DYNASTIES. PARALLEL PERSPECTIVES
Exhibition / Georgian National Museum (Tbilisi History Museum, Karvasla) / (27.06. 2018 – 10.09.2018)
EN
"I build what I believe" Dominikus Böhm
It is a historical-cultural investigation, realized in the form of an exhibition. Two master dynasties were studied, both from the 20th century to the present, in two political systems. The exhibition offers traditional, familiar but also individual clues: on the one hand for the architects from the Baumeister dynasty Böhm in Cologne and on the other hand for the Tbilisi builder dynasty Kurdiani. It illustrates both the creative processes, some of which continue over several generations, as well as parallels and overlaps. The investigation refers to about 40 buildings.
While the Germans rebuilt their destroyed churches after the Second World War, the Georgians adapted their creativity to the Soviet requirements of the post-war present and built the "Stalin Museum" - today a unique institution in the world. "The whole system shows how much the settlement with Stalin is missing" - later wrote Harun Farocki - "You could put real Stalin researchers in the building. Perhaps they would confirm my assumption that the Soviet Union would have perished in the 1940s if the war against Germany had not given Stalin some sort of legitimacy."
Whether an arched bridge with massive pillars, a museum decorated with national ornamentation, a grandiose football stadium or "Stalinist" residential buildings full of light: The Tbilisi Builders' dynasty is based on rich traditions, yet it tries to free itself from dusty Soviet dogmas and conventions. The creative focus of the Böhm family is, at least clearly in Dominikus (1880-1955) and Gottfried Böhm (* 1920), on church buildings. In almost all the works of the family, a special "Böhm form language" can be recognized over generations, which can be seen in a sculptural appearance of the buildings and in the use of concrete and glass.
The exhibition choreography creates suspense between the two master dynasties and allows multi-layered readings of what is shown. Thus, the visitor moving freely in the room may go on an expedition.
An exhibition of the Goethe-Institut Georgia in cooperation with the National Museum of Georgia; as part of the German-Georgian Cultural Encounters 2017/2018
CURATOR: Irina Kurtishvili, Cologne
GEORGIAN TV & PRESS ABOUT EXHIBITION:
ARTAREA 27 June 2018 (4:31 min) with English subtitles
RUSTAVI 2 28 June 2018 (9:48 min) only Georgian
1TV (Public Service Broadcaster) 28 June 2018 (1:27 min) only Georgian
IMEDI TV 28 June 2018 (2:31 min) only Georgian
MAESTRO TV 27 June 2018 (4:05 min) only Georgian
TV Ertsulovneba 27 June 2018 (3:45 min) only Georgian
GEORGIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM / Link (English)
GOETHE INSTITUT GEORGIEN / Link (German)
GEORGIA TODAY 28 June, 2018 / Link to full article (English)
DE
„Ich baue, was ich glaube“ Dominikus Böhm
Es handelt sich um eine historisch-kulturelle Untersuchung, die in Form einer Ausstellung realisiert ist. Untersucht wurden zwei Baumeisterdynastien, die beide vom 20. Jahrhundert bis in die Gegenwart, in zwei politischen Systemen, tätig sind. Dabei bietet die Ausstellung traditionelle, familiäre, aber auch individuelle Anhaltspunkte: Einerseits für die Architekten aus der Kölner Baumeisterdynastie Böhm und andererseits für die Tifliser Baumeisterdynastie Kurdiani. Es sind sowohl über mehrere Generationen andauernden Schaffensprozesse, wie auch Parallelen und Überschneidungen verdeutlicht. Die Untersuchung bezieht sich auf ca. 40 Gebäude.
Während die Deutschen nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg ihre zerstörten Kirchen wiederaufbauten, passten die Georgier ihre Kreativität den sowjetischen Anforderungen der Nachkriegsgegenwart an und bauten das „Stalin Museum“ – heute in dieser Art eine weltweit einmalige Institution. „An der ganzen Anlage sieht man, wie sehr die Abrechnung mit Stalin fehlt“ – Schrieb später Harun Farocki – „Man könnte wirkliche Stalin-Forscher in das Gebäude setzen. Vielleicht würden sie meine Annahme bestätigen, dass die Sowjetunion schon in den 40ern untergegangen wäre, hätte nicht der Krieg gegen Deutschland Stalin eine Art von Legitimation verschafft.“
Ob eine Bogenbrücke mit massiven Pfeiler, ein mit nationaler Ornamentik bestücktes Museum, ein grandioses Fußballstadion oder „stalinistische“ Wohnhäuser voller Licht: Die Tifliser Baumeisterdynastie basiert auf reichen Traditionen, und doch versucht sie sich von verstaubten sowjetischen Dogmen und Konventionen zu befreien. Der Schaffensschwerpunkt der Familie Böhm liegt, zumindest eindeutig bei Dominikus (1880-1955) und Gottfried Böhm (*1920), auf Kirchenbauten. In nahezu allen Werken der Familie ist über Generationen eine spezielle „Böhm-Formensprache“ zu erkennen, die an einer skulpturalen Erscheinung der Bauten und an der Verwendung von Beton und Glas abzulesen ist.
Die Ausstellungschoreografie erzeugt Spannungsbögen zwischen den beiden Baumeisterdynastien und lässt vielschichtige Lesarten des Gezeigten zu. So mag der sich frei im Raum bewegende Besucher auf Entdeckungsreise gehen.
Entrance of the museum
EN
COINCIDING PROGRAM:
As part of the exhibition, the conditions for the emergence of postwar architecture in Germany will be discussed on the basis of the example of the city of Cologne. Böhm architects will present their practice and will discuss the architectural culture in which they work.
Date: Thursday, 28.06.2018, 4 to 6 p.m
Lecture: THE NEW INEQUALITY. A WALK THROUGH THE HISTORICAL COLOGNE OF TOMORROW by Arne Schmitt, artist, photographer, Cologne / Berlin
Panel discussion with Stephan Böhm, Peter Böhm and Paul Böhm / Cologne
Moderation: Irina Kurtishvili
Venue: TBILISI HISTORY MUSEUM / 8, Sioni St. | Karvasla / 3rd floor
EXHIBITION VIEWS:
DE
BEGLEITPROGRAMM:
Im Rahmen der Ausstellung werden die Entstehungsbedingungen der Nachkriegsarchitektur in Deutschland anhand des Beispieles der Stadt Köln erörtert und es wird über zeitgenössische architektonische Kultur diskutiert.
Termin: Donnerstag, 28.06.2018, 16:00 bis 18:00 Uhr
Vortrag: DIE NEUE UNGLEICHHEIT. EIN SPAZIERGANG DURCH DAS HISTORISCHE KÖLN VON MORGEN von Arne Schmitt, Künstler, Fotograf, Köln/Berlin
Podiumsdisskussion: mit Stephan Böhm, Peter Böhm und Paul Böhm, Köln
Moderation: Irina Kurtishvili
Ort: HISTORISCHES MUSEUM TBILISSI / Sioni Str. 8 | Karvasla / 3. OG
Exhibition view, room 1 / Photography by Mike Beutler
Exhibition view, room 2 / Photography by Mike Beutler
Exhibition view, room 2 / Photography by Mike Beutler
VIP box, first stadium in Tbilisi, early 1960s / Photography by G. Vakhtangadze / National Archives of Georgia
BUILDINGS / CHRONOLOGY:
1930s
Left: St. Engelbert church in Cologne, 1931-1932, architect: Dominikus Böhm / Photography by Hugo Schmolz, around 1930
Right: First stadium in Tbilisi, 1938, architect: Archil Kurdiani / Unknown photographer, around 1950 / National Archives of Georgia
Exhibition view, room 1 / Left: Stadium "Dinamo" model (1976) / Right: opening tickets (27.07.1948), brochure cover and a ball / Photography by Mike Beutler
1940s
"Stalinist" residential buildings in Baratashvili street in Tbilisi, 1940, architects: Archil Kurdiani, S. Demchineli, G. Jandieri / Photo by Sandro Sulaberidze, 2017
1950s
St. Kolumba church in Cologne, 1949-1950, architect: Gottfried Böhm / Unknown photographer, around 1960 / Photo Courtesy Böhm Family Archives
Right: Stalin Museum in Gori, 1947-1955, architect: Archil Kurdiani / Photo Courtesy Kurdiani Family Archives
Left: St. Kolumba church in Cologne, 1949-1950, architect: Gottfried Böhm, stained glass windows designed by Ludwig Gies
Granite sculpture of the Didube bridge in Tbilisi, 1954, architect: Archil Kurdiani / Photo by Tamaz Tcheishvili, around 1960 / National Archives of Georgia / Sakinformi Photo Archives / (All four sculptures disappeared already in the 1990s)
1960s
Construction of the Pilgrimage Church of Mary, Queen of Peace (Wallfahrtskirche Maria, Königin des Friedens in Velbert-Neviges, architect: Gottfried Böhm / Unknown photographer, around 1960 / Photo Courtesy Böhm Family Archives
Left: Wallfahrtskirche Maria, Königin des Friedens in Velbert-Neviges, 1963-1968, architect: Gottfried Böhm / Unknown photographer, around 1960 / Photo courtesy Böhm Family Archives
Right: Parking garage in Tbilisi, 1970, architect: Gia Kurdiani / Photo by Sandro Sulaberidze, 2017
1970s
Parking garage in Ortatchala district near Tbilisi, 1971, architect: Gia Kurdiani / Photo by Mario Lorenz, 2017
1980s / 1990s
Peek & Cloppenburg Department store in Berlin, 1993, architects: Gottfried and Peter Böhm / Photo by Giorgi Nebieridze, 2017
Since 2000
Left: Entrance portal / The State Museum of Egyptian Art, München, 2007-2011, architect: Peter Böhm / Photo by Dieter Leistner, 2012
Right: Museum of Fine Art, Tbilisi, 2011-2018, architects: Archil and Giorgi Kurdiani / Photo by Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk, 2018
EXHIBITION VIEWS:
Exhibition view, room 1 / Photography by Mike Beutler
Exhibition view, room 1 / Photography by Mike Beutler
Exhibition view, details / Photography by Mike Beutler
Exhibition view. Photographic documentation of Cologne after the World War II / Photographic collection LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn
Panel discussion / Photography by Mike Beutler
EXHIBITION
ARCHITECTS: Dominikus Böhm, Gottfried Böhm, Elisabeth Böhm, Stephan Böhm, Peter Böhm, Paul Böhm, Grigol Kurdiani, Archil Kurdiani, Ketevan Sokolova-Porakishvili, Gia Kurdiani, Archil Kurdiani, Giorgi Kurdiani
PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS: Philipp Bösel, Markus Böhm, Hermann Claasen, Maurizius Staerkle Drux (Film), Harun Farocki, Arne Hofmann, Andreas M. Kaufmann, Dieter Leistner, Sebastian Linnerz, Mario Lorenz, Giorgi Nebieridze, Lukas Roth, Arne Schmitt, Christopher Schroeer-Heiermann, Ulrich Schwarz, Sandro Sulaberidze
IN COLLABORATION WITH: Stephan Böhm Architekten, Cologne / Peter Böhm Architekten, Cologne / Architekturbüro Paul Böhm GmbH, Cologne / Gia and Archil Kurdiani Studio DYNASTY, Tbilisi
BÖHM ARCHIVE: DAM Deutsches Architekturmuseum Frankfurt
PHOTOGRAPHS BY HERMANN CLAASEN: LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn / Photographic Collection
PHOTOS BY HARUN FAROCKI: Harun Farocki GbR, Berlin
PHOTOS BY ARNE SCHMITT: Jacky Strenz Gallery, Frankfurt am Main
HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS TBILISI: National Archives of Georgia / Sakinformi Photo Archive
EXPOSITION: Museum team led by Mike Beutler, Cologne / Scenography Irina Kurtishvili / Exhibition graphic Irakli Kiziria, Louis Josek, Berlin / Model making Mariam Kurtishvili, Berlin
Exhibition venue:
TBILISI HISTORY MUSEUM
8, Sioni St. Tbilisi
Tel: +995 322 98 22 81
Cooperation:
GOETHE-INSTITUT GEORGIEN