Johannes Stahl

Excerpt from his speech, 8th April 2016 on the occasion of the transfer of Christian Hasucha's arrangement of large refuse items, "Die Zuschreibung", from the exhibition space, 10qm, to the Cologne public space

… In the first place, it is important to state that on this occasion we are dealing with something that is what it seems: large-scale rubbish. These thrown-away items do not reside in Cologne but Berlin. Christian Hasucha has observed this unwanted items situation in Berlin with an exacting eye and has precisely measured it. That was important to him - perhaps you remember the image on the invitation card - it was also oriented exactly north or west. Perhaps you remember the small compass in the image.

… I am here as an art historian; I try to unfold ways to perceive art - in this case, for your consideration here.

I have already mentioned the exactness of Christian Hasucha. That brings me to consider how far we are dealing with a still life through its translocation from another situation. Perhaps this thought is way off, but arrangement plays a huge role in a still life. Things are arranged with a degree of precision which is hardly to be found in the wild. Something is oriented north or east. A still life also always presents itself as an image, i.e., that it is a selected detail from some kind of reality, something that one should see. Christian Hasucha is an artist who has frequently created displays: picture frames somewhere in the landscape of Norway or a frame around a tree which should also grow within it. We are dealing with image restrictions which simultaneously salvage the possibility that in a given situation the eye becomes more exact.Third element: for still lives it is the so-called vanitas, transience. Most Baroque still lives also show something nasty alongside the flowers, apples and vases - perhaps a fly on a fish, maybe decay can already be seen in places - good, the moral compass here is usually recognisable. But the procedural is also a critical element. And it is the same in Christian Hasucha's work, even when it is a 'placed' image and also when the fridge door is torn off and just leant against it: it leans exactly as Christian Hasucha found it in Berlin. Nevertheless, we can see a process in the offing, at the latest when someone accidentally stumbles against it.

… I must (therefore) once again briefly reflect upon what is on the invitation card. There is the word, 'Zuschreibung' (Attribution) Christian Hasucha is someone who usually chooses titles for his works that are quite defining, and usually have a preposition, as in 'Die Zuschreibung'. I must consult the dictionary again because I am mistrustful: as an art historian, one knows that one has an idea of something, but not everyone understands 'Die Zuschreibung' the same. And there I read psychological definitions according to which one lends certain qualities to things by as it were integrating or building them into this definition. Thus one ascribes a certain quality to things and psychologists start to work with such definitions. In the end, we have a whole scaffold of theories.

… the art historian, of course, associates 'Zuschreibung' with artists. During a visit to Italy, I acquired a very thick book. It was written by an American art historian. He went to various flea markets and bought pictures. These pictures were reproduced in the book, and he attributed them all to Raphael. 'Zuschreibung' is thus something that the art historian does when he's not sure who made the pictures. He expresses a supposition that he can support, if possible, with arguments. And now that the work is attributed, it increases in value.

Maybe there is, in fact, a complicated interrelationship between different forms of attribution. For an alchemist like Christian Hasucha, this could definitely play a role, because such a title for an arrangement that looks as if it had been dumped here by someone has to do with attribution scenarios. He is also clever enough not to associate himself with a particular version of attribution. Nevertheless, when something over time becomes too valuable, too successful, perhaps another artist comes to mind: Marcel Duchamp, who asked himself throughout his life, "Can I make something that is not art?" And when he achieved too much success, also asked himself, "How do I get out of this again?"

Thank you.

Cf. Project documentation Nr. 69 The Attribution