WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL Neustift / Novacella 2024
24. APR — 29. JUN 2024 MON — SAT 10:00 — 17:00
From April to June, when the days get longer and warmer, the WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL celebrates light and water in nature and culture. In a decentralized exhibition project, local and international artists show art projects during the day in the Neustift Abbey and in the evening in the historic city center of Brixen. The focus of this year’s edition is on water as an element of the natural and cultural history of South Tyrol, as well as a central theme of the present concerning the sustainable, future-oriented development of the region.
The Neustift Abbey was founded in 1142 near the episcopal city of Brixen, and ever since, Augustinian canons have lived there. Several businesses, including the Neustift Abbey winery, provide the material basis for the monastic community and the maintenance of the Abbey complex. Today, the canons are active as pastors in 25 parishes in South and East Tyrol. Eduard Fischnaller has headed the Abbey as provost since 2015.
Since the expansion of the Abbey Museum in 2020/21, the Abbey has become a production and presentation site for contemporary art. In addition to the permanent art interventions by Paul Renner in the museum extension, this year there will be the ABITARSI project, curated by Elisa Barison, from 18 April to 26 October, and the WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL, curated by Bettina Pelz, from 24 April 24 to 19 June.
— Oscillations
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Anish Kapoor
— Ode to Peter (2003)
anishkapoor.com
Atelier Mejia Wälz
— Tableaux Faux
mejiawaelz.de
Brigitte Kowanz
— Lichtwechsel (2002)
— Wir schwimmen in der Linie und tauchen sporadisch ins Mosaik (2002)
kowanz.com
Corrie Francis Parks
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Charly Nijensohn
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Dorra Hichri
— C-P H2O
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François Morellet
— Recreation Nr. 7 (1994)
francois-morellet.fr
Heinz Mack
— Licht Raum Farbe (2003)
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Jakub Nepraš
— Liana
jakubnepras.com
— Bodies Inside Each Other
jazminrojasforero.com
Juan Francisco Rodriguez
— Dew Portal
juan-francisco-rodriguez.com
Julian Hölscher
— Vivid Canvas
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Laurence Bonvin
— Aletch Negative
laurencebonvin.com
Keith Sonnier
— Chacahoula (1997)
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Martina dal Brollo
— Polarized View
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Nicolas Rupcich
— Archipélago Archive
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Rosmarie Weinlich
— Anima
— Habitat
rosmarieweinlich.de
Sara Förster
— Lichtbilder (Neustift)
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In Cooperation with Cazador Del Sol
Sonnenfeld / I campi del sole
— In the Neustift Abbey
For the WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL, the Neustift Abbey is presenting an exhibition program with twenty local and international artistic positions. The exhibition parkour stretches from the Castle of the Holy Angel into the museum’s exhibition, including the central cloister and the former chapter house. The artists shared nidus is on water and light in contemporary art. Since 2022, cooperation with the Zumtobel Art Collection has also made it possible to show selected works by renowned 20th/21st century artists.
— NOTATIONS The importance of water and light for the environment and climate
The exhibition NOTATIONS explores various questions: How do artists observe environmental and climate changes? Which parameters are essential in aesthetic observation? What does artistic research mean? What does artistic engagement mean? Artists who refer to light or water as environmental and climatic factors were asked to participate in the international exhibition program.
NOTATIONS Light and water in contemporary art
Artists from Italy, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and the USA show how they work with material samples, set up experimental systems, or document changes in ecologically sensitive environments.
— Based on material samples
Sara Foerster takes light samples and translates them into color fields. Dorra Hichri investigates what remains of water when it dries up. Annika Hippler records the movements of light in water in both natural and experimental environments. Camila Mejia and Eric Wälz digitize soil samples.
— Experimenting in artistic laboratories
Juan Francisco Rodriguez looks at the world through a dewdrop. Jazmin Rojas Forero collects water like the plants called „the great monks“ do in the mountains of Latin America. Rosmarie Weinlich observes plants and crystals as they live and decay. Martina Dal Brollo examines plastic waste.
— Working with artistic recordings
Jakub Nepras shows urban life as a networked organic system and a biological habitat. Laurence Bonvin visited the Aletsch Glacier in Switzerland and developed an animation based on her images and sound recordings. Nicolás Rupcich has been to the Arctic Circle and is showing a selection of his recordings in a video archive. Charly Nijensohn presents visual worlds from ecological systems in the southern hemisphere.
NOTATIONS Light and water in the history of art
Julian Hölscher seeks a dialogue with Caspar David Friedrich, who painted „The Arctic Ocean“ 200 years ago, in 2024. The designer developed a 3D projection mapping for the historical painting, including a sound collage, based on records of sailors available during Caspar David Friedrich’s lifetime. Such reports and Caspar David Friedrich’s observations of the frozen Elbe inspired the painter. Julian Hölscher takes the idea of „mixed realities“ further and illustrates the historical painting with the media artistic means of the 21st century.
NEW Not only artificial light as a material for art but also daylight
Since 2017, WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL has been an exhibition project for contemporary light and media art. This year, for the first time, selected projects that use natural daylight as a reagent rather than artificial light are participating.
— The natural light spectrum is broader than what we see
UV light is part of the natural light spectrum, but — unlike for many animals — it is not visible to humans. The site-specific installation of the „solar field“ by Cazador del Sol makes UV light visible. Fluorescent pigments embedded in diaphanous acrylic glass panes begin to glow whenever UV light is present.
— The sculpture as a light object
The sculpture „Light — Space — Color“ by Heinz Mack from 2003 is a resonating body of glass, partially vaporized with paint. The serially staggered glass panels form a lively spectrum of shades in which daylight and artificial light intermingle. Depending on the light and viewing angle, Multiple light refractions and reflections are created and change the appearance of the glass object.
— Photography as a light drawing
Sara Förster was at Neustift Abbey in March 2024 for the „Lichtbilder (Neustift)“. Onsite, she experimented with instant images. She processed the peel-apart pictures, in which the analog image develops immediately, experimenting with her hands instead of using a camera. Color and texture were determined by the type of movement when mixing the photochemical elements and the duration of exposure. Her works are material samples of the local light situation.
NEW The Zumtobel Collection on display, not only in the Castle of the Holy Angel but also in the museum
— The art history of light
Selected artistic positions that have shaped the art history of light from the 1950s to the present are on display at Neustift Abbey. This year, for the first time, these works can be seen not only in Castel of the Holy Angel but throughout the museum in dialog with cultural-historical sites and exhibits.
— Exploring the interplay of light
Heinz Mack (*1931) was a co-founder of the artist network ZERO, which has been active in Germany and Europe since the 1950s. He is represented for the first time at the WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL.
— Drawing with light
François Morellet (1926 — 2016) was a co-founder of the artist group GRAV (Group de Recherche d’Art Visuel), active in France and Latin America. The installation „Lamentable“ was already on display at Castel Sant’Angelo in 2023. „Recreation No 7“ is part of the exhibition program this year.
— Bathing in light
Keith Sonnier (1941 — 2020) was one of the pioneers in the USA who began translating drawings into neon light in the 1960s. He later developed a series of light rooms entitled BA—O—BA to bathe in light. One of Sonnier’s works was displayed for the first time in the Zumtobel Collection at the Castle of the Holy Angel in 2022. This year, the neon drawing „Chacahoula“ opens the museum’s exhibition tour.
— Coding with light
Brigitte Kowanz (1957 — 2022) focused on signing and coding properties of light and used neon lines and texts. Her work „Delight“ was part of the exhibition program in 2022. Two works from 2002 can be seen at Neustift Abbey this year: The fluorescent tube-based installation „Wir schwimmen in der Linie und tauchen sporadisch ins Mosaik“ and the LED-based installation „Lichtwechsel“.
— Without light rendering
Anish Kapoor (*1954) contrasts the presence and absence of light. In the selection and development of his artistic materials, light-responsive behavior in terms of refraction, reflection, and color rendering is of decisive importance. The installation „Ode to Peter“ (2003) contrasts a deep black, non-reflective screen embedded in a dynamic light frame.
LINKS
WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL Brixen / Bressanone
WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL Neustift / Novacella
PROGRAM
In collaboration with the Neustift Schülerheim
FIND YOUR WAY — Schülerheim presents WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL
16 JUN 2024 3:00 — 5:00 pm
For the International Day of Museums
OPEN ART WORKSHOP with Martina Dal Brollo
18 JUN 2024 10:00 — 17:00 hrs
GUIDED TOURS
TUE — THU — SAT 2:30 — 4:00 PM
In German and Italian at the same time,
in two groups separated by language.
There is an additional fee of 5 € for the guided tour.
A reservation is possible but not needed.
FEATURED IMAGE
Atelier Mejia Wälz. WATER LIGHT FESTIVAL Neustift 2024 (Lokale Proben). Photo: Camila Mejia.