Teh exhibition is curated by Dr. Bonaventure S. B. Ndikung.

The French expression „bouche à oreille“ can be translated word-to-word as ‘mouth-to-ear’ but actually signifies an oral means of communication, transmission of information, which is the oldest, most economic and most intimate method of communication. The strength of the expression gets almost lost in its English translation “word of mouth” and gains a cloud of intimidation in its German translation “Mundpropaganda”. This diversity in perception gives an interesting inside of the conceptual and contextual background of this expression, which might reveal a lot about social and political structures or structural developments.

This project invites Yingmei Duan and Verena Kyselka to deliberate on semantic fields and contemporary foundations as well as structures of intimacy, alienation, propaganda and related subjects under the umbrella of the French expression „bouche à oreille“. Whereby, the expression „bouche à oreille“ serves as a stepping stone for an artistic discourse on some social and anthropological topics. By projecting perspectives of a Chinese artist and a German artist, who have both lived under the realms and constraints of a socialist system but have widely travelled, lived and worked on several continents, the project aims at researching on this thematic without geographical limits.

While Mrs. Duan’s impulsive and perennial performance-pieces explore her environment, human instincts and societal norms, Mrs. Kyselka’s multi-media art pieces scrutinize the effects of heteronomy, dictatorship and self-isolation on interpersonal relations from a socio-political point of view.

In the course of the exhibition Yingmei Duan and Verena Kyselka will do several performances and hold lectures on the topic of communication, especially with a reference to the multifaceted Neukölln-society, as a case study.

Performances during the opening hours at 6 – 8 p.m.

22.4. – 25.4.2010

“Communication with objects“: In line with this subject the two artists Yingmei Duan and Verena Kyselka explore the question of aborded communication and the language of different objects. A consecutive questioning of the visitors is part of the performance.

29.4. – 02.5.2010

„alienation and aspiration“: the subject of this working week contents technic, intimacy and communication gaps. The results will be shown in a serie of fotographies and in a performance.

06.5. – 09.5.2010

„Misunderstandings“: In this language-project the artists analyse misunderstandings based on cultural differences. The artists develop a communicaion training for people that are limiteted in their language skills.

13.5. – 15.5.2010

„Communication of the future“: The artists show the results of their eight week´s working process in a performative and instalative way which is also accompanied by a lecture.

Finissage at 15th of Mai 2010, 8.30 p.m. More information on the project at www.savvy-contemporary.com