What kind of time is Particolare concerned with? Mechanical, linear time, quantifiable with measuring instruments? Or quantum, malleable time, marked by relativity and the absence of any kind of linearity? Particolare in fact ventures into the twists and turns of both mechanical and quantum time, inviting spectators to reflect on the different perceptions of time that inhabit our reality. Only Joseph Kosuth, whose work attempts to think of things objectively, thumbs his nose at this structuring of the exhibition, and is the exception that proves the rule.

 

THE INSTANT

The very title of the exhibition evokes the singularity and specificity of each instant, of each movement. Movement is not just an aesthetic element, but a living force integrated into the very substance of art. Viewers will be confronted with their own reflection through Michelangelo Pistoletto‘s mirror works, which link the pictorial with ever-changing realities. Richard Hoeck / John Miller`s conceptual work with a little boy’s mannequin changing location throughout the exhibition, or the sculpture by Angela Bulloch, which presents the sudden, random activation of a mapping system, brings a lively spontaneity and rhythm to the exhibition.

 

CONTEMPLATION

From the fertile dialogue between measurement and creation come new perspectives on temporality, where movement becomes the guiding thread of a deeply immersive artistic experience. The waves of the sea and the glitter of distant cities are first captured in Erik Bulatov‘s painting Lumières de Nuit. In his work May 17, 2024 (One Day), Rob Pruitt then extends the time period, using gradations to represent the sunrise or sunset of a given day, dramatically matching color to time. On Kawara‘s I GOT UP series is a contemplation of a calendar spanning years. With a formidable economy of means and stunning visual elegance, Kawara creates a complex meditation on time, existence, and the relationship between art and life.

 

CLOCK TIME MEETS ARTIST TIME

The Particolare exhibition transports us to a world where time is reversible and elastic – where every moment is an opportunity for creation and discovery. It is in this dynamic that artists shape artistic time, where the course of our clocks’ second hand seems to constantly create new paths. Clock hands literally constitute the work in Saâdane Afif and Alicja Kwade‘s contributions, whose works humorously focus on the subjectivity of time and space. Tatsuo Miyajima‘s digital counters, Žilvinas Kempinas‘s circular-motion sculptures, and Wim Delvoye‘s L’ordre des choses, which incorporates works by other artists including Alighiero Boetti‘s Killing Time, propel Particolare’s artistic proposition to the kinetic realm. 


The Kursalon itself will come to life, with performers giving way to the audience after activating the 100 metronomes of György Ligeti’s famous Symphonic Poem, and the prestigious halls will in turn host performances and lectures. Particolare invites us on a journey through time that will sharpen our artistic sensibilities. At the entrance to the show, the public is invited to discover artist Gianni Motti‘s offbeat stroll through CERN’s particle gas pedal, whose mission is to advance our knowledge of the universe. Quantum temporality and the unstable nature of all things can be explored through Libby Heaney`s new non-linear modes of affective storytelling. From instability to mathematical precision, the visitors will encounter Vera Molnar`s pioneering use of algorithms to generate visual compositions and temporality in ways not possible by hand. On the way out of the palace to the gardens, visitors can lose themselves in Rashid Al Khalifa’s labyrinthine sculpture.

 

THE PERFORMANCE EXHIBITION

The exhibition program encourages a symbiotic relationship between performance, exhibition, and new technology. The audience will experience an intersection of sound, movement, and time – with works from diverse historical epochs and artistic perspectives. The live program, curated in collaboration with Klangforum Wien, highlights how different composers, performers, and artists uniquely engage with the concept of movement through their creations. From composers György Ligeti and Erik Satie to acts with unique choreography led by dancer Anna Abalikhina, works are created that emphasize the deep connections between dance, space, and artworks.