Roman Ondak
An Exhibition for Children (And Other People)
- Kunstverein Hannover, Hannover (DE)
- 11.05.–06.07.2025
With Francis Alÿs, Lara Favaretto, Ryan Gander, Peter Fischli and David Weiss, Rivane Neuenschwander, Temitayo Ogunbiyi, Roman Ondak, Eva Rothschild and David Shrigley
Originating with an invitation to Jeremy Deller to revisit his little-known performance piece for Hannover’s Expo2000—for which the artist commissioned a clown to stroll the grounds of the world fair that came to symbolize the peak of the now-faded vision of techno-optimism—the exhibition itself is an invitation to imagine the world with the trusting curiosity of a child.
The exhibition is curated by Jeremy Deller (born 1966, Great Britain). Deller is considered an “instigator of social interaction” and is known for his unconventional artistic practice. Deller frequently engages with historiography, reflections on the art world, the labor movement and pop culture, often integrating collective experiences into his works. His best-known work is the 2001 re-enactment The Battle of Orgreave, a reconstruction of a miners' strike in the 1980s, or the conception of Stonehenge as a bouncy castle entitled Sacrilege (2012). Deller has exhibited at a number of major exhibitions worldwide, represented the British Pavilion at the Biennale di Venezia (2009) and is represented in many important collections. He was awarded the Turner Prize in 2004.
Roman Ondak (born 1966, Slovakia) lives and works in Bratislava. His works and concepts on performance and installation are represented in numerous collections, including Tate Modern, London and MoMA, New York. Ondak has taken part in the Biennale di Venezia several times, and in 2009 he presented a solo project in the Czech and Slovakian pavilion. In 2007, he presented one of the best-known performance works ever to find its way into major collections: Measuring the Universe at the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich - a work of art that is only produced by the visitors. Apart from the Bayerische Gemäldesammlungen, only the MoMA still owns one of these works (or rather: concepts) - after many years, the work is being presented again for the first time at the Kunstverein Hannover.
Roman Ondak, Measuring the Universe, 2007
© Roman Ondak