Jan Paul Evers, Leon Kahane, Jumana Manna

ars viva 2017

This catalogue was conceptually conceived and approached as an exhibition in itself, reflecting the specific potential of the medium as an imaginary architectural display space. Especially devised drawings allude to the floorplans and architectures of planned venues and fictitious ones. Artists sections allow the juxtaposition of works in 3-time fold-outs.

The ars viva Prize has been awarded annually since 1953 to young artists living in Germany whose work stands out for its innovative potential and high artistic quality. The recipients of the 2017 prize are Jan Paul Evers, Leon Kahane, and Jumana Manna.

In the work of Jan Paul Evers, both preexisting and original motifs serve as the basis for black-and-white photographs made using a combination of digital and analog processes. The images have a visual effect that transcends the boundary between painting and photography, while reflecting on the reproducibility of the medium itself. In his videos, photographs, and installations, Leon Kahane addresses economic migration and the construction of territorial borders. The politics of his images takes in medial upheaval and global developments. In her video and sculptural work, Jumana Manna develops narratives that can be read as “possible histories.” These histories, along with archaeological discoveries, interrogate the concept of national cultural heritage.

Edited by Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI e. V.