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When attitude becomes form: Daniel Birnbaum on Harald Szeemann.

Whenattitudebecomesform:DanielBirnbaumon
HaraldSzeemann.
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TitleAnnotation: PASSAGES
Author:
Birnbaum,Daniel
ArticleType:
Obituary
Date:
Jun22,2005
Words:
2119
Publication:
ArtforumInternational
ISSN:
10867058
HARALDSZEEMANN,whodiedinFebruaryattheageofseventyone,wasthemost
influentialcuratorofhisgenerationand,arguably,themostinfluentialofalltime,sincehe
practicallydefinedthecurator'sroleasweunderstandittoday.Fordecades,heworkedoutof
astudiohecalled"TheFactory"inthesmallSwissvillageofTegna,conceivingexhibitions
thatwereinternationalinscopeandconsistentlydodgingthecategoriesoftraditionalmuseum
practice,oftendaringtoplacehistoricalandcontemporaryartworksbesideanthropological
artifacts,sacredobjects,technicaldevices,andoccultinstruments.Szeemannsought,he
said,tocreateshowsthatwere"poemsinspace."Andinthewakeofhismoveawayfrom
quasiscientificmuseologicalattemptstoclassifyandorderculturalmaterial,thefigureofthe
curatorwouldnolongerbeseenasablendofbureaucratandculturalimpresario.Instead,he
emergedasakindofartisthimself,orassomewouldsaywithnosmalldegreeofskepticism
towardSzeemann'sgenuinebeliefthatartexhibitionswerespiritualundertakingswiththe
powertoconjurealternativewaysoforganizingsocietyametaartist,utopianthinker,oreven
shaman.
[ILLUSTRATIONOMITTED]
SzeemannhimselfpreferredthedowntoearthAusstellungsmacher(exhibitionmaker)ashis
jobtitle.Butthismodesttermhardlyconveysarealsenseofhiscuratorialendeavors,whose
"controlledchaos"(Szeemann'sphrase)mightproductivelybetracedbacktohisbriefcareer
intheaterduringthe1950s,whichincludedarenownedtransvestiteactandanhomageto
DadaistHugoBallbeforeendingwithhisegomaniacalonemanproductionofUrfaustin1956
(yes,Szeemannplayedalltheroleshimself)."Itgivesyouthesamerhythmasintheater,only
youdon'thavetobeonstageconstantly,"hesaidinthesepagesregardinghisdecisionin
1957toentertheartworldanddirectexhibitions.Fouryearslater,attheageoftwentyeight,
hebecamedirectoroftheKunsthalleBern.Itwasaratherprovincialinstitutionatthetime,but
thebarebonesvenuepreciselybecauseitlackedanypermanentcollectiondictatedthat
Szeemanntakeupakindofimprovisational,laboratoryapproachandworkingstylethathe
wouldmaintainthroughouthislife.Atanunbelievablepaceanexhibitionopenedevery
monthSzeemannintroducedabaffledlocalaudiencetothenewestgenerationofAmerican
andEuropeanartists,manyofwhomreceivedtheirearliestopportunitiesfromtheyoung
director.ChristoandJeanneClaude'sfirstmajorproject,forexample,waswrappingthe
kunsthallein1968andthevenuealsoofferedAndyWarholoneofhisfirstshowsina
Europeaninstitution.
[ILLUSTRATIONOMITTED]
ButthelandmarkeventofSzeemann'stenureinBernwasalsohisgrandfinale:"LiveinYour
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When attitude becomes form: Daniel Birnbaum on Harald Szeemann.

ButthelandmarkeventofSzeemann'stenureinBernwasalsohisgrandfinale:"LiveinYour
Head:WhenAttitudesBecomeForm,"thefirstmajorsurveyofConceptualarttotakeplacein
Europe.Thetumultuous1969show,subtitled"Works,concepts,processes,situations,
information,"markedanimportantmethodologicalshiftforexhibitionpractice,inthatartists
weremoreorlessfreetocontributeanyworkthattheyfeltwouldberelevant.Sincethe
artists,inSzeemann'swords,"tookovertheinstitution,"theyalsodidtheirbesttoredefinethe
physicalconditionsfortheshow:LawrenceWeinerremovedthreesquarefeetofwallspace
MichaelHeizerdemolishedthesidewalkwithametalballRichardSerracontributedoneof
his"SplashPieces"involvingmoltenlead.RichardLong,ontheotherhand,leftthe
institutionalframeworkbehindandwentonathreedayhikeintheSwissmountains.Asthe
titlesuggested,thiswasnotanexhibitionofartworksbutof"attitudes,"theimplicationbeing
thattheartiststhemselves,ascreativesubjectsandeccentricpersonalities,wereasmuchon
displayastheoftenephemeralworksresultingfromtheiractivities.Infact,intheintroduction
totheshow'scatalogue,SzeemannmentionsthatsomeoftheConceptualandEarthartists
whoappearinthecataloguehadnoworksintheshow.Todaythiskindofapproachis
acceptedpracticeinmanyinternationalexhibitions(forbetterand,somewouldsay,for
worse):Firsttheartistisinvited,thencomesthequestionofwhattheworkwillbe.Butin1969
thismethodwasentirelynovel.(ThoughoneshouldalsonotethatSzeemannwasnotentirely
alone:Forexample,NewYorkartistandcuratorSethSiegelaubwasexploringsimilarideas
contemporaneously,notablycreatingashowinwhichartistscouldmaketheirpieces
"anywhereintheworld.")

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Thenewmodelhadnolessanimpactonthepublicroleofthecurator,whowasnownotonly
anaccomplicebutalsoakeyprotagonisttheenterprisingfigureresponsibleforthe
exhibition'sverystagingasanevent.Unfortunately,thepublicreactionto"WhenAttitudes
BecomeForm"wasoverwhelminglynegative("WhenPlatitudesBecomeForm,""Sabotagein
theArtTemple,""IsArtFinallyDead?""Stupidity..."arejustafewheadlinesfoundinlocal
newspapersatthetime),andscandalsaccompaniedtheopening(DanielBuren,whohadn't
actuallybeeninvitedtoparticipateintheshow,wasarrestedforexecutingaposterproject
illegallyinthestreets).Inaddition,Szeemann,whohadalreadycomeunderheavyfirefrom
thekunsthalle'sboardfornotshowingenoughSwissartists,wasassailedagainforthe
numberofforeignartistshefeatured.Undersuchincreasingpressures,Szeemanndecidedto
resign,butonlytobecomesomethingthathadneverpreviouslyexisted,assumingarolethat
wouldaffectthemostfundamentaloperationsoftheartworldcommunityfordecadesto
come:theindependentcurator.
Bychoosingnottodirectaninstitution,Szeemannforgedanewmodeofworking,eschewing
traditionalmuseumtaskssuchascollecting,restoring,orkeepingboardmembersand
trusteescontentinordertoengageawiderculturalcontext.Tothisend,hecreatedthe
AgenturfurGeistigeGastarbeit(AgencyforSpiritualGuestWork,"guestworker"beingthe
termforimmigrantlaborersinSwitzerlandandthereforeanobviousjabatBern),aone
personbusinesswithateamofdevotedcollaboratorstakingcareofexhibitionarchitecture,
transportation,insuranceproblems,bookkeeping,andallotherpracticalmatters.Szeemann's
agencyhadnoobjectiveothrthancommunicatinghisvisionofaradicallydifferentzoneof
energy,passion,andintensity.Everyshowhedidfromtheearly'70suntiltheveryendwas
definedas"spiritualguestwork,"madeintheserviceof"apossiblevisualizationofamuseum
ofobsessions."TheonlymuseumSzeemannwastrulyinterestedin,hesaid,wastheonein
hisownhead:animaginary,otherworldlyentity,akindofutopianspherethatactual
exhibitionscouldonlyhintat.Itwas,heinsisted,amuseumofobsessions:"Whereno
obsessionsaretobediscerned.Ihavenoreasontolinger."
Duringthefollowingthreedecades,hemadehismarkonmostlargescaleundertakingsinthe
artworld.In1980hecreated"Aperto,"asectionoftheVeniceBiennaledevotedtoyoung
artists,andtwodecadeslater,in1999and2001,hereturnedtothefestivalasdirectorofthe
entireinternationalsection,whichheexpandedtothemassivesizeitistoday.Butitis
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When attitude becomes form: Daniel Birnbaum on Harald Szeemann.

importanttoacknowledgethatwhileSzeemann'sbecomingindependentsignaledthe
beginningsofanartworldinfrastructurefamiliartousnow,eventsleadinguptothe
presentationof"WhenAttitudesBecomeForm"hadalreadymarkedacrossroadsofsortsfor
thefinancingofartinstitutions.Inretrospect,allthedilemmasofcorporatesponsorshipand
brandingincontemporaryarttodayarefullyarticulatedinthisshow.Remarkably,accordingto
Szeemann,theexhibitioncameaboutonlybecause"peoplefromPhilipMorrisandthePR
firmRuderFinncametoBernandaskedmeifIwouldliketodoashowofmyown.They
offeredmemoneyandtotalfreedom."Indeed,theexhibition'scatalogueseemsuncannyinits
prescience:"Asbusinessmenintunewithourtimes,weatPhilipMorrisarecommittedto
supporttheexperimental."writesJohnA.Murphy,thecompany'sEuropeanpresident,
assertingthathiscompanyexperimentedwith"newmethodsandmaterials"inawayfully
comparabletotheConceptualartistsintheexhibition.(Andyet,showingtheothersideofthis
corporatefundingequation,itwasawhilebeforethecompanysupportedtheartsinEurope
again,perhapsneedingtimetorecoverfromallthenegativepresssurroundingtheevent.)
Significantly,asanindependentcuratorSzeemannwasinnovativethroughouthislifewhenit
cametofinancinghisventures,alwaysexploringapproachesfromoutsidetheartworld:"The
exhibition'Thebachelormachines'isinitsfinancinganalternativeundertakingwhosemodel
mighthavebeenfilmproduction,"readsthetellingfirstsentenceofthecatalogueforthat1975
show.
[ILLUSTRATIONOMITTED]
"TheBachelorMachines"wasamongSzeemann'smostoriginalprojects,basedonwhathe
describedas"abeliefineternalenergyflowasawaytoavoiddeath,asaneroticsoflife."
Terrifyingyetfascinatingapparatuseshavebeenconceivedby,amongothers,FranzKafka,
MarcelDuchamp,RaymondRoussel,andAlfredJarry,andintheir"splendidambiguity,"he
wroteintheshow'scatalogue,thesemachinesstandfor"theomnipotenceoferoticismandits
negation,fordeathandimmortality,fortortureandDisneyland,forfallandresurrection."That
exhibition,alongwithsuchothersas"MonteVerita."namedforanearlytwentiethcentury
utopiancommuneofartistsandintellectuals(1978).or"Gesamtkunstwerk"(1983),named
aftertheWagnerianvision,allowedthecurator'sownpassionsandobsessionstofully
materialize,andthroughthem,Szeemann'suniquesignaturebecamemostlegible.These
showsperhapsbestfitSzeemann'spresentationofhimselfasalonesomecowboy"old
school,"hesaidtomeinaninterviewforArtforumin2001whopreferreddoingeverything
soloinsteadofsurroundinghimselfwithateamofadvisors.
Anotableexceptionwashis1972Documenta5,generallyseenasthemostpioneeringofthe
Kasselextravaganzasemulatingthe"controlledchaos"ofhisBerndays,Szeemann
famouslyrefashionedtheshowfroma"100DayMuseum"toa"100DayEvent"andlikely
thefirstexampleofalargescaleexhibitionwithseparatesectionsorganizedbydifferent
curatorsanddevotedtoindividualthemes,includingrealism,propaganda,artbythementally
disturbed,andsciencefiction.
[ILLUSTRATIONOMITTED]
ThemostcontroversialcategorywasalsotheonethatmostclearlybelongedtoSzeemann.
Originallylabeled"MysticismandShamanism"inanapparentnodtoJosephBeuys,whowas
atDocumentainamakeshiftofficeansweringquestionsaboutart,Szeemannultimately
settledonthetitle"IndividualMythologies,"aphrasehecoinedwithrespecttoFrenchsculptor
andalchemistEtienneMartin'shermeticcosmoswhichseemedtohimtobebuiltuponan
intricateyetimpenetrablesystemofsigns,akindofmythunknowabletoanyonebuttheartist
himself.So,Szeemannseemedtoask,howcanadeeply"egocentric"universeeverbe
communicatedinalanguagesharedbymany?Whencriticizedforhavingproduceda
confusingoxymoronratherthanahelpfulartisticcategory,SzeemannreferencedViennese
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When attitude becomes form: Daniel Birnbaum on Harald Szeemann.

actionists,VitoAcconci,ChristianBoltanski,MarioMerz,andPaulThek,insistingthat,inthe
end,alltrulyinterestingartistsaretheoriginatorsofindividualmythologies.YetinSzeemann's
viewtherewerealsofascinatingcreatorsofindividualmythologiesoutsideoftheartworld.
OneofthemostunusualshowsheeverstagedhappenedsoonafterDocumenta5andtook
placeinhismodestapartmentinZurich:"Grandfatherapioneerlikeus"(1974).Describedas
"atorturechamberintheserviceofbeauty,"itpresentedthepersonalbelongingsfirstand
foremostthehairdressingequipmentofSzeemann'sbelovedgrandpa,aHungarianborn
hairdresserandadventurerwhodiedin1971attheageofninetyeight.InSzeemann's
opinionthisshowremainedoneofhismoreimportantachievements:anarrestingandunique
glimpseoftheevasive,heavenlymuseumofobsessions.
Allcreatorsofindividualmythologiesmustbemad,Szeemannseemedtosuggestyet
throughouthislifehelikedtoquotetheItalianpublisherMazzotta'ssloganthat"nowisthe
timetofindthelunatics."Forhispart,Szeemannwasapropheticactivistinsearchof
visionaries.Therearepeoplewhohaveaninexplicableabilitytodetectsubterraneancurrents
ofwateror(especiallyintheAlpinecountries)crystalsandveinsofpreciousore,and
Szeemannwaslikethatakindofdowserofartisticenergy.Heknewhehadthisgift,and
althoughhewasnotasignificanttheoreticalwriter,heoftenwrotewithgreatenergyanddetail
abouthisquestindiaries,preparatorynotes,openletters,andbeautifullyimpulsive
catalogueessaysandarticles.Oneofthelatter,titled"InszenierenistLieben"(ToStageIsto
Love1991),hasbecomeacanonicaldocumentforcontemporarycurating,spellingouta
programofsettingenergiesfreeandemphasizingnonverballevelsofsignificanceinherentin
theworksondisplay.Ofcourse,eveninordinaryconversationhecouldarticulatehisproject
succinctly:"Inputtingtogetheranexhibition,"Szeemannoncesaid,"Itookboth
connoisseurshipandthedisseminationofpureinformationintoaccountandtransformedboth.
That'sthefoundationofmywork."
DanielBirnbaumisacontributingeditorofArtfortum.
COPYRIGHT2005ArtforumInternationalMagazine,Inc.
Copyright2005,GaleGroup.Allrightsreserved.GaleGroupisaThomsonCorporationCompany.

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