Clegg & Guttmann, Sha'àt'nez or The Displacement Annex, Sigmund Freud Musuem, Vienna 2004
Kay Carson goes to Manchester Cornerhouse to grapple with an unusual art exhibition that relies on public participation.
Not so much an exhibition – more a social experiment, Clegg and Guttmann’s first UK solo offering is something which will look markedly different by the end of its run than it did at the start - at least, that is the plan.
At Manchester’s Cornerhouse until September 24 2006, Social Sculptures, Community Portraits and Spontaneous Operas 1990-2006 is a time-based study of people, comprising five public projects and a new piece devised specifically for their stint in the North West, entitled Manchester 1911.
Clegg & Guttmann, The Open Public Library, Graz, re-contextualised
The artists have broken free from the idea of static monuments in favour of a more fluid process. Their objective in installations like The Open Public Library, Graz, Recontextualised (1990/1993/2003), where bookcases stand empty, with a cache of books nearby for visitors to place as they wish, is to observe the different resulting combinations - and context - each time. The rate at which the shelves are filled also depends entirely upon the public.
When Clegg and Guttmann first introduced this work, it was in a public space in an Austrian neighbourhood; an open invitation to take action - not to mention books - and reflect upon those actions. As is turned out, the books were not stolen and a social sculpture was born.
Clegg and Guttmann are fascinated by permutations; their art has the feel of a film where the plot could have any one of several outcomes but the public is responsible for creating the final result. However, The Seven Bridges of Königsberg, Recontextualised (1999/2005) contradicts this.
Clegg & Guttmann, The Seven Bridges of Königsberg, 1999/2005
The huge structure, dominating the gallery, refers back to its first incarnation, in Germany, when it contained books in an order relating to the mathematical proof associated with each of the bridges. The 18th century mathematician Leonhard Euler claimed it was impossible to cross all of the bridges only once and return to your starting point.
With the original framework, the artists have echoed this claim by stating that their scientific book collection could not run alphabetically without the need for some cross-reference or retracing of steps.
Today, it stands devoid of its book-flesh, like a great wooden skeleton; but on surrounding walls, there are 45 photographs that chronicle participants grappling with books and routes, round the clock. Also merrily displayed are half-a-dozen diagrams that explain six failed attempts at debunking the theory.
Clegg & Guttmann, Man with Beard – The Public Speaker Platform of Grieskirchen, 1997/2005
Their newest addition, Manchester 1911, is little more than an embryo at this stage, but all hopes are pinned on its ‘arrival’ at the end of September. The idea was conceived following the discovery that philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein and atomic physicist Ernest Rutherford had both studied in Manchester that year.
How far they could have influenced one another, given their polarity of discipline, is the point up for debate. Online opinions and comments are being sought along the way, which will eventually culminate in a discussion.
Watching over everything, with a knowing smile, is Man With Beard - The Speaker’s Platform of Grieskirchen (2005). Last year Clegg and Guttmann built a open-air stage in the small Upper Austrian town, where locals were invited to perform for one night only. The hirsute hero in the huge photograph was just one of more than 500 people taking part; but he has become their iconic and mysterious symbol for posterity.
A lecture entitled Manchester 1911: Activating the Social Sculpture - takes place on Friday September 22, 2006 1pm-3pm. Contact the gallery for more details.
