imPOSSIBLE?
- Title imPOSSIBLE? The magic of wishes
- Client GRIMMWELT Kassel
- Year 2022
-
Dimensions
400 m2
special exhibition
»In old times when wishing still helped, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, …«
(Children‘s and Household Tales No.1, 1857)
»In the days when wishing still helped, a king’s son was placed under a curse by an old witch, …«
(Children‘s and Household Tales No.127, 1857)
There is a wide spectrum of wishes in the Brothers Grimm‘s collection of fairy tales. But they are also to be found in many different forms in everyday life. Maybe it is only a vague hope for the future, or otherwise a definite goal; sometimes it’s about everyday wants, sometimes about utopias which seem beyond reach; it could be an illusion or a daydream.
A tree of red balloons hangs from the ceiling in the middle of the room. Do magical creatures live here? And in which fairy tales does the tree play an important role?
What does it actually take for wishes to come true? In many fairy tales, wishes come true with the help of magical objects or everyday lucky charms that help strengthen the belief that our wish will be fulfilled.
»If one were a bird now, thought he;
but what was the good of wishing,
no wings grew for him.«
(Children‘s and Household Tales No.193, 1857)
As promising as it may seem when wishes come true in fairy tales, this does not automatically mean a happy ending for all involved. Individual wishes can be closely linked to collective needs and lead to solidarity with others. A collective wish for change can result in political debates, public criticism, and political movements aimed at social change. Wishes and utopias that have developed in common can disrupt structures of social power and persist across generations. What is worth striving for, what is impossible, what is feasible?
Happy End? Wishes for a person’s life depend on their views and values, which in turn are shaped by socialisation and experiences, and may be subject to change.
»›There is no man under the sun so
fortunate as I‹ he cried out.
With a light heartand free from
every burden he now ran on …«
(Children‘s and Household Tales No.83, 1857)
#GRIMMAtelier
2022
There is a wide spectrum of wishes in the Brothers Grimm‘s collection of fairy tales. But they are also to be found in many different forms in everyday life. Maybe it is only a vague hope for the future, or otherwise a definite goal; sometimes it’s about everyday wants, sometimes about utopias which seem beyond reach; it could be an illusion or a daydream. Even, or especially, when there is a large gap between wish and reality, the wish has a subconscious effect and spurs one on to the highest achievements. This exhibition leads you into the world of wishes. With the help of works of art, illustrations of the Brothers Grimm‘s fairy tales, interviews and installations, it shows how wishes can act as a motor for change in individuals and society.
The exhibition design uses a soft colour gradient, to show all aspects of wishes. Materials like glass, mirrors and softly shining textiles underline the ambivalence power of wishing. An abstract architectural sculpture becomes the first interactive part of the exhibition: it reminds of the inner picture of a wishing well and invites active wishing. The VR installation by A.MUSE enables visitors to take off, enjoy new perspectives and immerse themselves in virtual landscapes. The exhibition ends up with another interactive installation: Let your wishes go: Visible and like a drifting cloud they rise up in the sky and finally disappear…
unMÖGLICH? Die Magie der Wünsche
2022
In der Märchensammlung der Brüder Grimm findet sich ein weites Spektrum von Wünschen. Auch im Alltag erscheinen sie in vielseitiger Form: ob als vage Vorstellung von der Zukunft oder als konkretes Ziel, in Form von Alltagsbedürfnissen oder unerreichbar scheinenden Utopien, als Illusion oder Tagtraum. Auch oder gerade wenn die Kluft zwischen Wunsch und Wirklichkeit groß ist: der Wunsch wirkt unterbewusst und treibt zu Höchstleistungen an. Diese Ausstellung führt in die Welt der Wünsche ein, und zeigt anhand von künstlerischen Arbeiten, Illustrationen zu den Märchen der Brüder Grimm, Interviews und Installationen, welche Wirkung der Wunsch als Motor individueller und gesellschaftlicher Veränderungen haben kann.
Das Ausstellungsdesign verwendet für die Gliederung ein helles Farbspektrum, um im Verlauf der Farben alle Aspekte von Wünschen aufzuzeigen. Materialien wie Glas, Spiegel und sanft schimmernde Textilien unterstreichen die ambivalente Kraft des Wünschens. Eine abstrakte architektonische Skulptur wird zum ersten interaktiver Teil der Ausstellung: Sie knüpft an das innere Bild eines Wunschbrunnens an und fordert aktiv zum Wünschen auf. Die VR-Installation von A.MUSE ermöglicht es den Besuchern, abzuheben, neue Perspektiven zu genießen und in virtuelle Landschaften einzutauchen. Die Ausstellung endet mit einer weiteren interaktiven Installation: Hier können Wünsche losgelassen werden: Sichtbar und wie eine davon ziehende Wolke steigen sie auf in den Himmel, bis sie schlussendlich verschwinden…