The fifth element

Earth – Archive of Time

The presentation begins by focusing on the earth as a symbol of origin and transience. For thousands of years, it has stood for fertility, stability and the cycle of life. But the earth is not only a mythological symbol, it is also a real material. Artists of the 20th century began to incorporate the diversity of soil materials into their work as an independent means of design. In the work Garden by Düsseldorf artist Günther Uecker, made of sand and stones, a landscape association becomes apparent – oscillating between renewal and destruction. Reliefs, collages and earthy textures make the nature of the world visible and give it a new, artistic expression. In this way, the earth becomes an archive of time in which natural and cultural layers overlap – traces of life that are rearranged by the hand of art.

Air – Invisible Dynamics

Air is paradoxical: omnipresent yet invisible. It enables life on Earth and connects it to the infinite space of the sky. In art, it was initially depicted in the form of wind, fog or smoke, conveying depth and atmosphere. In the 20th century, air itself became the focus as a material: vibrations, pressure and movement became part of artistic experiments. Installations and kinetic objects make the invisible dynamics of the element tangible. Small Sail by New York-based German artist Hans Haacke is set in motion by a fan. Otto Piene’s fire gouache Red Icarus illustrates an energetic moment between departure and hubris. In these skyward-rising air sculptures, technology, nature and collective experience merge into an experience that draws attention to the relationship between humans and the environment. Air stands for freedom and transience, for the invisible that nevertheless has an effect.

The Fifth Element – World of Machines

The four elements alone are not enough to explain the world. Aristotle added ether, the ‘fifth element,’ which fills and orders the cosmos. The last three rooms of the exhibition are devoted to this invisible principle, which symbolically transcends the material world and deals with concepts such as energy, time, space and consciousness. Since the 1950s, numerous artists have devoted themselves to these immaterial dimensions. Light, movement, reflection and vibration replace traditional form. Materials such as glass, mirrors, aluminium and electronic components open up new possibilities for expression. The result is works that oscillate between substance and idea – sensually experienceable, but at the same time intellectually charged.

Power Lab

The Kemp collection