Mark Divo
Encyclopedia
Mark Divo is a Luxembourg
eois conceptual artist and curator
who organises large scale interactive art
projects incorporating the work of a number of well-known underground artists. His own work involves performance, photography, installation, often using found material
.
. After the fall of the Berlin wall
in 1989 he moved to East Berlin
, where he organised exhibitions at the Kunst Haus Tacheles. Between 1990 - 1994 he organised exhibitions, performances and murals with the Duncker group, which was awarded a prize by the Berlin Senate.
In 1994 he moved back to Zurich
where he created a number of murals and organised a group of travelling mural painters (including Gabriel Serra). There he became notorious for organising a number of underground art projects funded by the Swiss government, including the first exhibitions / events in the subways of Escherwyssplatz. In 1995, he organised an international festival of underground art for which he received considerable critical acclaim. The work was given the name "post Industrial Baroque" by critics. Amongst the artists who exhibited were Swiss artist Ingo Giezendanner
, German artist Leumund Cult
and British artist Lennie Lee
.
In 1996 Mark Divo exhibited at the Rich and famous gallery, London
. In the winter of 2002 he occupied the famous Cabaret Voltaire
with several artists including the Mikry Drei and Dan Jones. Together they succeeded in preventing the famous location closure. As a result of considerable publicity in the Swiss and international press, the building has now been turned into a museum dedicated to Dada (Cabaret Voltaire
). In 2003 he organised another international Dada festival at the Sihlpapierfabrik.
Since 2003 Divo has organised an annual international festival of Dada and In the summer of 2008 he set up a new art centre in the city of Kolín
, close to Prague
, together with his wife, Sonja Vectimov. In August 2009 Divo and Sonja were invited to curate a group of artists from the Divo Institute for the Subvision Art Festival in Hamburg.
Since becoming an artist, Mark Divo has exhibited in a number of prestigious museums throughout Europe including the Helmhaus in Zurich
, The Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius
, the Casino Luxemburg, the Kunsthaus Zurich
and the Kinsky Palace, Prague
. He has three times been awarded the city of Zurich's prestigious art prize and has created three major public sculptures for the city of Zurich.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
eois conceptual artist and curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
who organises large scale interactive art
Interactive art
Interactive art is a form of installation-based art that involves the spectator in a way that allows the art to achieve its purpose. Some installations achieve this by letting the observer or visitor "walk" in, on, and around them; Some others ask the artist to become part of the artwork.Works of...
projects incorporating the work of a number of well-known underground artists. His own work involves performance, photography, installation, often using found material
Found art
The term found art—more commonly found object or readymade—describes art created from undisguised, but often modified, objects that are not normally considered art, often because they already have a non-art function...
.
Career
Between 1988 and 1989 Divo worked in West BerlinWest Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
. After the fall of the Berlin wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
in 1989 he moved to East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
, where he organised exhibitions at the Kunst Haus Tacheles. Between 1990 - 1994 he organised exhibitions, performances and murals with the Duncker group, which was awarded a prize by the Berlin Senate.
In 1994 he moved back to Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
where he created a number of murals and organised a group of travelling mural painters (including Gabriel Serra). There he became notorious for organising a number of underground art projects funded by the Swiss government, including the first exhibitions / events in the subways of Escherwyssplatz. In 1995, he organised an international festival of underground art for which he received considerable critical acclaim. The work was given the name "post Industrial Baroque" by critics. Amongst the artists who exhibited were Swiss artist Ingo Giezendanner
Ingo Giezendanner
Ingo Giezendanner is a painter and installation artist and member of the Kroesos Foundation. He lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.Since 1998, Ingo Giezendanner, alias GRRRR, has been documenting the urban...
, German artist Leumund Cult
Leumund Cult
Jan Theiler, alias Pastor Leumund, born 1967, Germany. In the 1990s he was an influential curator, performance artist and musician on the underground scene organising large-scale music and performance events at various venues in East-Berlin including the Duncker14, K77, Prater, Kule, Tacheles and...
and British artist Lennie Lee
Lennie Lee
Lennie Lee is a South African conceptual artist who lives and works in London.-Life and career:Lennie Lee is a British artist born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He moved to the UK in 1960. He was educated at Dulwich college in London before winning a scholarship to study philosophy at Christ...
.
In 1996 Mark Divo exhibited at the Rich and famous gallery, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In the winter of 2002 he occupied the famous Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire (Zürich)
Cabaret Voltaire was the name of a nightclub in Zurich, Switzerland. It was founded by Hugo Ball, with his companion Emmy Hennings on February 5, 1916 as a cabaret for artistic and political purposes. Other founding members were Marcel Janco, Richard Huelsenbeck, Tristan Tzara, and Jean Arp...
with several artists including the Mikry Drei and Dan Jones. Together they succeeded in preventing the famous location closure. As a result of considerable publicity in the Swiss and international press, the building has now been turned into a museum dedicated to Dada (Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire (Zürich)
Cabaret Voltaire was the name of a nightclub in Zurich, Switzerland. It was founded by Hugo Ball, with his companion Emmy Hennings on February 5, 1916 as a cabaret for artistic and political purposes. Other founding members were Marcel Janco, Richard Huelsenbeck, Tristan Tzara, and Jean Arp...
). In 2003 he organised another international Dada festival at the Sihlpapierfabrik.
Since 2003 Divo has organised an annual international festival of Dada and In the summer of 2008 he set up a new art centre in the city of Kolín
Kolín
Kolín is a town in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic some east from Prague, lying on the Elbe river.-History:Kolín was founded by king Přemysl Otakar II in the 13th century, first mentioned in 1261. Later on, 1437, a castle was founded here...
, close to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, together with his wife, Sonja Vectimov. In August 2009 Divo and Sonja were invited to curate a group of artists from the Divo Institute for the Subvision Art Festival in Hamburg.
Since becoming an artist, Mark Divo has exhibited in a number of prestigious museums throughout Europe including the Helmhaus in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, The Contemporary Art Center, Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, the Casino Luxemburg, the Kunsthaus Zurich
Kunsthaus Zürich
The Kunsthaus Zürich houses one of the most important art museums in Switzerland and Europe, collected by the local Kunstverein, called Zürcher Kunstgesellschaft, and holdings running from the Middle Ages to contemporary art, with an emphasis on Swiss art.Kunsthaus is also the name of the tram stop...
and the Kinsky Palace, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. He has three times been awarded the city of Zurich's prestigious art prize and has created three major public sculptures for the city of Zurich.
External links
- Kroesus Foundation, the main website showing mark Divo's recent projects
- articles/prague2_article.html - The Real Biennale at the Kinsky palace
- Show at the Gallerie Staubkohler
- Prague Biennale
- Exhibition of photography
- http://www.schattenzeit.ch/dada03.htmlList of artists at the Cabaret Voltaire (Zurich)Cabaret Voltaire (Zürich)Cabaret Voltaire was the name of a nightclub in Zurich, Switzerland. It was founded by Hugo Ball, with his companion Emmy Hennings on February 5, 1916 as a cabaret for artistic and political purposes. Other founding members were Marcel Janco, Richard Huelsenbeck, Tristan Tzara, and Jean Arp...
] - Swiss Video Art