Hidden and overt, illuminated and concealed; it is these themes that are evident in the Biennale of Light (Biennale für Lichtkunst) held in various German cities until the end of May.

Over sixty artists have been chosen to participate the event, which, in its first biennial year, is already regarded as the world’s largest showcase of European and international light based art.

Germany, arguably at the forefront of the progressive art scene has taken what is often regarded as an inaccessible art form and taken it to the people, installing these art pieces in private spaces; lounge rooms, attics even the bedrooms of German residents.

The creative director of the Biennale Mattias Wagner K, describes this year’s theme ‘open light in private spaces’ as a way to challenge the belief that art and life are separate that these art pieces can go “beyond everyday pragmatic circumstances and constraints, containing, at best, an inherent utopian moment”.

One such piece is Ghostrider by Icelandic artist Egill Sæbjörnsson.  Allocated an industrial-esque basement, Sæbjörnsson was inspired to create a site specific work that encourages the viewer to look at a utilitarian and mechanical object such as a motorbike as an object of beauty.

Sæbjörnsson is motivated by an idea of how we view our own cities, how when we are taken out of the every day we are awakened to what has always been there, just never ‘seen’. “The people who live here will see their city differently, its like when you show a foreign visitor around your country and suddenly you see everything differently.” He has said.

Another example of the beauty in the everyday is the work by American conceptual artist, Joseph Kosuth.  Famous for his neon light works that take simple sentences and illuminate them, his work Sechs Teile, Lokalisiert, (six parts, localized) is just that.  Six red neon words: kontext, teile, bedeutung, geschichte, ganzheit and ort that loosely translate to context, share, meaning, history, holistic and place.  This piece, like the majority of Kosuth’s works is entirely self-referential.  This work is literally about the context of a work of art being subject to its surroundings; in this instance the basement of an 82 year old German woman by the name of Gisela.

What is more everyday and more overlooked than the humble fluro tube? Swiss born John M Armelder challenges this idea relieving the fluorescent tube from its ceiling prison and propping it up against the white wall of a suburban patio.  This piece, Untitled, is a celebration of the beauty that this object radiates, the spectrum of various colours creating a symphony of light, glowing and proud. Even the cables are on show, and with some tubes resting on pillows, these tired and overworked emitters of light given well deserved ‘pat on the back’.

With 60 private spaces in various sleepy towns offering their private spaces to open light, Germany is literally aglow with European and international light.

So if you happen to be planning a trip over to Germany in the next 2 weeks, don’t just expect to see beauty amidst the white walls of the galleries and tourist hot spots.  Why not knock on the suburban doors in Ruhr, Hamm, Lünen… you may be surprised by what you find.

For more info check out the Biennale web page here

a little extra… If Germany is a little too far for you to travel for your arty fix…  I can highly recommend the beautiful illustrative works by Melbourne artist Kristy Milliken… her works have a touch of whimsy about them, hand painted works full of nostalgia and charm.  On until the 11th of June at National Grid Gallery in Manly.  Check them out here.

Stay tuned for next time where I will be exploring the Sydney Biennale! Its Biennale FEVER!

Sami xx