The Hardest Word

exhibition: 1-channel video, mixed media, drawings 2023

‘The Hardest Word’ is is title of my solo exhibition of a new body of work that I’m currently showing in the Kunsthalle Kempten in Kempten, Bavaria Germany.

The exhibition is based on my research into various types, famous examples and the contemporary culture of apologies. In three parts I’m looking at public gestures of regret and apology in form of a series of large scale drawing, local apologies from the city of Kempten represented through a collection of objects, historic artefacts and explored in a series of workshops, and personal and professional perspectives on how to apologies through a 1-channel video work.

The exhibition explores the ways we offer, formulate and negotiate apologies in a time of cancel culture, #metoo, political and industrial scandals and the shift and accelerating speed of the public discourse on social media.

Entschuldigung v. 0.1

1 channel video, ca 21min52sec, HD, stereo sound, 2023

‘Entschuldigung v.0.1’ explores from different perspectives and positions what an apology is, what makes a good one and why apologizing can be difficult. For this work, I interviewed various people from Kempten and in my network. I conducted the interviews between June and October 2023 partly at peoples workplaces, some in their homes or filmed as a selfie video.

Elias, Diego, Rocco and Niklas play football in the youth league of FC Kempten. Thomas Rauch is the local priest of Kempten St Lorenz. church. Thomas Rathgeber is a former professional footballer and coach at FC Kempten. Johannes Lang is a social worker and youth coach at FC Kempten. Duncan James is a musician and member of the English boy band Blue. Simon Gosejohann is a comedian and podcaster and lives in Berlin. Georg auf Lieder is a world champion stair climber and budding camping expert. Alexander Hold is a lawyer, politician for the Free Voters and former TV actor. Rolf is my stepfather and a former teacher. Dr Dr Daniel Wagner is a psychotherapist with a practice in Cologne.

Drawings

140 x 200cm, reflective textile, acrylic

Canossa (Henry IV)
Based on the ‘Road to Canossa’ — In December 1076, the Roman-German King Henry IV of Saxony walked across the Alps to Canossa, in northern Italy, to beg the Pope to readmit him to the Church. Henry IV had previously been excommunicated after a dispute with the Pope. Henry IV waited outside the castle gates for three days before the Pope finally granted him entry and absolved him.

Kniefall (EN: taking the knee)
’Kniefall’ is based on a historic event, in German known as ‘Taking a knee in Warsaw’. On December 7, 1970, German Chancellor Willy Brandt visited the city to sign the Warsaw Treaty. Part of the state visit was a wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial to the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto. There Brandt unexpectedly sank to his knees, a gesture that was understood as a request for forgiveness for the German crimes of the Second World War.

The Hardest Word (Blue)
Is based on the song ‘Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word’. A song by Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin. In 2002, the song was covered by the English boy band Blue for their second studio album 'One Love'.
‘What do I do, to make you want me?
What I got to do, to be heard?
What do I say when it’s all over?
Sorry seems to be the hardest word
It’s sad, so sad, it’s a sad, sad situation
And it’s getting more and more absurd‘

redemption follows allocation
This drawing is based on 'Dan's Admission’. A YouTube video in which American screenwriter Dan Harmon delivers an apology and admission of guilt. Dan Harmon verbally and emotionally harassed Megan Ganz, a former employee, and abused his power as her supervisor. Megan accepted his apology via Twitter, calling it a 'masterclass in apology'.In linguistics, there are different components of an apology. There is the so-called 'head act' and five other 'satellite speech events', which can occur in different orders.