For the Time Being. Wall Paintings Painted Walls

In 1968, the American architect Philip Johnson designed the Kunsthalle Bielefeld, the first museum constructed in postwar Germany. In addition to the natural interior lighting, one of the central architectural features of the museum is the seemingly random arrangement of numerous, freestanding walls which result in unusual room sequences. With the exhibition “For the Time Being. Wall Paintings Painted Walls”, the museum director Friedrich Meschede succeeded to draw renewed attention to the modernity of this architectural landmark by means of contemporary painting.
Art-historical works by Sol LeWitt and the British artist Bridget Riley formed the basis of a retrospective spanning the last 50 years of mural painting. International artists have been invited to create temporary works which address the existing spatial situation and engage in artistic dialogue with selected paintings from the museum’s collection. The temporary murals have been painted onto the exterior walls of the building and, following the exhibition, have been painted over again.
All the works are documented in an accompanying publication, which, along with numerous museum-educational activities, presents a historic overview of mural painting and highlights its political character – especially in public space.

Artistic director: Friedrich Meschede
Artists: Sol LeWitt (US), Bridget Riley (GB), Lawrence Weiner (US), Michael Craig-Martin (IRL), Arturo Herrera (YV), Richard Wright (GB), Kara Walker (US), Kboco (BR), Josh Smith (US), Kilian Rüthemann (CH)

Kunsthalle Bielefeld, 4 Aug. – 20 Oct. 2013