Anna and Bernhard Blume
Encyclopedia
Anna and Bernhard Blume refers to the German art photographers Anna Blume (1937) and Bernhard Johannes Blume (1937–1 September 2011). They created sequences of large black-and-white photos of staged scenes in which they appeared themselves, with objects taking on a "life" of their own. The works of Anna and Bernhard Blume have been shown internationally in exhibitions and museums, including MoMA
in New York.
in 1937, she studied art at the Staatliche Kunstakademie
in Düsseldorf
from 1960 to 1965, like her future husband. When they got married in 1966, she enjoyed having the same name as Kurt Schwitters
' imaginary figure, Anna Blume. The couple lived and worked together in Cologne
. She gave birth to twin girls in 1967. Until 1985 she worked as an art teacher at a gymnasium.
among others. He also studied philosophy
at the University of Cologne
from 1967 to 1970. He worked as a teacher of art and philosophy. In 1984 he took part in the exhibition Von hier aus – Zwei Monate neue deutsche Kunst in Düsseldorf
. Beginning in 1987 he was Professor für Freie Kunst und Visuelle Kommunikation (professor of free art and visual communication) at the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg.
He died in Cologne on 1 September 2011.
s, sequences of large photo scenes and, mostly in the 1990s, Polaroid
s. Both created drawings. They staged and photographed scenes in which they appeared themselves, with objects taking on a "life" of their own. According to the Deutsche Börse Group, their process is to create their picture sequences together and complete all related tasks without outside help. This includes designing the sets and costumes, developing the negatives, and producing enlargements; at each stage the artwork is refined, polished and painted. Anna has said: "Wir malen mit der Kamera, und diese malerische Arbeit findet auch noch im Labor statt." (We paint with our camera, and this painterly work continues in the lab, too.) The images were produced without the aid of digital manipulation or post-production montages. Taking pictures of a "flying, crashing, and swirling world", the artists used safety features such as ropes, nets and mattresses.
Their sequence Vasenekstasen (Vase Extasy) has been shown at the Museum für Moderne Kunst
in Frankfurt
. In 1989 MoMA
in New York presented their works in a solo show, including Küchenkoller (Kitchen Frenzy, 1986), Opposites D (1989) and Demonstrative Identification with the universe (1971).
In 2004 their Polaroids of 1988 to 2000 were published as a book, Das Glück ist ohne Pardon / Joy knows no mercy. They treated the genre of the artist's self-portrait
to a transformation, distorting their faces with trivial objects such as coat hangers and household utensils, in order to "put to rest the myth of the portrait and the autonomy of the subject it seeks to convey."
Several works have been exhibited at the Museum Ludwig
in Cologne, which in 2005 showed Kreuzweg (Stations of the Cross
), a sequence from Transzendentaler Konstruktivismus (Transcendental Constructivism), in connection with the World Youth Day 2005
in Cologne.
In 2008 Reine Vernunft (Pure Reason) was presented at the Hamburger Bahnhof
in Berlin. It was their first comprehensive appearance in the capital. According to the museum, the works provide "an overview of the ironical and philosophical strategy of this artistic team", and show "intensive dedication to a continuous process of self-experimentation", with the Blumes having "performed groundwork on the nature of German existence", by investigating "'home sweet home' for every conceivable form of misery" rather than entering the wider world.
In 2010 several works were shown at the Kunstmuseum Bonn
in "Der Westen leuchtet / Eine Standortbestimmung der Kunstlandschaft des Rheinlandes" (The Luminous West / A site assessment of the art landscape in the Rhineland), presenting artists of the Rhineland
.
.
Moma
Moma may refer to:* Moma , an owlet moth genus* Moma Airport, a Russian public airport* Moma District, Nampula, Mozambique* Moma River, a right tributary of the Indigirka River* Google Moma, the Google corporate intranet...
in New York.
Anna Blume
Born Anna Helming in BorkSelm
Selm is a town in the district of Unna, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 kilometers north of Dortmund and 25 kilometers west of Hamm.- Geography :The town belongs to the southern part of the Münsterland...
in 1937, she studied art at the Staatliche Kunstakademie
Kunstakademie Düsseldorf
The Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, formerly Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, is the Arts Academy of the city of Düsseldorf. It is well known for having produced many famous artists, such as Joseph Beuys, Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, Thomas Demand, and Andreas Gursky...
in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
from 1960 to 1965, like her future husband. When they got married in 1966, she enjoyed having the same name as Kurt Schwitters
Kurt Schwitters
Kurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters was a German painter who was born in Hanover, Germany. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including Dada, Constructivism, Surrealism, poetry, sound, painting, sculpture, graphic design, typography and what came to be known as...
' imaginary figure, Anna Blume. The couple lived and worked together in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. She gave birth to twin girls in 1967. Until 1985 she worked as an art teacher at a gymnasium.
Bernhard Blume
Bernhard Johannes Blume was born in Dortmund in 1937. He studied art at the Staatliche Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf from 1960 to 1965, with Joseph BeuysJoseph Beuys
Joseph Beuys was a German performance artist, sculptor, installation artist, graphic artist, art theorist and pedagogue of art.His extensive work is grounded in concepts of humanism, social philosophy and anthroposophy; it culminates in his "extended definition of art" and the idea of social...
among others. He also studied philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at the University of Cologne
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with over 44,000 students, one of the largest universities in Germany. The university is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, an association of Germany's leading research universities...
from 1967 to 1970. He worked as a teacher of art and philosophy. In 1984 he took part in the exhibition Von hier aus – Zwei Monate neue deutsche Kunst in Düsseldorf
Von hier aus – Zwei Monate neue deutsche Kunst in Düsseldorf
Von hier aus – Zwei Monate neue deutsche Kunst in Düsseldorf is the title of an art exhibition . It was organised by the city of Düsseldorf and the Gesellschaft für aktuelle Kunst Düsseldorf e.V...
. Beginning in 1987 he was Professor für Freie Kunst und Visuelle Kommunikation (professor of free art and visual communication) at the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg.
He died in Cologne on 1 September 2011.
Works
Anna and Bernhard Blume together created installationInstallation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
s, sequences of large photo scenes and, mostly in the 1990s, Polaroid
Instant film
Instant film is a type of photographic film first introduced by Polaroid that is designed to be used in an instant camera...
s. Both created drawings. They staged and photographed scenes in which they appeared themselves, with objects taking on a "life" of their own. According to the Deutsche Börse Group, their process is to create their picture sequences together and complete all related tasks without outside help. This includes designing the sets and costumes, developing the negatives, and producing enlargements; at each stage the artwork is refined, polished and painted. Anna has said: "Wir malen mit der Kamera, und diese malerische Arbeit findet auch noch im Labor statt." (We paint with our camera, and this painterly work continues in the lab, too.) The images were produced without the aid of digital manipulation or post-production montages. Taking pictures of a "flying, crashing, and swirling world", the artists used safety features such as ropes, nets and mattresses.
Their sequence Vasenekstasen (Vase Extasy) has been shown at the Museum für Moderne Kunst
Museum für Moderne Kunst
The Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt am Main was founded in 1981. The museum was designed by the Viennese architect Hans Hollein. Because of its triangular shape, it is called "piece of cake"....
in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. In 1989 MoMA
Moma
Moma may refer to:* Moma , an owlet moth genus* Moma Airport, a Russian public airport* Moma District, Nampula, Mozambique* Moma River, a right tributary of the Indigirka River* Google Moma, the Google corporate intranet...
in New York presented their works in a solo show, including Küchenkoller (Kitchen Frenzy, 1986), Opposites D (1989) and Demonstrative Identification with the universe (1971).
In 2004 their Polaroids of 1988 to 2000 were published as a book, Das Glück ist ohne Pardon / Joy knows no mercy. They treated the genre of the artist's self-portrait
Self-portrait
A self-portrait is a representation of an artist, drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by the artist. Although self-portraits have been made by artists since the earliest times, it is not until the Early Renaissance in the mid 15th century that artists can be frequently identified depicting...
to a transformation, distorting their faces with trivial objects such as coat hangers and household utensils, in order to "put to rest the myth of the portrait and the autonomy of the subject it seeks to convey."
Several works have been exhibited at the Museum Ludwig
Museum Ludwig
Museum Ludwig, located in Cologne, Germany, houses a collection of modern art. It includes works from PopArt, Abstract and Surrealism, and has one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe. It also features many works by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein....
in Cologne, which in 2005 showed Kreuzweg (Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
), a sequence from Transzendentaler Konstruktivismus (Transcendental Constructivism), in connection with the World Youth Day 2005
World Youth Day 2005
The 20th World Youth Day 2005 was a Catholic youth festival that started on August 16 and continued until August 21, 2005 in Cologne, Germany. It was the first World Youth Day and foreign trip of Pope Benedict XVI, who joined the festival on August 18. This meeting was decided by the previous...
in Cologne.
In 2008 Reine Vernunft (Pure Reason) was presented at the Hamburger Bahnhof
Hamburger Bahnhof
Hamburger Bahnhof is a former railway station in Berlin, Germany, on Invalidenstraße in the Moabit district opposite the Charité hospital. Today it serves as the Museum für Gegenwart , a contemporary art museum....
in Berlin. It was their first comprehensive appearance in the capital. According to the museum, the works provide "an overview of the ironical and philosophical strategy of this artistic team", and show "intensive dedication to a continuous process of self-experimentation", with the Blumes having "performed groundwork on the nature of German existence", by investigating "'home sweet home' for every conceivable form of misery" rather than entering the wider world.
In 2010 several works were shown at the Kunstmuseum Bonn
Kunstmuseum Bonn
The Kunstmuseum Bonn or Bonn Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Bonn, Germany, founded in 1947. The Kunstmuseum exhibits both temporary exhibitions and its collection. Its collection is focused on Rhenish Expressionism and post-war German art...
in "Der Westen leuchtet / Eine Standortbestimmung der Kunstlandschaft des Rheinlandes" (The Luminous West / A site assessment of the art landscape in the Rhineland), presenting artists of the Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
.
Selected works
This list of titles and translations is based on the listing for Anna and Bernhard Blume by the Museums of North Rhine-WestphaliaNorth Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
.
- 1977 Ödipale Komplikationen? (Oedipal Complications?)
- 1977 Fliegender Teppich (Flying Carpet)
- 1984 Wahnzimmer (Delusion Chamber)
- 1985 Küchenkoller (Kitchen Frenzy)
- 1985/86 Trautes Heim (Sweet Home)
- 1987 Vasenekstasen (Vase Extasy)
- 1986 Mahlzeit (Meal)
- 1982–90 Im Wald (In the Forest)
- 1990 gegenseitig (Opposites), Polaroids
- 1994/95 Transzendentaler Konstruktivismus (Transcendental Constructivism)
- 2003/04 Abstrakte Kunst (Abstract Art)
- 2004 Das Glück ist ohne Pardon / Joy knows no mercy (book)
Selected exhibitions
- 1977 documenta 6Documentadocumenta is an exhibition of modern and contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany. It was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgartenschau which took place in Kassel at that time...
, KasselKasselKassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
(Bernhard Blume) - 1984 Von hier aus – Zwei Monate neue deutsche Kunst in DüsseldorfVon hier aus – Zwei Monate neue deutsche Kunst in DüsseldorfVon hier aus – Zwei Monate neue deutsche Kunst in Düsseldorf is the title of an art exhibition . It was organised by the city of Düsseldorf and the Gesellschaft für aktuelle Kunst Düsseldorf e.V...
- 1988 Shakespeare-House in CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Wahnzimmer installation, Bernhard Johannes Blume und Martin Eckrich - 1988 DuMonthalle, Cologne, Made in Cologne
- 1989 Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern ArtThe Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
, New York - 1991 Museum für Moderne KunstMuseum für Moderne KunstThe Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt am Main was founded in 1981. The museum was designed by the Viennese architect Hans Hollein. Because of its triangular shape, it is called "piece of cake"....
, Frankfurt - 1992 DeichtorhallenDeichtorhallenDeichtorhallen, in Hamburg, is one of Europe's largest art centers for contemporary art and photography. The two historical buildings dating from 1911-13 are iconic in style, with their open steel-and-glass structures. It's architecture creates a backdrop for spectacular major international...
Hamburg, Anna und Bernhard Blume - Zu Hause im Wald - 1993 Landesmuseum Münster
- 1995 Kunsthalle BremenKunsthalle BremenThe Kunsthalle Bremen is an art museum in the Hanseatic City Bremen, Germany.The Kunsthalle was built in 1849 and enlarged in 1902 by architect Eduard Gildemeister....
- 1996 Milwaukee Art MuseumMilwaukee Art MuseumThe Milwaukee Art Museum is located on Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Beginning around 1872, multiple organizations were founded in order to bring an art gallery to Milwaukee, as the city was still a growing port town with little or no facilities to hold major art exhibitions...
- 1997 KestnergesellschaftKestnergesellschaftKestnergesellschaft - is an art gallery in Hanover, Germany.The Kestnergesellschaft, sometimes referred to as the Kestner society, was founded in 1916 with the goal of promoting the arts in Hanover, Germany. Its founders included the painter Wilhelm von Debschitz...
, Hannover - 1997/1998 Centre National de la Photographie, Paris
- 2000 Museum KüppersmühleMuseum KüppersmühleMuseum Küppersmühle is a Centre for Modern and Contemporary Art based Duisburg's Inner Harbour. It houses the Ströher Collection. It is part of the Duisburg: Town and Harbour section of the Ruhr Industrial Heritage Trail.-Architecture:...
, Duisburg - 2002 Folkwang Museum Essen
- 2003 Kunsthalle Göppingen
- 2005 Museum LudwigMuseum LudwigMuseum Ludwig, located in Cologne, Germany, houses a collection of modern art. It includes works from PopArt, Abstract and Surrealism, and has one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe. It also features many works by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein....
, Cologne: Kreuzweg - 2005 Galerie nationale du Jeu de PaumeGalerie nationale du Jeu de PaumeThe Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume is a museum of contemporary art in the north-west corner of the Tuileries Gardens in Paris.The building was constructed in 1861 during the reign of Napoleon III...
, Paris - 2006 Museum am OstwallMuseum am OstwallThe Museum Ostwall is a museum of modern and contemporary art in Dortmund, Germany. It was founded in the late 1940s, and has been located in the Dortmund U-Tower since 2010...
, Dortmund: de-konstruktiv (Retrospective) - 2007 Haus KonstruktivHaus KonstruktivHaus Konstruktiv, the Foundation for Constructive and Concrete Art, was founded by private individuals in 1986. From 1987 to spring 2001 it was located at Seefeldstrasse 317 in the outer Seefeld area of Zurich and was known as the "House for Constructive and Concrete Art".It is now situated in new...
, Zürich: de-konstruktiv - 2008 Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum für GegenwartHamburger BahnhofHamburger Bahnhof is a former railway station in Berlin, Germany, on Invalidenstraße in the Moabit district opposite the Charité hospital. Today it serves as the Museum für Gegenwart , a contemporary art museum....
, Berlin: Reine Vernunft (Pure Reason) - 2010 Kunstmuseum BonnKunstmuseum BonnThe Kunstmuseum Bonn or Bonn Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Bonn, Germany, founded in 1947. The Kunstmuseum exhibits both temporary exhibitions and its collection. Its collection is focused on Rhenish Expressionism and post-war German art...
, several works in Der Westen leuchtet
Awards
- 1990 Konrad von Soest Prize
- 1996 Edwin Scharff Prize
- 2000 Berliner Kunstpreis (Berlin Art Prize)
Literature and sources
- Catalogue of documenta 6
- Vol. 1: "Malerei, Plastik/Environment, Performance"
- Vol. 2: "Fotografie, Film, Video"
- Vol. 3: "Handzeichnungen, Utopisches Design, Bücher". Kassel 1977 ISBN 3-920453-00-X
- Honnef, Klaus: 150 Jahre Fotografie (Erweiterte Sonderausgabe von Kunstforum International: 150 Jahre Fotografie III / Fotografie auf der documenta 6, Band 22); Mainz, Frankfurt am Main (Zweitausendeins) 1977
External links
- Anna & Bernhard Blume artfacts.net
- Anna und Bernhard Blume Kunstaspekte
- Anna & Bernhard Blume Exhibitions photography-now.com 2011
- Jürgen Hohmeyer: Poltergeister gegen Karos / Die Photokünstler Anna und Bernhard Johannes Blume betreiben eine "Chaotisierung" der Kleinbürger-Küche. Der SpiegelDer SpiegelDer Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
9 November 1987 - Zum Tod des Fotokünstlers Bernhard Blume / Erinnerung an eine Dortmunder Ausstellung revierpassagen.de 3. September 2011
- Damian Zimmermann: Taumelnd im Wahnzimmer / Nachruf: Der Kölner Fotograf Bernhard Blume, dessen Kunst erheitert und erhellt, ist gestorben Kölner Stadtanzeiger, 3. September 2011
- Collection > Picture gallery > Blume, Anna und Bernhard Johannes Landesmuseum Münster 2011
- Anna und Bernhard Blume Galerie Parrotta 2010