Zeros and Ones
3 July – 19 September 21

Artists: Lutz Bacher, Jay Chung & Q Takeki Maeda, Hanne Darboven, Jana Euler, Jef Geys, Tishan Hsu, Ilmari Kalkkinen, Silvia Kolbowski, Pope L., Louise Lawler, Carolyn Lazard, Ghislaine Leung, Lee Lozano, Henrik Olesen, Sarah Rapson, Margaret Raspé, readymades belong to everyone®, Ketty La Rocca, Sturtevant, Otto Wagner, and Martin Wong

<p>Image: Lutz Bacher, <em>In Memory of My Feelings </em>(Detail), 1990; Courtesy The Estate of Lutz Bacher and Galerie Buchholz, Berlin/Cologne/New York</p>

Image: Lutz Bacher, In Memory of My Feelings (Detail), 1990; Courtesy The Estate of Lutz Bacher and Galerie Buchholz, Berlin/Cologne/New York

The group exhibition Zeros and Ones investigates the ways artists operate within their surrounding institutional structures. Taking the algorithmic paradigm in scripting, scoring, instruction, or command, the works selected systematically complicate these procedures through lived experience. Tools and tasks are mobilized without measurable outcome while always returning to the material conditions of their labor. Through subtle redistributions, infrastructure and the body are both intimately as well as violently situated towards each other. The practices of artists such as Lutz Bacher, Jay Chung & Q Takeki Maeda, Hanne Darboven, Jana Euler, Jef Geys, Tishan Hsu, Ilmari Kalkkinen, Silvia Kolbowski, Pope L., Louise Lawler, Carolyn Lazard, Lee Lozano, Henrik Olesen, Sarah Rapson, Margaret Raspé, readymades belong to everyone®, Ketty La Rocca, Sturtevant, Otto Wagner, and Martin Wong, prompt us to question the metrics and hierarchies that are being reproduced in the field of art and beyond.

Curators: Kathrin Bentele, Anna Gritz, Ghislaine Leung

Exhibition leaflet (PDF)

Exhibition walkthrough with Anna Gritz and Kathrin Bentele. Closed Captions in German and English can be activated in the Vimeo player. (Camera: Frank Sperling)

Short exhibition trailer in German Sign Language (Concept and moderation: Andreas Döltgen, Camera: Frank Sperling)

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Henrik Olesen, Belly, 2021. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Berlin/Cologne/New York and Gaga & Reena Spaulings Fine Art, Los Angeles; Photo: Frank Sperling

Tishan Hsu, Bio-Cube, 1988. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy the artist and Miguel Abreu Gallery, New York; Photo: Frank Sperling

Installation view of Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021; Photo: Frank Sperling

Henrik Olesen, Belly (keyboard, plugs, wash powder), 2021. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy Galerie Buchholz, Berlin/Cologne/New York and Gaga & Reena Spaulings Fine Art, Los Angeles; Photo: Frank Sperling

Lutz Bacher, In Memory of My Feelings, 1990. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy the Estate of Lutz Bacher, New York and Galerie Buchholz, Berlin/Cologne/New York; Photo: Frank

Installation view of Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021; Photo: Frank Sperling

Left: Pope.L, White People Are The Thighs Of Rats, 2001–2004; Collection Catherine & Jacques Verhaegen; middle: Pope.L, Orange People Are My Father With His Brown Bottle Curled Up At The Bottom Of The Stairs Like An Orphan Larger Than Life, 2001–2004; Privatsammlung, Courtesy Galerie Catherine Bastide; right: Pope.L, Purple People Are The Explosions In The Harketplace, 2001–2004; Collection Catherine & Jacques Verhaegen. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Photo: Frank Sperling

Installation view of Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021; Photo: Frank

Foreground: Jana Euler, Horizontale Schwerkraft, 2021; background: Jana Euler, Aus der Perspektive der Margarine, 2021. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy the artist and Galerie Neu, Berlin; Photo: Frank Sperling

Installation view of Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021; Photo: Frank

Pope.L, Changing Station (Form), 2008. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. © Pope.L / Courtesy the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York; Photo: Frank Sperling

Installation view of Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021; Photo: Frank Sperling

Margaret Raspé, Kondensation, 1984. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institut for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy the artist; Photo: Frank Sperling

Installation view of Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021; Photo: Frank Sperling

Lee Lozano, A Boring Drawing, 1963–1969. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. The Estate of Lee Lozano; Courtesy Hauser & Wirth; Photo: Frank Sperling

Installation view of Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021; Photo: Frank Sperling

Jana Euler, Horizontale Schwerkraft, 2021. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy the artist and Galerie Neu, Berlin; Photo: Frank Sperling

Jay Chung & Q Takeki Maeda, Bad Driver, 2021. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy the artists and Maxwell Graham/ Essex Street, New York; Photo: Frank Sperling

Installation view of Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021; Photo: Frank Sperling

readymades belong to everyone®, You can Change it all by saying yes, 1988. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy Collection Benoît; Photo: Frank Sperling

Pope.L, Changing Station (Shape), 2008. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. © Pope.L / Courtesy the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York; Photo: Frank Sperling

Top: Jef Geys, Stabas, 1966 Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy Galerie Max Mayer © KAZINI / The estate of Jey Geys, Photo: Frank Sperling Bottom: Jef Geys, Stabaskist, 1966. Installation view of Zeros and Ones at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin 2021. Courtesy Maxwell Graham/Essex Street, New York © KAZINI / The estate of Jey Geys, Photo: Frank