Following yesterday's post, and continuing on the theme of great collectors, Camden Arts Centre presents a rare UK solo show - shockingly, her first, despite her death in 2009 - by the late German artist Hanne Darboven. The exhibition, which runs until 18 March, brings together a collection of Darboven's large-scale series works. Supported by the Goethe-Institut London and Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen e.V (the Institute for Foreign Exchange, by my terrible German), this show affords contemporary viewers a chance to catch up with an artist who occupies a very important place in twentieth century European art history.
Darboven collects and creates series of matching objects, that are thematically tied together and that represent a particular concept or temporal state - her work is about cultural history (incidentally, the name of her most famous installation, a collection of over 1600 works representing the cultural history of the period 1880-1983). Though not on display here, on exhibition are simpler, conceptual works. Very easy to engage with, and even easier to give yourself over to. Both this, and Waste Not, are shows that make you look at objects and possessions. In a time of austerity, these are gentle reminders that our things can be more than just stuff.
Hanne Darboven is at Camden Arts Centre until 18 March.
