LOOK AT THE PEOPLE! The New Objectivity “Type” Portrait in the Weimar Period
The exhibition focuses on the neo-objective type portrait in the historical context of the Weimar period (1918–1933). In many of their portraits, artists such as Otto Dix, George Grosz, Jeanne Mammen and Hanna Nagel give contour to social types such as the “New Woman” or the “Worker”. These portrayals were influenced by a pervasive debate, whether in art, literature, cinema, fashion, or science: the search for the “face of the times”,for new ‘role models’ for the crisis-ridden population in the wake of the First World War. In retrospect, it becomes clear that many stereotypes and clichés from that time still have an effect today and continue to influence the way we look at our counterparts.
The project makes a connection to the present with an installation by Cemile Sahin (*1990), which was developed especially for the exhibition. The artist takes up typification and classification tendencies that are evident in computer-based facial recognition tools - whereby parallels to the constitution debate in the Weimar period can be discerned.
* The exhibition title refers to the widely received guidebook “Look at People!” [Sieh dir die Menschen an!] by Gerhard Venzmer (1893-1986). The book was first published in 1930 by Franckh'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung Stuttgart and, according to the publisher's description, was intended to explain "clearly the inner relationships between the shape of the body and the character of the human being". Despite the publication’s popularity, it must be noted from today’s perspective that the theories formulated by Venzmer do not go beyond pseudo-scientific fabrications.
[Text by: Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, 2023]
Kleiner Schlossplatz 13
70173 Stuttgart
