Andrea Ziegler | Horst Janssen: What Is the Truth and Where Did It Go?

“What Is the Truth and Where Did It Go?” is an exhibition structured as a dialogue, which juxtaposes selected works by the draughtsman and printmaker Horst Janssen with new textile works by the artist, curator and former Horst Janssen Museum scholarship holder Andrea Ziegler. The starting point is the question of truth, perception and trust in a world shaped by media and technology. Through freehand machine embroidery, Ziegler translates motifs, structures and conceptual frameworks from Janssen’s work into a contemporary, craft-based visual language. In doing so, she addresses current social issues and encourages reflection on media manipulation and the construction of reality and truth. 

The exhibition begins conceptually with a questioning of truth and reality. A prime example of this is the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 – an event that remains, to this day, characterised by conflicting interpretations, myths and political exploitation, and which Ziegler explores in her work “Unscheduled Disassembly I”. Through Janssen’s key series of works, such as ‘Laokoon. Annette’s Trees’, ‘Nigromontanus’, ‘Hanno’s Death’ and the etching series ‘19.05.1990’, Ziegler draws a connection to contemporary themes such as the reception of events conveyed by the media, technological developments, promises of the future and tech ideologies.

In contrast to the ever-increasing use of artificial intelligence, Andrea Ziegler’s freehand machine embroidery sends a clear message in favour of human craftsmanship, individual artistic expression and independent artistic authorship. Central to the exhibition is the question of what defines us as human beings within the tension between technology, perception and social cohesion. The exhibition is also intended as a space for discussion: questions displayed on the walls and talks by experts – as a counterpoint to digital and algorithmically controlled forms of communication – invite visitors to engage in analogue and direct social exchange.

We warmly invite you to the exhibition opening on Friday, 14 August, at 7 pm.  Please register your attendance here »