Artists have attained the status of transit avatars within the global art world, straddling between ceaseless transformations and boundless possibilities of communication. Exploring foreign territory is however no particularity for this day and age. Cross-border movements have in fact inspired generations over generations of artists due to fruitful cultural and artistic exchange. With the onset of the 19th century, industrial progress facilitated easy and far travel, and thus marks a period of elaborate encounters with foreign aesthetics.
The exhibition traces different artists’ transit in form of three thematic groupings of artworks.
The first theme represents adventurous travels that were undertaken with the purpose of apprenticeship. Expansion of the creative spectrum, exploration of strange worlds, and contemplation all served as sources of inspiration for the artist.
The second theme surrounds forced emigration on the basis of political, economic or ideological reasons. Yet even involuntary experiences abroad brought with them certain degrees of acculturation.
To touch upon foreignness must not necessarily involve physical movement away from familiar places. The third grouping comprises artworks that deal with inward immigration: during times of social and political crisis, artists drew back into themselves and sought shelter there.
The exhibition draws artworks from MdbK’s archive collection of graphical paintings.
