At the beginning of 2012, we were commissioned to design three posters in response to the topic of The New Public. From a new public dimension to new users – a group show curated by Rein Wolfs at Museion Bolzano (15 September 2012 – 13 January, 2013).
The posters were on display for the inaugration of the new Museion Passage designed by Martino Gamper.
“…Our concept of the public dimension has changed hugely over the last few decades. On one hand, public control over economic and social developments has weakened, making way for a new world order run by the private economy – a situation that is lambasted by protest movements such as Occupy. In other ways, however, the concept of the “public sphere” has gained increasing importance in today’s society. Thanks to modern technologies, social media and the internet, the intimate is immediately published; thoughts are declared before they are even properly formulated, and anything perceived as immoral is instantly condemned. The term “political correctness” is increasingly losing terrain and populism is rife, with the majority view being taken as a political norm. The public sphere has become a new public sphere. The importance of the public in contemporary art has also changed radically. The new modes of communication have influenced the way museums work when it comes to mediation and public relations. Moreover, curatorial work and even artistic practice itself have developed new and unexpected strategies for relating to the public. Thanks to the paradigm shift occasioned by the so-called “educational turn”, the public has changed, becoming what could be considered a new public.” (Rein Wolfs)