MUR BRUT 31: Teresa Linhard Shíshī & Cherub: Eine Verflechtung. Mit Texten von Jana Buch

In the organizer's words:

MUR BRUT is an exhibition series that takes place in the parking garage of the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf.

For Shíshī & Cherub: An Interweaving, Teresa Linhard was inspired by a textile that was made in China in the late 17th century to be exported to Europe. It therefore exhibits both Chinese and Western characteristics; Buddhist lions and European cherubs meet in a playful and natural way.

By recognizing and naming these influences, are we expanding and changing European self-understanding?

Shíshī or guardian lions are traditional Buddhist symbols of protection and also stand for power and luck, among other things. They appear in pairs and guard house entrances, official buildings or temples. Cherubim are powerful supernatural beings from the Abrahamic religions. They have different appearances, but are often depicted as winged angels. They are also ascribed a protective function; they serve as protectors and mediators between the divine and humans.

In her collaboration with Jana Buch, Linhard examines the unusual coming together of guardian lions and cherubs as a love story. In doing so, she illuminates the technical and cultural fusion of different cultures, symbols and materials and how it manifests itself in the context of craftsmanship and trade routes. Jana Buch adds several layers of text to the installation on posters, flyers and finally on the wall itself.

Teresa Linhard graduated in 2023 as a master student of Prof. Peter Piller at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.
Jana Buch graduated in 2019 as a master student of Prof. Christopher Williams at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.

Invited by Juliane Hoffmanns