Christian Gonzenbach

On the ruins of empires are built the kingdoms of their successors; and from their remains, new forms arise. Like an archaeologist, Christian Gonzenbach trawls through the debris of a historic revolution and brings together in the former counts’ residence the vestiges of a past that is at once possible or probable, and curiously contemporary.

From the courtyard to the rooms of the castle, the artist fashions and catalogues mysterious objects whose origins and uses we can only guess at. Imposing machines taunt with the ambivalence of their function, strange arms and tools vie for attention in the galleries, while architectural relics blend teasingly into the historic interiors. Recalling humanity’s irresistible urges to destroy and build, Christian Gonzenbach brings out the ambiguity of forms and the dual uses to which they can be put, yet also celebrates the extraordinary ingenuity of human beings.

Exhibition curator
Filipe Dos Santos