«Ich bin wü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü tend», Sophie Taeuber-Arp / Mai-Thu Perret

In the exhibition "Ich bin wü ü ü ü ü tend"  Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s letters, isolated works (such as a never-before-shown necklace owned by Johanna Lohse), and testimonies of her work as a teacher of textile design at the Kunstgewerbeschule Zürich [Zurich School of Arts and Crafts] enter into dialogue with works by the Geneva-based artist Mai-Thu Perret (*1976). Perret’s multidisciplinary work combines feminist concerns, literary references, and questions about craft with the avant-garde movements of the 20th century. Political as well as formal questions of materiality are in the foreground. Dada and especially Sophie Taeuber-Arp represent an important source of inspiration for Perret. In addition to older works that quote Taeuber-Arp, the exhibition at Cabaret Voltaire shows new works by the artist.

In recent years, much has been done to honor the oeuvre of Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Nevertheless, the complex work of the artist between applied, visual and performing arts needs to be further explored. Many art-historical and cultural-analytical questions arise that are still relevant today: for example, about abstraction processes or concepts of artisthood in the context of genre hierarchies, gender attribution, or democracy. Particularly revealing in this regard are the letters of Sophie Taeuber-Arp purchased by the Zurich Central Library, which have recently been examined in an edition project by Medea Hoch, Walburga Krupp, and Sigrid Schade. Until now, the art historical reception of Sophie Taeuber-Arp has been based on the memories of Hans Arp and his companions. With the letters, it is possible for the first time to reconstruct the artist's «own» view and her system of reference.

Opening: 13.Oktober 2022, 18 pm