Visit of German-Saudi Art Installation accompanying the International Art Exhibition 21,39 in Jeddah

> registration obligatory due to security regulations and space limitations <

With Grenzgänger, the Residence of the German Consul General features an art installation concurrent to the 21,39 Jeddah Arts Al Obour main exhibition, reflecting its motto of Crossing.

The installation Grenzgänger (the one walking the border) is a long wall-like structure designed by the local architectural collabo Bricklab to follow along one side of the garden's external border, restricting access where it once was wide, leaving only a narrow perspective of outcome. It seemingly denies the possibility of crossing, and separates the observer from the world on the other side. The primary impression of its solidity breaks apart as one walks along the barrier. There are surprise openings that allow the wandering spectator to gaze beyond the wall, establishing a linear narrative of changing perceptions – a physical/outer but also intangible/inner experience. This crossing-over into the unexpected invites further reflection: once a path with all its imagined limitations is taken, not all may remain as predetermined as initially contemplated. This discovery is a purely subjective one, and visitors are invited to embark on this journey.

DesertFish's audio creations accompany the Grenzgänger as he/she walks the border, stimulating and intoning thought processes that arise during the visual discovery. Echo features from the start to the end of the wall augment the feeling of fluidity, and guide one along the closed and open sections of the borderline – or are they misguiding chimeras, bullying guards, or overbearing role models? First taken as unpredictable outside forces, the visitor discovers that they can be subjected to interaction.

• “A boundary is not that at which something stops but, as the Greeks recognized, the boundary is that from which something begins its presencing.” - Martin Heidegger, Building, Dwelling, Thinking (1971)
  

Due to the overwhelming interest in the other art installation proximity/repulsion by German artist Felix Bonowski, this installation has been transferred from the German Residence to the main site of the Saudi Art Council in Gold Moor Mall. At the Residence, you will only see a video of this installation (when it was still standing there). In a vestibule-like separate space, the captivating work anticipated and complimented the theme of the garden installation. It is one if the earlier works of the German artist, where the exchange of momentum between the physically present visitors and a collective of computer simulated particles creates a foamy graphical waterfall of lines. It flows around the spectators' shadows, allowing them to experience how it feels to "touch" a virtual material that is only present in the form of light.

You are cordially invited to the proximity/repulsion "shadow play" and see how crossing into virtuality might feel now in Gold Moor Mall. The 21st century inhabitants of Plato’s Parable of the Cave can tamper with the reflexions of reality.

The other German artists Niklas Binzberger and Charlotte Spiegelfeld also exhibit in Al Obour at the main site of the Saudi Art Council.

FAQs

What are the Instagram handles?

Please mention @GermanyinKSA #GCGJED @_bricklab @desertfish_ #felixbonowski @charlottespiegelfeld @niklasbinzberger @saudiartcouncil #2139jeddaharts

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?

Access only at specified times presenting the prebooked ticket and an official picture ID (iqama, passport etc.). No minimum age.

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?

Access only at specified times presenting the prebooked ticket and an official picture ID (iqama, passport etc.). No minimum age.

What are the rules for the visit?

You are guest in a private residence; access may be limited or refused. No liability. Parents are responsible for their children.