The title of Sophia Süßmilch’s exhibition is a parody of both the duration and the meandering path of psychoanalytic treatment – which also present an opportunity to say it all. At the same time, it alludes to a midlife crisis situation. In the face of ‘being halfway through life’, a mixture of serious comedy and comic seriousness runs throughout the exhibition that features new works by Süßmilch (*1983).
The photographic motif used for the invitation card, Niki de Saint Phalle hat mein Leben ruiniert (Niki de Saint Phalle ruined my life) (2022), depicts the artist carrying an enormous inflatable rhinoceros on her back, complete with her mother seated on its back. Süßmilch confronts the audience with female nudity in a non-conventional mother-daughter portrait, which is made even more compelling by the inflatable animal's resemblance to Niki de Saint Phalle sculptures. The question of the French artist's ‘ruinous’ influence remains unanswered: she became known for not only her partly aggressive, partly popular feminist works, but also for making the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father public. This has, however, not prevented the trivialisation of her works, turning them into museum gift shop items – perhaps this is where Sophia Süßmilch sees the greatest danger...
A performance by Sophia Süßmilch will take place during the opening evening, in which she will once again collaborate with her mother and in which the audience is also invited to participate.
Dr. Barbara Hess
MARTINETZ
12. Nov. 2022 – 23. Jan. 2023
Petra Martinetz, Moltkestr. 81, 50674 Cologne
www.petramartinetz.de
The photographic motif used for the invitation card, Niki de Saint Phalle hat mein Leben ruiniert (Niki de Saint Phalle ruined my life) (2022), depicts the artist carrying an enormous inflatable rhinoceros on her back, complete with her mother seated on its back. Süßmilch confronts the audience with female nudity in a non-conventional mother-daughter portrait, which is made even more compelling by the inflatable animal's resemblance to Niki de Saint Phalle sculptures. The question of the French artist's ‘ruinous’ influence remains unanswered: she became known for not only her partly aggressive, partly popular feminist works, but also for making the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father public. This has, however, not prevented the trivialisation of her works, turning them into museum gift shop items – perhaps this is where Sophia Süßmilch sees the greatest danger...
A performance by Sophia Süßmilch will take place during the opening evening, in which she will once again collaborate with her mother and in which the audience is also invited to participate.
Dr. Barbara Hess
MARTINETZ
12. Nov. 2022 – 23. Jan. 2023
Petra Martinetz, Moltkestr. 81, 50674 Cologne
www.petramartinetz.de
