The space of discomfort

‘I'm actually quite different, but I rarely get the chance to show it.’ – Ödön von Horváth

In the midst of the sacred space, installations, photography, 3D animation, AI-based imagery and specially composed soundscapes converge to create a multi-layered experiential space that does not keep its distance, but involves the viewer physically and emotionally.

The starting point for the exhibition is Kirschler's ongoing series of works DER RAUM DES UNBEHAGENS (The Space of Discomfort), which emerged from his 2022 installation In Nomine Patris, an artistic examination of the abuse of power within church structures.

In the Galilee Church, this theme is expanded and updated: power, violence, manipulation, conspiracy theories, hate speech, war and the erosion of democratic values are made tangible as interwoven phenomena. Kirschler's works deliberately operate in the field of tension between aesthetics and imposition. Memorable images and precisely choreographed soundscapes contrast with the content addressed. The church space is not merely used as a stage, but is semantically charged: as a place of moral negotiation, historical guilt and social responsibility.

Soundscapes that can be heard through headphones and different media levels create a perceptual situation for each visitor. DER RAUM DES UNBEHAGENS (THE SPACE OF DISCOMFORT) is thus less an exhibition in the classical sense than a space of experience that invites self-questioning and critical engagement with contemporary images of power and the world.


On Sunday, 15 February, at 3:30 p.m., there will be a conversation between Sebastian Frenzel, deputy editor-in-chief of the art magazine Monopol, and Julian
Kirschler.

• Admission to the talk and the exhibition is free throughout.
  

Julian Kirschler lives and works in Pforzheim, Berlin and Schwarzenberg in the Bregenzerwald. For many years, his work has dealt with social transformation processes and the fragility of democratic systems.