ARS AUTHENTICA

                                
NEWS:
ARS AUTHENTICA HAS HIT COPENHAGEN'S V1 Gallery:

BEN ROSS - ARS AUTHENTICA

From February 5, 2010 – February 20, 2010, Ben Ross, the young aspiring artist, presents for the first time parts of his extensive work in his solo-exhibition ARS AUTHENTICA in Berlin Mitte.

In over 100 drawings of various formats, he raises the question with a provocative undertone of what can currently be described as authentic. Ben Ross postulates the thesis that past and present substitute each other and allows both extremes to collide with each other by comparing his generation to other generations. Dictatorship versus democracy, politicians versus party kids; how does today’s youth distinguish itself from the youth 60 years ago? How does ideology differ from non-ideology? How do I behave in a public life where everything is already public? We are forced to question the concept of authenticity as a whole.

Ars Authentica flyer: Berlin (oben) , Vienna (unten) 

Mit der ARS AUTHENTICA tritt der junge, deutsche Künstler Ben Ross zum ersten Mal an die Öffentlichkeit und stellt ohne Kompromisse, mit Pauken und Trompeten, die gewagte Frage, was eigentlich noch authentisch ist. Mit provokantem Unterton will er wissen, ob wir uns der Absurdität des Einzigartigen und Originellen bewusst sind.

„How authentic is your mother? How authentic is your country? How authentic can art be? Is there something like „authentic“ anyway?“

Dieser Rundumschlag passt zeitlich natürlich gut, drehen sich doch die prätentiösen Theorien der Postmoderne, die jugendlichen Subkulturen, die immer mit dem neuesten Schrei aufwarten wollen und unsere kulturbürgerliche Verehrung des Künstlergenies immer um die selben Fragen: Ist es neu, ist es echt? Ist es vermarktbar und liegt es gerade im Trend? Gibt es das auch in blau?

Tatsächliche Inhalte und Aussagen treten bei der Fetischisierung der Authentizität in den Hintergrund und wir vergessen oft und gerne welches goldene Kalb wir da gerade anhimmeln. Solche Automatismen macht uns Ben Ross durch die inflationäre Benutzung des Hakenkreuzes bewusst. Erst bei dem am meisten negativ behafteten aller Symbole schrecken wir auf und fragen, ob er das denn darf. Ist das nicht etwas zu billig und geschmacklos, wollen wir wissen. Aber die Frage verstummt schnell, sind seine Zeichnungen doch so verführerisch mit den netten Katzengesichtern – und dann erst die aufregenden Performances. Wir sind hin- und her gerissen zwischen Abscheu und Genuss. Ben Ross weiß sehr genau wie seine Generation tickt und wie man sie erreicht. Seine Ästhetik ist ganz selbstverständlich immer am Puls der Zeit. Er ist kein eindimensionaler Kritiker und sein Werk funktioniert über mehrere Ebenen. Zum einen findet er seine Motive auf aktuellen Foto-Blogs oder in einschlägigen Magazinen, jenen Medien, über die sich junge Kulturen definieren.

Aber Ben Ross hat auch eine sensible und verletzliche Seite. Ungefiltert lässt er seine Gedanken und Kritik in Form von sehr persönlichen Wortfetzen und Satzfragmenten in seine Zeichnungen und Performances einfließen. Die Aussagen alternieren zwischen aggressiver Klage und intimen Seeleneinblicken. Innere Konflikte werden offen gelegt und zusammen mit Comic-Gesichtern zu Popkultur-Ikonen verwurstet. Der Künstler ist damit offenkundig und freiwillig ein authentisches Produkt seiner Zeit – dem Konsum verfallen und dabei sein größter Kritiker.

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ARS AUTHENTICA introduces the young German artist Ben Ross to a wider public for the first time. In an uncompromising and even spectacular way, he poses the racy question of what in our time can still be considered authentic. In a tongue-in-cheek manner which is typical for him, Ross questions whether we are aware of the absurdity of “originality” and “uniqueness”.

“How authentic is your mother? How authentic is your country? How authentic can art be? Is there something like ‘authentic’ anyway?”

This all-encompassing strike is meant to undermine the status quo. The questions relate to the plethora of postmodern theories and youth subcultures that seek to stun with the dernier cri, as well that of our cultural bourgeoisie, adoring the artist as genius. They constantly circle around the same questions: Is it new? Is it real? Is it the latest trend? Is it available in blue?

Actual content and a statement of purpose are of lesser importance when fetishizing authenticity and we can forget which golden calf we are actually worshipping. Such automatisms are made obvious by his frequent use of the swastika. Only when confronted with this poorest of all symbols is the audience startled and confused, and we ask ourselves if he is allowed to do that. “Isn’t this a tad cheap and tasteless?” we want to know. But our questions quickly fall silent as we become placated by his endearing drawings of cats and exciting performances. We are torn between rejection and indulgence.

Nonetheless, throughout Ross’s work there is also a sensitive and vulnerable quality. Thoughts and criticism flow constantly and unfiltered into his drawings and performances and take the shape of very personal verbal snippets. Their content fluctuates between aggressive laments and intimate insights or inner monologues where private and personal conflicts are exposed. Together with sketchy comic strip faces these are turned over into pop culture icons.

Ben Ross’s aesthetics follow the zeitgeist. He knows what makes his generation tick and how he can reach them. But he is not a one-dimensional critic and his oeuvre demonstrates the multitude of different levels he works on. On the one hand, he finds his motifs on current photo blogs and in magazines which are the media that define new cultural movements. Ross is openly and voluntarily a product of his time – he succumbs to consumerism and is its greatest critic at the same time.

Text: Magdalena Vukovic

"Hey my name is B.R. and i am German.
The Germans killed many Jews in the past.
What i am about to show you is an exhibition about the authenticity in our lives.
How authentic is your mother?
How authentic is your country?
How authentic can art be?
Is there something like "authentic" anyway?

Because of their history the Germans understand authenticity,
the internet knows the meaning of the word as well.
I trust the Germans more than the internet.
So, this is more an exhibition about
bringing back the trust to the people of Germany 
than about doing some arty stuff.
If you know what i mean"

Ben Ross 2010

Foto:_Julia Nitzschke

Foto: Ralph Bauechler

Macbook? Google? Facebook? Mp3?
Ideology is the coarse framework that we use for making sense of the world.

Kids stuff