With a multimedia installation the Kunstgewerbemuseum is presenting the first solo museum exhibition by Slovenian artist Robertina Šebjanič in Germany. The presentation comprises a series of research-based artworks initiated by Robertina Šebjanič in Mexico in 2017 and continued in Slovenia. These include the installation Neotenous dark dwellers _Lygophilia, the video essay Lygophilia _ Piscis ludicrous / Transfixed Gaze and the sound composition Dark Drops_ Lygophilia.
Two fascinating creatures take centre stage: the Mexican Axolotl and the Slovenian Proteus. With Lygophilia, Robertina Šebjanič wants to make us think about our cultural ideas of biology and evolution. Axolotl and Proteus are impressive examples of the adaptability of living beings to the changing processes in nature and remind us that there are many forms of intelligence on our planet. In view of ecological, geopolitical and social changes, the artist would also like to call for more empathy and respect for our natural environment.
At the Kunstgewerbemuseum, the installation Lygophilia links up with the museum's collection. Exhibits from different materials, eras and origins are re-contextualised in the Wunderkammer #3 intervention. This will create new object narratives.
Neotenous dark dwellers _Lygophilia In two transparent, mobile cabinets of curiosities, reminiscent of the old showcases in natural history museums, incubators or glass laboratories, the artist has assembled objects of all kinds: scientific drawings and documents, glass objects, laboratory utensils and other artefacts.
Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the mysterious dark world of the Axolotl and Proteus. Both are aquatic salamanders that are characterised by their longevity and extraordinary regenerative abilities. Even in adulthood, they retain eternal youth. They are protagonists of ancient myths, are part of the cultural heritage of Mexico and Slovenia and serve as national symbols. Due to their specific characteristics, they are at the centre of high-tech scientific research. At the same time, they are threatened with extinction.
Lygophilia_Piscis ludicrous / Transfixed Gaze In her video essay Slovenian artist Robertina Šebjanič examines the mexican Axolotl’s complex history, present, and future through different lenses: as a species facing extinction; as a subject of scientific study for its regenerative abilities; as a cultural symbol that bridges biopolitics, decolonial relations, and contemporary mythology.
How can the parameters of other species' ecological needs in times of „dark ecology“ (Timothy Morton) be perceived. Robertina Šebjanič questions the relationship between mythology and scientific facts merged with popular culture, and invites us to gain a more profound view of interspecies cohabitation and coexistence.
The artist In her work the Slovenian artist Robertina Šebjanič explores the biological, chemical, (geo)political and cultural realities of aquatic environments and the impact of humanity on other organisms. Her projects call for the development of empathetic strategies aimed at recognising the other (non-human) enteties. In her analysis of the Anthropocene, the artist uses the terms“aquatocene”and “aquaforming” to refer to the human impact on marine environments.
The exhibition Lygophilia is part of the platform More than human. Design after the Anthropocene and is curated by Claudia Banz, curator for design at the Kunstgewerbemuseum.