Artists’ collective hobbypopMUSEUM (Sophie von Hellermann, Christian Jendreiko, Matthias Lahme, Dietmar Lutz, André Niebur, Marie-Céline Schäfer) based in London and Dϋsseldorf is internationally known for its special approach to art exhibitions and art making. The artist-members collaboratively create site-specific installations using a range of expressive media, from painting, drawing, photography, film, and music, to text, performance, sculpture, and architecture. Each of their installations is based on a specific concept which develops within the actual exhibition space.
The six artists arrived in Athens on January 10 and began working on a so-called “secret exhibition” on the first floor of the DESTE Foundation’s Center for Contemporary Art. Their installation is based on the concept of echo, and draws upon the myth of Narcissus and the notion of reflection. ECHO developed over twelve days, and during that time the audience was invited to take a sneak peek of the work in progress. The entire process was recorded on video, producing at the same time a new video work which was presented on the opening night and accompanied by a live soundtrack, itself a result of their recordings during their stay in Athens. On January 24, ECHO was presented in its final form, while hobbypopMUSEUM took on the role of performers, presenting a performance related to the installation’s concept.
Eventually, the “secret exhibition” was cut up and fragments – “traces” or “echoes”- of the original installation were installed at Bar-Restaurant Cosmos, transforming the space’s appearance. The artists interfered with Cosmos’ musical selections, lighting, and menu catalogues, altering the atmosphere through the use of sound, painting, sculptural elements, and projections.
