Installation and Performance at NRW-Forum Düsseldorf from February 10th to May 22nd, 2022

Curated by Alain Bieber and Judith Winterhager

Medium: Hightech fabrics, webbing, straps, hangers, felt, polyurethane, a hand-bound edition, cord, hand-embossed hangtags

Size: Variable

The works shown were „Krabbelanzüge“ (Engl. Crawling Suits) (2019), „Brustsack“ (Engl. Chest Sack) (2019), and „Bethandschuhe“ (Engl. Praying/Bending Gloves) (2020). The exhibition Subversive Design brings together the positions of artists who work at the interface between design and art. The interactive work „Krabbelanzüge“ is a collaborative piece with artist Hagen Keller. The project comprises two custom-made suits, specially conceived for the bodies of the two artists. Manufactured from high-performance textiles by the company Schoeller, the suits meet the highest standards: they are wind- and water-resistant, dirt-repellent, easy to care for, robust, weather-resistant, breathable, and thermally insulating. Their design serves a specific purpose: crawling. While some areas of the suit restrict freedom of movement, special stretch inserts in other places allow for more flexibility. The suits only unfold their correct form in the crawling position. The integrated gloves are designed to force the hands into a fist position, supported by felt pads on the back of the hands. Once the full-body suit is put on, the soles are attached, which extend from the knees to the tips of the toes and are fixed at the calves, making it impossible to walk upright. This functional clothing made from high-tech materials is intended to bring people closer to nature and enable a pleasant experience in it—similar to how a snowsuit allows one to approach the snow, the „Crawling Suit“ brings the wearer closer to the ground. Through the material and construction, the wearers of the suits gain the ability to crawl for hours.

Installation of and performance within the „Crawler Suit“

Artists were selected by Konrad Fischer and the exhibition was curated by Janine Blöß and Frauke Weyrather

The sacrifice of the ability to use hands and feet in the usual way is balanced by the gain of new experiences: an altered eye level, decelerated movement, and protection through the camouflage and high-quality equipment of the materials. Away from the hectic everyday life, crawling also offers a form of mental protection. The locomotion in these suits appears both mechanical and animalistic. The artist’s fiction of moving in nature in a new way and approaching society becomes reality through crawling. The investigation into how crawling affects the physiognomy and psyche of the wearers is part of the project. The reactions of society to the appearance of a crawling human are also being explored. The experiences show that this unusual mode of locomotion opens up a new space of perception, thus leading to new forms of encounter.

The first photo is a collaboration with the artist Sebastian Jung as part of his „Museumexpress“ project. This project developed a special presentation format during the Covid-19 pandemic that allowed viewers to experience artworks outside the museum—both in public spaces and privately at home.

The „Bethandschuh“ (Engl. Prayer Glove) is a special glove developed for comfortable praying. It makes „Prayer-to-go“ possible. Inner movements/feelings can be directed toward a deity or object; one can comfortably center, focus, and meditate, or simply do penance. It is absolutely independent of institution and religion, as well as independent of place and time. At the same time, its futuristic and sporty design is absolutely fashionable. The Prayer-to-go concept: A fully functional, fashionable prayer glove made of high-tech fabrics.

• Easy to care for
• 80% windproof
• Breathable
• Water and dirt repellent
• Cut-resistant on the fingertips
• Practical handling thanks to the Velcro fastener

Image 1 Performance in the „Crawler Suit“ for the exhibition „Subversive Design“, 2022
Photo by Anne Orthen

Image 2 Installation view of „humility“ for the exhibition „Subversives Design“, 2022

Image 3 Performance in the „Crawler Suit“ for the exhibition „Subversives Design“, 2022
Photos by Katja Illner

Image 4,6 Installation view „Crawler Suit“, 2020
Photos by Stephan Eichler

Image 5,7,8 Detail views „Chest Sack“ and „Crawler Suits“, 2020
Photos by Liora Epstein

Image 9 Performance in the „Crawler Suit“ for the exhibition „Kunstakademie Düsseldorf @ McKinsey & Company#7“, 2019
Photo by Andrea Marcellier

Image 10 Installation view „Prayer’s Glove“, 2022
Photo by Sebastian Jung (© Museum Express)

Image 11 Installation view „Prayer’s Glove“ for the exhibition „Subversives Design“, 2022
Photo by Liora Epstein

© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn