GMU:Provokative Architektur/Brian Bixby

Idea Presentation | 30.10.2012

I presented my ideas on a project about the theme of Lustmord in Germany. This introductory presentation included a short poem and a single photograph as a jumping off point.

One of the quotes that caught my interest in this subject and started my journey was the following; "The sheer number of canvases from the 1920s with the title Lustmord (Sexual Murder) ought to have been a source of wonder for Weimar’s cultural historians." - from Maria Tatar, Lustmord: Sexual Murder in Weimar Germany. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995. xii + 213 pp.

Media:Lustmord Poem.pdf

Concept Development / First Visual Experiment | 20.11.2012

After two weeks of research and individual meetings with Gunnar Green I have developed my concept further and chose to focus on the artist George Grosz. Grosz created a series of drawings and paintings around the theme of Lustmord in the Weimar Republic between 1922-1933.

I created a short video titled Lustmord: A Love Story which uses a combination of photographs of George Grosz, his wife Eva Grosz, images of his paintings and drawings, clips from the film Metropolis and a performance of Falling in Love Again by Marlene Dietrich.

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Project Development / at Marienstraße 2 | 21.11 - 04.12.2012

I have the opportunity to work in an abandoned apartment complex located on Marienstraße 2. After viewing this space I decided it was the perfect space to experiment on a larger scale incorporating the theme of Lustmord and the life of George Grosz in the 1920's. I photographed the room and started to paint it black.

The PDF below features a few images of the room and a couple of quotes from George Grosz talking about his studio and working practice. Grosz sees the studio as a sort of magical environment where the normal influence of the world is cut off and his imagination is free to explore ideas. I'm using this as a jumping off point to begin my own exploration into a fusion of a fictional space that incorporates aspects of George Grosz studio with a Lustmord scene.

The working title of this installation is 'ARCHEOLOGY, EXCAVATION, AND WHAT REMAINS'. I see this installation as the first in a series of 6 pieces titled 'Death and Resurrection'. This series title is the same one Otto Dix used for his series of 6 works - one of which was a Lustmord painting.

Media:Install_01.pdf

Photo of abandoned room I chose for my installation, Marienstraße 2, Weimar, Germany, 2012.		Photo of abandoned room I chose for my installation, Marienstraße 2, Weimar, Germany, 2012.

Project Development / at Marienstraße 2 | 05 - 11.12.2012

I spent the last week at Marienstraße 2 painting the room black and preparing the room for the installation. The room is not heated and it is freezing cold at night. I am working alone for hours at a time and I'm able to spend a lot of time thinking about the direction of this piece. The room and entire floor of this building is dark and a bit creepy - as I paint over the various layers of paint and sweep out the dirt and trash I get a sense of the past lives and activities that must have taken place here. My overall idea has changed several times and I've started to focus on particular subtle changes I would like to make to the room aside from turning it all black.

The room will be closed off to the public and only viewable thru a broken window in the doorway. Inside is a 3D scene which is obviously aestheticized but also referencing several aspects from my research and mashing them into each other - pieces of George Grosz studio are mixing into my own Lustmord "painting" which I am bringing to life in the form of a still life. Furthermore I am adding elements of light and electricity referencing futurism and science fiction as predicted in films such as Metropolis.

Brian Bixby, Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains, installation in-progress at Marienstraße 2, 2012.		Brian Bixby, Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains, installation in-progress at Marienstraße 2, 2012.

Project Development / at Marienstraße 2 | 12 - 17.12.2012

As you can see from my notes one week ago my project continues to evolve and change. It's been a very inspired, synchronicity filled week for me which included several insightful conversations with my classmates (Amel, Eleana and Kata) as well as some of the other artists in the exhibition at Marienstraße 2.

One of my biggest break through moments was when I decided to use a peep-hole after a conversation with Eleana in her studio - and later that same evening I was reading from George Grosz's autobiography and he wrote about looking thru peep-holes at carnivals as a child and writes that perhaps this inspired him to become an artist. Here was a clear example of synchronicity, and I had the feeling that I had discovered something important! There are more steps and coincidences involved in this particular discovery - but to keep it short; In the process or pursuing discussions and continuing to read each evening I had pieced together an interesting connection between my research subject, George Grosz, the theme of Lustmord and the medium of the peep-hole as a way to explore these themes in an architectural 3D format.

Another moment of discovery occurred when I was moving the full body mirror around inside the room with the help of Amel. At some point it was rather close to the door and when I looked thru the peep-hole I saw the mirror with no reflection of myself even though I was facing the mirror! Again, I experienced this type of eureka!/wow moment because the feeling was very surreal to see the doorway in the mirror but not to see myself. All of a sudden I felt transported into some alternate dimension thru this hole in the door. I could imagine a ghost of myself sitting in this empty chair in front of the mirror.

I am feeling confident and inspired by this project and the directions it has taken me - and I see this as the beginning of a series of works.

Brian Bixby, Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains, installation in-progress at Marienstraße 2, 2012.		Brian Bixby, Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains, installation in-progress at Marienstraße 2, 2012.

Brian Bixby, Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains, installation in-progress at Marienstraße 2, 2012.		Brian Bixby, Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains, installation in-progress at Marienstraße 2, 2012.

Mid-Term Project Presentation / Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains | 18.12.2012

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012 was the day of our mid-term review. I presented my installation titled, ‘Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains’, to our class and professors. After two long weeks of work on the project, including Sunday night in which I worked until 6:30am, I was pretty exhausted. But I was also riding on some adrenaline from the opening exhibition the night before and the feeling of completion. Regardless, my presentation was a bit unsteady and I spent most of my time quoting research about Lustmord in Germany and the aritst George Grosz who was my main inspiration for the project. I received several pieces of advice and feedback this morning – I will do my best to document and process that feedback in this document that I have titled ‘What Remains’.

Brian Bixby, Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains, installation view (peep hole), 2012.		Brian Bixby, Archeology, Excavation, and What Remains, installation view (thru peep hole), 2012.