Parkett : The Parkett series with contemporary artists. (Zürich : Parkett-Verlag, 2007)
﻿Just how effectively the conceptual approach to art has forged new frontiers is aptly demonstrated by the work of Cosima von Bonin, Christian Jankowski, and Ai Weiwei. The cultivation of an all-embracing practice has expanded the field of art in unexpected ways. Christian Jankowski, for example, exploits popular call-in shows on TV to enlist the help of fortune tellers in creating a work of art. A different direction is taken by Ai Weiwei who collaborated conceptually with Herzog & de Meuron Architects on the emergence of the new Olympic Stadium in Beijing, while Cosima von Bonin explores inner-artistic zones as if they were utterly uncharted territory. Our cover, a detail from Cosima von Bonin’s exhibition “2 Positions at once,” provides a taste of the playful way in which this art contains world—though without ruling out the involvement of seemingly conventional pursuits, like stretching a canvas, casting a bronze sculpture, or making an object out of porcelain. These are all elements of the deliberate productions, staged situations, and changing confrontations in which the artists engage in the process of selfdefinition. When Jacques Herzog and Ai Weiwei sit in a room talking about the fascinating, experimental traits of their cooperative venture in China, we find them rethinking adventure, tradition, and the present day on a large scale. Ai Weiwei’s artistic career, now spanning three decades, dates back to seminal experiences in 1980s New York. From Philip Tinari we learn that Ai has given decisive impulses of innovative and moral impact to the art world since his return to China in 1993. (editorial by publisher)
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Keywords: Jankowski, Christian; Weiwei, Ai; von Bonin, Cosima