fine structure constant

Jan - March 2020. Bayerische Akademie Der Schönen Künste, Munich. Germany.

9 works in sculpture, text, video, drawing, photography and different hand-printing techniques.

Poster and Handout Designs by Ahmad Aiyad.

Metalwork by Johannes Thum

Exhibition Review by Evelyn Vogel (German) Hinter Türen blicken . (download version with picture)

Exhibition and Seminar. Sophie den Toom interviews rana elnemr. English Interview. German Interview

“The least corpuscle is actually subdivided in infinitum and contains a world of other creatures which would be wanting in the universe if that corpuscle were an atom, that is, a body of one entire piece without subdivision.” This was part of one of the last letter exchanges between Polymath Gottfried Leibnitz and Philosopher Samuel Clarke before Leibnitz’ death. Like many of Leibnitz’ arguments, it is playful, cynical and all at the same time.

Rana ElNemr’s practice is about expanding moments where these minute divisions take place. How does the space and the time expand in our minds and bodies with every new division? How do we transition between those infinite spacetime versions that each of us encounter? And how do we find moments of synchronicity throughout the constantly new feed of iterations and variations of divisions?

In recent works, Rana ElNemr has been observing forms and sources of knowledge, asking: how do we know? And what tools do we use to make what we know known? In fine structure constant, she is implicating the hosting exhibition space, on its physical, historical and even structural and regulative levels, to investigate potential answers. Challenging the intimidating “Residenz Building”, she negotiates the distance between architecture, artwork and art viewer, by extending elemental bookshelves from the ornament-rich walls, and by that, she transforms the high-ceiled enveloping panneaux and walls viewing experience, into a mixed semi-active, exhibition-library space, where half of the two-dimensional works are on shelves, leaning informally on the wall and reachable by hand. In some occasions, viewers become actively implicated too, as they find themselves in a position where they must physically engage with a work, like for example, open a poster box, to be able to see the art inside it. 

Meanwhile, and in a manner similar to how we use libraries and how knowledge is shared and challenged between thinkers, scientists and practitioners of various disciplines, the works of art within the exhibition space are in dialogue with each other about the scopes of their various consciousnesses. What does a cupboard say about a tree? And what does a painting of a tree on a cupboard say about a cupboard and about a tree? What does a book say about a tree? What does a tree say about a metal tube? Or tubes of other materials? What does it say about tense air, feathery air, or lack of air? 
Fine structure constant in physics, is a dimensionless quantity, whose units - referred to most of the time as α (=alpha) - do not have a fixed value and instead need to be measured in practice. In her exhibition, Rana ElNemr unfolds elements of how she observes places through the characteristics of image, sculpture, space, time and language, and she invites viewers to engage in practicing, measuring and observing.

Download fine structure constant handout designed by Ahmad Aiyad, with short texts about the exhibition and works.

Thank you
Ahmad Aiyad, Ahmed El Nemr, Anne Wellenreich, Cana Bilir-Meier, Dieter Wellenreich, Guelbin Ünlü, Günter Stöber, Justin Almquist, Kathrin Thalmann, Lili- Rose Pongratz , Lina Atallah, Magda Magdi, Masha Salgado de Matos , Stefanie Kissel, Susanna Baumgartner, Samir El Kordy, Tahani Youssef, Archiv Geiger and Michael Ende Museum.