SHIFTING THE SILENCE. DIE STILLE VERSCHIEBEN

SHIFTING THE SILENCE

Contemporary Art at the Lenbachhaus

from October 14, 2025

Opening, Monday, October 13, 2025 from 7 pm

"Shifting the Silence" is the title of Etel Adnan's last book, published in 2021. The German translation "Die Stille verschieben" was published posthumously in 2022. Recognizably writing at the end of her life, Etel Adnan offers melancholy, poetic, and very personal thoughts on major themes of life. Short prose pieces, everyday observations, feelings, anecdotes, and memories define the non-linear narrative. Her intense confrontation with her own death creates a serious, philosophical depth. At the same time, however, Etel Adnan celebrates the beauty of life, which can be interpreted as a political defense against social silencing. It is the text of a painter whose artistic career began as a writer and philosopher. One room of the exhibition is therefore dedicated to her paintings.

The exhibition proposes appropriating a central concern of "Shifting the Silence": reflecting on the difficulty of fully verbalizing works of visual art and making them tangible. Linguization—i.e. the translation of artworks and aesthetic experiences into words and language—poses a challenge in many respects. Language is not only a means of communication, it is also limited and sometimes even a handicap when it comes to conveying complex impressions and perceptions. Etel Adnan suggests "shifting" silence—in other words, expanding the boundaries of what can be said and not rationalizing the poetic nature of the many forms of expression in the arts, but accepting it as an intrinsic value.

With works by Etel Adnan, Saâdane Afif, Nevin Aladağ, Harold Ancart, Tolia Astakhishvili, Leilah Babirye, Cana Bilir-Meier, Mel Bochner, Thea Djordjadze, Simone Fattal, Amy Feldman, Dan Flavin, Isa Genzken, Adrian Ghenie, Zvi Goldstein, Sheela Gowda, Giorgio Griffa, Philipp Gufler, Samia Halaby, Candida Höfer, Jenny Holzer, KAYA, Alexander Kluge, Jiří Kovanda, Goshka Macuga, Nick Mauss, Rosemary Mayer, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, Roméo Mivekannin, Matt Mullican, Marcel Odenbach, Roman Ondak, Anri Sala, Curtis Talwst Santiago, Spomenko Škrbić, Sung Tieu, Gülbin Ünlü, Nicole Wermers and Issy Wood.

"Shifting the Silence" makes room for free association, and is the guiding idea behind this exhibition, accompanying and illuminating the artworks as an open model of interpretation.

Curated by Eva Huttenlauch and Matthias Mühling

Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau München
Luisenstraße 33
80333 Munich

Mon: closed
Tue–Sun and
on public holidays: 10 am–6 pm
Thurs: 10 am–8 pm 

18TH INTERNATIONAL TRIENNIAL OF TEXTILE

 

18th International Triennial of Textile Lódz 2025

11.10.2025-12.04.2026

On October 11, 2025, the 18th International Triennial of Textile will open at the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź – the largest and oldest event in the world dedicated to contemporary textile art. This year’s edition has a special significance: the Triennial is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, and over half a century, it has established itself as one of the most important forums for artistic dialogue across borders.

This year’s theme, “Deconstruction/Reconstruction,” reflects the tensions and transformations of the contemporary world – both socially and culturally. It is a theme that not only addresses current issues – the redefinition of norms, value systems, and identities – but also engages with a broader philosophical discourse. After all, deconstruction can be understood as a way of critically reading reality, opening the field for new narratives.

Textile as a Indicator of Change

From the very beginning, the Łódź Triennale has acted as a sensitive indicator of change – both in art and in the wider world. Organized since the 1970s, it has provided a space for artists from all over the globe to connect. Today, in an era of new political and social tensions, textiles underscore their significance as a medium that most fully tells stories about communities, memory, migration, the role of women, identity, and the search for a new order.

The materiality of textiles – both intimate and communal – proves to be an ideal language for discussing global issues. As the works submitted to this year’s Triennial demonstrate, deconstruction and reconstruction are not only artistic processes but also metaphors for the contemporary world: from redefining the notion of home through migratory experiences to women’s emancipation and building inclusive communities.

50 Years in Dialogue with the World

The International Textile Triennial was initiated by the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź and, since 1975, has brought together creators from all over the world. Each edition showcases the latest developments in textile art while also reflecting how society, culture, and artistic language evolve.

Every new edition reveals diverse perspectives and increasingly tackles challenging topics. As a result, the exhibition is always a presentation of artistic exploration and a space for exchanging experiences, reflections, and shared narratives about contemporary life.

CENTRAL MUSEUM OF TEXTILES IN ŁÓDŹ
282 Piotrkowska St. *
93 - 034 Łódź
Poland

Wednesday – 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday–Saturday – 12:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Sunday – 12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Gesucht: Werke von Cosy Piéro

 

Gesucht: Werke von Cosy Pièro

Für einen Film und Ausstellungen über die Münchner Künstlerin Cosy Pièro (1937–2023) bin ich auf der Suche nach ihren Werken.

Die Videoinstallation Remembering Cosy (Arbeitstitel) von Philipp Gufler ist ein experimentelles Porträt über das Leben und Werk der Künstlerin. In den letzten zehn Jahren stand Gufler im engen künstlerischen Austausch mit Cosy Pièro.

Nach dem Studium der Bildenden Künste in Brüssel und einem längeren Aufenthalt in Südfrankreich zog sie zurück nach Deutschland und lebte fortan als alleinerziehende Mutter mit ihrem Sohn in München. Um ihren Lebensunterhalt zu verdienen, gründete Cosy 1962 die legendäre queere Künstler*innenbar Bei Cosy. Dort stellte sie ihre berüchtigte Serie von Zeichnungen aus, die 1963 aufgrund des bayerischen Schmutz- und Schundgesetzes beschlagnahmt und höchstwahrscheinlich vernichtet wurden. Anfang der 1980er Jahre, nach 20 Jahren, übergab sie das Bei Cosy an ihre damalige Partnerin und konzentrierte sich wieder ausschließlich auf ihre Kunst. In den 1980er Jahren schaffte sie großformatige Gemälde, überlebensgroße Skulpturen und raumgreifende Installationen, die sie international ausstellte. Vor allem die Suche nach Werken aus dieser Schaffensperiode aus den 1980er Jahren, die durch Galerien verkauft wurden, stellt sich als schwierig heraus.

Für die geplante Videoinstallation möchte Philipp Gufler Cosy Pièros Arbeiten in privaten Sammlungen und Institutionen filmen. Remembering Cosy entsteht in enger Zusammenarbeit mit Cosys Witwe, in Kooperation mit dem Forum Queeres Archiv München e.V. und soll zusammen mit Arbeiten von Cosy Pièro Ende 2026 gezeigt werden. Remembering Cosy thematisiert Ausschlüsse von queeren und weiblichen Künstler*innen bis in unsere Gegenwart und fragt nach der Hinterlassenschaft der Künstlerin.

Falls Sie Arbeiten von Cosy Pièro besitzen, weitere Informationen über die Künstlerin haben oder sich ebenfalls für ihr Leben und Werk interessieren, nehmen Sie Kontakt mit mir auf:

kontakt (at) philippgufler.de

Abbildung: Cosy Pièro, Auch Erdbeeren zünden, 1984, Holz bemalt, 120 x 80 cm, Unbekannter Besitzer, Foto: N.N., aus: Cosy Pièro: Neue Arbeiten, München: Dany Keller Galerie, 1985