Ilya & Emilia Kabakov – The Tennis Game. In Dialogue with Boris Groys.

“The theme of the “Animal” evokes in me the feeling of bewilderment and incomprehension” – this is how the monumental work “The Tennis Game” (2000) by Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, which can be seen at the Kunsthaus Zug Schaudepot, begins. It quickly becomes clear that the subject is not the animal but the human being – caught up in the maelstrom of social and global political developments.

What follows is a fast-paced exchange of profound questions, humorous comments and dry confessions between Ilya Kabakov and the philosopher Boris Groys. Their question-and-answer (tennis) game on the blackboards that line the tennis court-sized work develops a captivating pull. Whoever steps onto the tennis court becomes part of the game – parries questions and becomes captivated by the game of thoughts.

Ilya & Emilia Kabakov are masters of the art of storytelling, as “The Tennis Game” impressively shows. Their multilayered work connects the incompatible and overcomes the gap between East and West by removing the utopia from both. The room-sized installation invites visitors to actively participate and connects the timeless work with the present.

Project management: Dr Matthias Haldemann (until April 2025), Mia Jenni (since June 2025)
Research assistant: Irina Gerber
Project support: Jana Bruggmann, Malte Frank, Fabienne Loosli

This exhibtion is generously supported by:
City of Zug