Voices of the Rooms – In the Space Between Art and Literature

The boundaries between fine art and literature, between object and text have become ever more porous over recent years. The focus is no longer on the boundaries between the genres, but instead upon the question of what is created if one meanders between word and image, and what new facets of reality then become visible. More and more artists are developing artworks in which language has a central place as an artistic material. And, conversely, authors are increasingly interested in the visual and material possibilities offered by art.

The exhibition Voices of the Rooms presents three artists and four authors from different generations and from different Swiss regions. What they have in common is an affinity for language. In addition to the three exhibition rooms and the veranda, Sidney Brown Jr.’s library and Jenny Brown’s Winterthur room are incorporated into the exhibition. Each space is dedicated to a separate person. The presentation of language and text is very different in each case: the spectrum includes drawings, audio works, and video projections. In creating their new artworks, the participants are invited to engage with the history, the collections, or the architecture of the house. The historic Langmatt ensemble offers plenty of potential for creating a multi-vocal composition. As part of a collaboration, the Aargauer Literaturhaus is supporting the exhibition in terms of public outreach and media work. The following authors and artists will be taking part: Beni Bischof (* 1976), Simon Libsig (* 1977), Klaus Merz (* 1945), Sarah Elena Müller (* 1990), Nina Rieben (* 1992), Michelle Steinbeck (* 1990), Elisabeth Wandeler-Deck (* 1939).