyone, accessible free of charge and "a truly generous and democratic offer from SKD". Making the collection accessible to young people and artists in particular and engaging them in conversation is part of the museum's self-image. Mind the Gap!" is also a great enrichment for the Kupferstich-Kabinett. The format makes it possible to view its own collection from the perspective of young contemporary artists and to build a bridge between the present and the past.
Robert Vanis has bathed the foyer of the study hall in red light for his exhibition. He wants to give the impression of entering a darkroom - which has been a central workspace for photographers for 170 years. The show features photographic manipulations that appear credible as well as images of reality that are irritating. The photographer wants to encourage his audience to think about technical change, reliability and the artistic character of photography. A display case contains sketches: "This unfinished moment - you could call it that - is what I want to draw attention to."
