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«Have Sanity» at Last Tango

Group Show with Lisa Biedlingmaier, Anton Bruhin, Lissy Funk, Roman Gysin, Liz Magic Laser, Shirana Shahbazi, Manon Wertenbroek, Trevor Yeung, February 12 until April 10, 2021

Artists

Anton Bruhin, Lisa Biedlingmaier, Lissy Funk, Liz Magic Laser, Manon Wertenbroek, Roman Gysin, Shirana Shahbazi, Trevor Yeung

Institution

Last Tango

Location

Zurich

Download

Press release (PDF)

Website

lasttango.info

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artists and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; view on Lissy Funk, Weisse Komposition [White Composition], 1972, tapestry and embroidery, 110 x 110 cm» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the Art Collection of the Canton Zurich

Exhibition Overview

"Have Sanity" at Last Tango features a group show with artists Lisa Biedlingmaier, Anton Bruhin, Lissy Funk, Roman Gysin, Liz Magic Laser, Shirana Shahbazi, Manon Wertenbroek, and Trevor Yeung. The exhibition explores the theme of sanity in a broad sense, reflecting on ethical considerations such as politics of choice, self-care, mental health, and spirituality. The artworks, spanning from new site-specific pieces to works dating back to 1972, encompass video, sculpture, installation, and textile-based works, offering diverse perspectives and approaches.

Artistic Concepts

The word "sanity," rooted in the Latin term for 'soundness of mind,' is examined in the context of the pandemic-induced regulatory composure imposed on individuals. Artists like Lissy Funk and Roman Gysin explore themes of distance, proximity, and confinement through their works, delving into the introspective act of creation and the tension between artificiality and sincerity. Gysin's pieces evoke a sense of a fabricated reality, playing with symbols and forms to create a visual semblance of staged environments.

Themes and Symbolism

The exhibition delves into the rich relationship between art and spirituality, drawing parallels between historical religious art and contemporary interpretations. Artists like Shirana Shahbazi explore the symbolism of skulls and still life elements, reflecting on themes of mortality and cultural rebellion. Lisa Biedlingmaier's sculptures examine death from a cross-cultural perspective, using materials like macramé and porcelain to symbolize security, vulnerability, and the acceptance of death as part of life.

Artistic Interpretations

Artworks by Trevor Yeung, Anton Bruhin, and Manon Wertenbroek offer unique interpretations of societal structures, individual responsibility, and bodily experiences. Yeung's mushroom lamps and Bruhin's Lego sculpture critique dominance and inequality, while Wertenbroek's leather sculptures explore the concepts of dis/order, fetish, and the bodily through tactile minimalist forms. The exhibition prompts viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness of life, death, and societal norms in a contemporary context.

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; view on Roman Gysin, Ohne Titel, 2010, Papier mâché, faux fur, fabric 56 x 59 x 22 cm» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artist and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artists and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; view on Manon Wertenbroek, Omen, 2020, bread and rope, circa 16 x 15 x 2cm; Manon Wertenbroek, Geburt und Grab, 2021, wood, leather, pigment, palladium-plated brass, steel, 100 cm x 24 x 3.5 cm» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artist and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artists and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; view on Roman Gysin, Satinbild [Satin Image] (Red), 2021, fabric, wood, 34 x 27 x 3 cm; Lissy Funk, Der Weg zu Dir [The path to you], 2002, hand embroidery, ca. 16 x 18 cm» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artists, Last Tango and the Art Collection of the Canton Zurich

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artists and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; view on Roman Gysin, Wall Fence (grey II), 2021, wood, metal, paint, 87 x 150 x 10 cm; Wall Fence (grey I), 2021, wood, metal, paint, 89 x 76 x 8 cm» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artist and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; view on Roman Gysin, Wall Fence I, 2021, wood, fabric, 89 x 76 x 15 cm, Roman Gysin, Wall Fence II, 2021, wood, fabric, 89 x 76 x 15 cm» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artist and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; view on Liz Magic Laser, The Thought Leader, 2015, single-channel video, 9:00 minutes. Featuring actor Alex Ammerman, Video loop» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artist and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; view on Trevor Yeung, Night Mushroom Colon (Six), 2018, night lamps, various plug adaptors, 15 x 15 x 20 cm» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the Artist and Galerie Allen, Paris

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artists and Last Tango

Exhibition View Group Show «Have Sanity; vie won Lisa Biedlingmaier, Howlite, 2021, polyester, wool, rope, epoxy resin, leather, 180 x 80 cm» at Last Tango, Zurich, 2021 / Photo: Kilian Bannwart / Courtesy: the artist and Last Tango