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The Sacher-Masoch Festival
Exhibition and symposium
The project "The Sacher-Masoch-Festival", conceived by Neue Galerie Graz, deals with the importance of Graz author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. The festival comprises both the exhibition "Phantom of Desire. Visions of Masochism in Art" and a series of events entitled "Masomania: Rhetorics and Scenarios". "Venus in Furs" (1869) and "Psychopathia sexualis" (1886) - two classics of erotic literature - are linked directly to Graz by their authors: the Lemberg-born Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-1895) lived from 1854 for decades in Graz, completed his doctoral studies here and taught history at the University of Graz. His contemporary, Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902), made use of Sacher-Masoch’s existential theme by defining it in terms of sexual psychology. Due to the worldwide importance of the term "masochism" - along with sadism the most popular contribution to erotic literature - Sacher-Masoch can rightly be defined as one of the most important personalities of Graz, the abbreviation S/M (sadomasochism) perhaps the most striking and well-known sign in the realm of erotica.
Sacher-Masoch wrote most of his novel "Venus in Furs" (1869) in Graz. Krafft-Ebing used the name of the author in his standard work "Psychopathia Sexualis" (from 1890) to describe a certain sexual behaviour in which pleasure is derived by experiencing pain or humiliation. Astonishingly enough the phenomenon of masochism, compared to the sheer countless number of studies regarding sadism and the Marquis de Sade, has up to now seldom been studied with regard to its cultural-theoretical importance. Whereas in France, literature and cultural theorists as well as art movements such as surrealism have written important treatises and enthusiastic hymns praising de Sade, the work and influence of Sacher-Masoch have not been given adequate attention in the German-speaking world. The rediscovery of Sacher-Masoch, which started in France and the United States, however verifies the necessity for German-speaking countries to recognize the importance of Sacher-Masoch’s contribution. The long overdue debate on this subject took place in Graz 2003 in the form of a comprehensive exhibition and a symposium as well as numerous concerts, performances, films and public readings.
The fact that his name was degraded by Krafft-Ebing to a stigma of sexual perversion, was for Sacher-Masoch a disaster, both professionally and socially. Yet it was actually his arrogance in the face of criticism, his position as Austrian in Prussian Germany, his philosemitism and the surprising success he experienced as German-speaking author in France after 1870/1871 that have prevented an unbiased appraisal of his work up until today. The sheer quantity of his immense literary output has also hindered a fair assessment.
Almost forgotten is the fact that he dealt in depth with the social structures of Austra’s multi-national state, and that he managed to portray, as seldom another, intense and vivid images of a long forgotten world in the eastern part of the monarchy. As early examples of realism, his works "Vermächtnis Kains" (Cain’s Legacy), "Judengeschichten" (Jewish Tales, 1878 and 1881), "Polnische Ghettogeschichten" (Polish Ghetto Stories, 1886), and above all his great novel "Der neue Hiob" (The New Job, 1878) deserve to be read and re-evaluated. That he also initiated the "Upper Hessen Association for Public Education" in order to carry out his ideas of social reform reveals another unknown facet of the author.
The aspects of masochism are manifold and a discussion of this phenomenon can, of course, be observed way before Sacher-Masoch. Leitmotifs of masochism such as the relationship between "master" and "servant", the popular figure of the "cruel woman" and the idea of deriving pleasure from pain have long been topics of philosophy (Hegel, Deleuze), literature, art and even the new media. Nonetheless the entire subject is even today still a taboo. Behind these sexually motivated relationships one suspects a hidden anger that reflects the situation of society itself and its position with regard to identity and sovereignty. Thus masochism appears not just as an individual sexual fate but also as a feature of social structure.
The exhibition "Phantom of Desire. Visions of Masochism in Art" was accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue, featuring artistic contributions as well as scientific essays dealing with the theme.
In addition Michael Farin published a new Sacher-Masoch volume which includes, along with an extensive dossier, 18 illustrations by Günter Brus that reflect his interpretations of the world and the influence of Sacher-Masoch on his work.
Phantom of Desire. Visions of Masochism in Art
Exhibition
Curator: Peter Weibel, Michael Farin
Co-Curators: Christa Steinle, Elisabeth Fiedler
Opening: Friday, 25 April 2003
26 April - 24 August 2003
Participating artists
Description
Rhetorics and Scenarios
Symposium
1 - 4 May 2003
Neue Galerie Graz
Speaker ListProgramme (download as pdf)
Masomania
Events, Performances, Konzerte
1 May to 24 August 2003
Neue Galerie Graz and other locationsProgramme (download as pdf)
The Sacher-Masoch-Festival
26 April - 24 August 2003
Neue Galerie Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum
Sackstrasse 16, 8010 Graz, Austria
T +43-316-82 91 55 / F +43-316-81 54 01
http://www.neuegalerie.at
neuegalerie@stmk.gv.at
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10:00 - 18:00, Thur 10:00 - 20:00
Idea and concept: Peter Weibel
Realisation: Peter Weibel (Curator), Christa Steinle, Elisabeth Fiedler (Co-Curators), Peter Peer und Anke Orgel (Organisation), Sylvia Schneider (PR), Manfred Wolff-Plottegg (Exhibition Design)
Scientific advisory: Michael Farin
A project in co-operation of Graz 2003 - Cultural Capital of Europe with the Neue Galerie at the Landesmuseum Joanneum and Stadtmuseum Graz
A project in cooperation of Graz 2003 - Cultural Capital of Europe with the Neue Galerie at the Landesmuseum Joanneum |
