This video features the "Tinguely@Tinguely" exhibition at Museum Tinguely in Basel, Switzerland, which ran until September 30, 2013. The exhibition marks the publication of a comprehensive new catalog for the museum's extensive collection of Jean Tinguely's work, 16 years after its opening. The retrospective aims to offer a revised perspective on Tinguely's oeuvre, with a particular focus on his early, innovative period from 1954 to 1963. This includes highlighting his pioneering self-destructing machines, drawing machines, and reliefs that introduced movement to abstract art, re-establishing Tinguely as a crucial driving force in the international art scene of the 1960s. The video provides a visual tour of these kinetic sculptures and includes commentary from Museum Director Roland Wetzel, emphasizing the significant effort behind the catalog's creation and the restoration of several large-scale works for the show.
Tinguely@Tinguely: A New Look at Jean Tinguely's Work
0:00 Exhibition Overview: The video showcases the "Tinguely@Tinguely" exhibition at the Museum Tinguely in Basel, Switzerland, running until September 30, 2013. This is the first major overview exhibition of Tinguely's work since the museum's opening 16 years prior.
0:23 New Catalog Publication: The exhibition coincides with the release of a new, comprehensive catalog of the museum's collection. The previous catalog was from 1996, and the collection has grown significantly, necessitating this extensive update which took two years and the work of 4-5 people to compile.
1:36 Focusing on the "Young Tinguely": Museum Director Roland Wetzel explains that the exhibition covers Tinguely's work from 1954 to 1991 but specifically highlights his early, innovative period (1954-1963).
1:45 Innovative Early Works: The focus is on Tinguely's pioneering creations such as self-destructing machines, machines that made drawings, and early reliefs that infused abstract art with movement, repositioning him as a key innovator.
2:18 More Than a "Machine Artist": The aim is to shift public perception from Tinguely merely as a "machine artist" to recognizing the broader depth and innovation of his work.
3:38 Restoration and Preparation: Significant restoration efforts were undertaken for many works, particularly large sculptures. The exhibition preparation involved about six weeks of intensive work.
4:41 Largest Museum Project: The new collection catalog is described as the largest project the Museum Tinguely has ever undertaken, based on 16 years of continuous archive building and documentation.
6:32 Favorite Work: "Study for an End of the World No. 2": Wetzel highlights this self-destructing machine from a 1962 performance in the Nevada desert. Its context, amidst the Cold War and atomic threat, makes it particularly impressive and innovative, not just for its destruction but also for its engagement with landscape and mediality (presented through film).