Peter Weibel

Music Exhibition

Artists
Peter Weibel
Title
Music Exhibition
Year
2014 (concept 1975)
Medium / Material / Technic
musical instruments and music stands made of concrete, 14 black-and-white photographies, replicated songbirds in cages
Size / Duration
dimensions variable

The installation »Musikausstellung« [Music Exhibition], conceived by Peter Weibel in 1975 and first realized in 2014 for his exhibition at the Belvedere 21 in Vienna, consists of photographs of prominent National Socialists, photographs of their victims, a music stand and several musical instruments made of concrete. Several songbirds in cages are part of the installation, which in the original concept for the installation would have flown freely around the gallery space. With the installation, the artist refers to the crimes of the National Socialists that silenced the voice of humanity in the 20th century with their barbaric acts and corrupted music. It also asks the question, why was culture unable to prevent this barbarism. People of stone, petrified music, petrified conditions. The song of birds, the music of nature: An answer?