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Sing!

Currently on view at the Ludwig Museum is Mladen Stilinović’s retrospective entitled Sing!

Born in Belgrade in 1947 and moved to Zagreb in the 1960s, his work responds to social, political and economic climate of the times. However, despite the developments that occurred since the 1970s, his work still retains pertinence. For example, he states in his text “Praise of Laziness” from 1998, “As an artist, I learned from both East (socialism) and West (capitalism). Of course, now when the borders and political systems have changed, such an experience will be no longer possible. But what I have learned from that dialogue, stays with me.”

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Throughout the retrospective, Stilinović’s work appropriates a number of strategies implemented by the very regimes under scrutiny. By doing so, his works turn these strategies of control back on themselves. His strategies include: the symbols associated with socialism, repetition, multiples and manipulated speech. For example, there is a wall in the retrospective which has a number of hand painted signs on cardboard that reiterate succinct sayings such as ‘Work is Disease” by Karl Marx. Another example of his use of multiples is a work entitled Nobody Wants to See (2009). The caption states, “The three richest men in the world own as much as six hundred million of the poorest people.” On the left there is a sheet of paper with a small “3” written in the middle. On the right, there are four large piles of paper of the same size with as many “3s” that will fill the page. The visual comparison of “3s” is more powerful through his use of multiples, a strategy used in politics and advertising.

Stilinović’s work operates on two main fronts: firstly to investigate the systems of control through language and money and secondly to challenge the institution of art. His early works refers to the power and semiotics of language whether it is spoken, written or represented through symbols. In both systems of capitalism and socialism, he arrives at the same end—to expose and critique the strategies of control in operation. At the same time, his work challenges the institution of art as we know it. Beginning with his founding of the Group of Six Authors from 1975-1979, his work seeks to move art away from an object-based obsession as Lucy Lippard called the “dematerialization of the art object” in her book Six Years: The Dematerialization of the Art Object from 1973. This movement away from the object is evident in Stilinović’s choice of materials rather it is in his hand painted signage, makeshift artist’s books or photo documentary of himself but also in his institutional and social critique that encourages visitor involvement with certain works, a direct link to the world outside the museum and the subversive breakdown of tautologies.

The retrospective is comprehensive, well organized and informative. Stilinović’s work deals with challenging issues but his approach allows something for everyone.

Sing! - Mladen Stilinović Retrospective
April 22, 2011. - July 03, 2011

Curator: Branka Stipančić
Coordinator: Katalin Székely

Website: www.ludwigmuseum.hu

There is a comprehensive catalogue accompanying the exhibition with essays by Branka Stipančić, Georg Schöllhammer, Ellen Blumenstein, Ana Janevski et al. It is written in English and Croatian and cost 2600 Ft. 
The exhibition is supported by: Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Budapest / Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia