Titelbild der Veranstaltung Sylvie Fleury. First Spaceship on Venus

PHOTO: © Sylvie Fleury, First Spaceship on Venus, Installationsansicht, 2026, MdbK, © Künstlerin, Courtesy of the artist, Mehdi Chouakri, Berlin, Sprüth Magers und Karma International, Zürich, Foto: PUNCTUM / Alexander Schmidt

Sylvie Fleury. First Spaceship on Venus

In the organizer's words:

"First Spaceship on Venus" is the title of a series of rockets that Swiss object and installation artist Sylvie Fleury (b. 1961) has been creating since the 1990s. Back then, she began building monumental spaceships out of various materials—sometimes shimmering in ice blue or radiant pink, sometimes clad in white fur. The MdbK is presenting a selection from this series on one of the large terraces on the second floor.

 

The title “First Spaceship on Venus” is derived from the science fiction film *The Silent Star* (1960). This was a DEFA production jointly produced by the GDR and Poland. At the heart of the film is the threat to Earth’s inhabitants posed by a nuclear catastrophe that appears to originate on the planet Venus. To save Earth, an international delegation of astronauts travels to Venus—the planet of love—aboard a spaceship. The historical context is revealing in this regard: The film was made against the backdrop of the nuclear tests conducted in the 1950s in the United States and the Soviet Union and reflects the nuclear arms race during the Cold War—a topic which has taken on explosive relevance today in light of new political alignments and arms races. Fleury, however, confronts this horror with humor and glamour. The artist deliberately chose the materials for the rockets. She drew inspiration from a pop aesthetic and selected colors reminiscent of lipstick or nail polish. The white fur softens the rockets’ harshness. With their soft and glittering surfaces, they lose their aggressive impact. Thus, the spaceships pose no threat. Instead, they speak to the power of love.

This content has been machine translated.

Location

Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig
Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig Katharinenstraße 10 04109 Leipzig

Accessibility information

You can find everything about accessibility at Rausgegangen here.

Wheelchair accessible

This pictogram indicates that this venue is accessible for wheelchair users. All essential areas can be reached without steps—via ramps or lifts. Doorways are at least 90 cm wide, and wheelchair spaces are available in the auditorium.

Note from the organizer:

Das MdbK ist für Besucher*innen mit eingeschränkter Mobilität zugänglich. Die Museumseingänge Katharinenstraße und Böttchergäßchen sowie alle Ausstellungs- und Servicebereiche sind ebenerdig zugänglich. Die Türen können automatisch geöffnet werden und sind mit Kontrastmarkierungen versehen.

This information applies to this event and was provided by the organizers themselves.

Wheelchair-accessible toilet

This pictogram indicates that an accessible toilet is available on site: with grab rails, a height-adjustable mirror, and sufficient space for manoeuvring (at least 150 × 150 cm with a hinged door, 120 × 190 cm with a sliding door). The door width is at least 90 cm.

Note from the organizer:

Barrierefreie Toilette befinden sich im Erdgeschoss im Museumscafé und im Untergeschoss des Museums, das über einen Aufzug erreichbar ist. Die Türen können über einen Taster geöffnet werden.

This information applies to this event and was provided by the organizers themselves.

Accessible for people with mobility impairments

This pictogram indicates that, at this venue, essential areas can be reached without long walking distances. There are no steps, or only a small number of individual steps, and sufficient seating is available.

Note from the organizer:

Das MdbK ist für Besucher*innen mit eingeschränkter Mobilität zugänglich. Die Museumseingänge Katharinenstraße und Böttchergäßchen sowie alle Ausstellungs- und Servicebereiche sind ebenerdig zugänglich. Die Türen können automatisch geöffnet werden und sind mit Kontrastmarkierungen versehen.

This information applies to this event and was provided by the organizers themselves.

Assistance dogs welcome

This pictogram indicates that your assistance dog is welcome at this event and can be taken into the auditorium.

This information applies to this event and was provided by the organizers themselves.

Weitere Termine von Sylvie Fleury. First Spaceship on Venus

03.

September

10:00

Leipzig

Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig

Free admission

Zum Event

04.

September

10:00

Leipzig

Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig

Free admission

Zum Event

05.

September

10:00

Leipzig

Museum der bildenden Künste Leipzig

Free admission

Zum Event