Archivio Conz and Outset Germany_Switzerland are pleased to announce the opening of Edizioni Conz in the joint premises of Kunst-Werke Berlin. In 2019, Archivio Conz will present select works and editions that will be the focus of a series of exhibitions. In this way, the extraordinary oeuvre of Francesco Conz will be made accessible to the general public.
Archivio Conz houses works of art, documents, editions and personal ephemera collected by Francesco Conz (Cittadella, 1935–Verona, 2010) over a period of more than 30 years, first in his house in Asolo and later in the Secret Museum outside Verona. Conz, who was far more than just a collector, worked closely together with the artists of the most important avant-garde movements of his time, including Fluxus, Viennese Actionism, and Concrete Poetry. He left behind a collection of more than 3,000 objects by over 150 artists, which are now archived in Charlottenburg.
The main focus now is not only on documenting and cataloguing all the works in the archive, but also on reconnecting them with the stories of their past and the realities they may represent in the future. The archive in Charlottenburg can be visited upon appointment. A selection of editions is available for sale (www.edizioniconz.com). In 2018, Archivio Conz and Supportico Lopez held a series of events together with the Berlin Performance Agency at various locations in the city, inviting contemporary artists to re-examine the material at hand.
Archivio Conz is now expanding its manifold activities in Berlin and is opening Edizioni Conz at Kunst-Werke Berlin from 15 January 2019 onwards. The first exhibition will present select editions and unique works by one of the fathers of Concrete Poetry, Eugen Gomringer (born on 20 January 1925 in Cachuela Esperanza, Bolivia). Conz and Gomringer shared a long friendship and many forms of collaboration. Today, Gomringer lives in Rehau, Bavaria, where he heads the Institute for Constructive Art and Concrete Poetry (IKKP).
Thanks to this event in collaboration with Archivio Conz, art will be publicly exhibited for the first time in the premises of Outset Germany_Switzerland. This emphasises Outset’s role as a constant and committed partner in contemporary art and culture. Since its founding as a non-profit organisation in London in 2003 by Candida Gertler and Yana Peel, Outset has promoted contemporary art, artists, and cultural institutions worldwide. Outset is unique in this mediating role: there is no comparable organisation that passes on both private and institutional funds to the recipients without any deductions, thus enabling new art to be purchased or created for the general public.
Outset is supported by its members (patrons), who are organised into nine country groups (so-called chapters) comprising dedicated private sponsors, companies and other cooperation partners. A profound desire to promote art and culture without expecting anything in return is what they all have in common. Moreover, creating and safeguarding cultural values is the top priority for Outset and its patrons. Moving between traditional classical patronage and innovative modern sponsoring, Outset supports large international museums as well as small public collections and individual exhibitions all over the world. Since its foundation, Outset has supported more than 160 artists and 80 institutions worldwide with over ten million euros.
Outset Germany_Switzerland has been headed by Bettina Böhm since 2016. Since then, it has supported important artistic works such as Faust by Anne Imhof (German Pavilion, 57th International Art Biennale in Venice), Illusions Vol. II by Grada Kilomba, Anti-Control Room by Heba Y., Amin (10th Berlin Biennale) as well as Dark Room by Elmgreen & Dragset (Kunstmuseum Krefeld, Museum Haus Lange).
In 2019 Outset Germany_Switzerland is also supporting a number of international exhibitions and projects, including the Swiss Pavilion at the 58th International Art Biennale in Venice, showcasing the artist duo Pauline Boudry and Renate Lorenz, and the exhibition of Goshka Macuga at the Kestnergesellschaft in Hanover.