Artbody
May 5, 2013
Studio Thomas Kellner, Siegen, Germany

"Thomas Kellner spent more than ten years realizing his space project, and this yearning can be felt in his works. It is the age-old human yearning to capture the great unknown. "Allison Pappas, Houston Museum of Fine Arts

In his exhibition Deep Space 42, the Siegen artist Thomas Kellner shows the impressive and unseen pictures of his trip to Houston, Texas, where he accompanied the astronaut Leland Melvin on his mission to the Space Station ISS. To discover there are selected motifs to NASA; including the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis in the direction of space, where waiter was able to experience and photograph first-hand, and illustrations, sketches and designs from the Mission Control Center, where the vital communication with the crew took place. Under the motto "Houston, we've had a problem!", Kellner transforms his studio into an above-ground space station, in which he has to master several exciting missions, and introduces his eponymous, newly published photo book.

When refurbishing his studio in Friedrichstrasse, the advanced course art of the Gymnasium Stift Keppel plays an essential role by carrying out a space-filling installation of the ISS. Eight students (Isabell Eberling, Lara Griesing, Miriam Hein, Rebecka Kaufmann, Hanna Kox, Larissa Manderbach, Isabell Pazmann, Anna Petschovsky and Birte Weiss) present eight self-built modules, filled with objects, ideas, dreams, sounds, alien beings and alien ones Encounters that take the visitor on a virtual journey into space. This action is coordinated by art educator dr. Jochen Dietrich.

Another highlight is the Siegen cartoonist and cartoonist Matthias Kringe, who contributes to the spacey ambience with his comic book Fun Wars and other cartoons. So he presents the inhabitants and visitors of the universe from a humorous perspective and not only gives the audience something to see, hear and flip through, but also launches an attack on the laughing muscles. A multifaceted program is planned for the art day on May 5: from a surprising piece of music to the Alien Mitbring picnic to the biggest UFO meeting Siegens; there is something for everybody. The musical program is the conductor of the Philharmonie Südwestfalen and director of the Collegium Musicum Siegen, Bruce Whitson. He is assisted by another 15 musicians, with whom he performs together the probably most unusual piece by the avant-garde composer John Cage: 4'33 ", the musical nothingness.Who would like to let off steam creatively on the subject of space, is then cordially invited, unknown flying objects In the rooms of the Friedrichstraße are hung creative heads, UFO experts and fanatics and just anyone who does not want to miss this spectacular meeting is allowed is anything that is extraterrestrial original and fun, the imagination knows no bounds At the end of the day, the annual silent auction is held, where eight works of art by Thomas Kellner can be bought, so visitors can take a piece of art home with them, so that this extraordinary spacey day will be remembered forever.

On the invitation of internationally active artist Thomas Kellner, who lives in Siegen, the advanced course of art (Q2) of the Gymnasium Stift Keppel designed a room-filling installation for the anterooms of the studio in Friedrichstrasse , taking the viewer on a flight into the unknown. Eight people have built eight modules filled with objects, ideas, dreams, sounds, alien beings and strange encounters on a virtual journey into space.

I'm stepping through the door, and I'm floating in a very peculiar way, sang David Bowie in Space Oddity in the 60s. That the Siegen audience in 2013 opens the door to Friedrichstrasse and sets them apart with them, the students involved in the installation bet on: Isabell Eberling, Lara Griesing, Miriam Hein, Rebecka Kaufmann, Hanna Kox, Isabell Pazmann, Anna Petschovsky and Birte Weiß, as well as with the guest contribution Jochen Dietrich. While peculiar sounds, claustrophobic cells and alien life-forms cast a spell over visitors and clouds of nitrogen billowed through the station, in particular the boarding became a highlight of the installation. With the kind support of Mr. Funk, they handed out treats from the molecular gastronomy. It must be mentioned that the work came about despite a violent overlap with the current graduation dates. The reward of the effort: numerous visitors, many good conversations, and pretty praising words - i.a. from the mouth of the director of the Siegen Museum of Contemporary Art, Dr. med. Eva Schmidt. 

Studio Thomas Kellner
Deep Space 42
“Houston, tranquility base here”
Exhibition May 4-12

Work Space
Thomas Kellner
“Houston we’ve had a problem!”
A new book, sketches, designs and images from Houston and Florida

Matthias Kringe
Fun Wars & other cartoons

Spacelab
"The eagle has landed" ISS in Siegen
LK Art of the Gymnasium Stift Keppel

Back home
Silent auction of 8 artworks

Space Time
1 pm
Space Food
Alien's ride-in picnic

1:39 pm
..

2:08 pm
Matthias Kringe signs Fun Wars

2:37 pm
..

3:06 pm
molecular cuisine

3:35pm
..

4:04 pm
..

4:33 pm
John Cage (1912-1992)
4'33 "
with Bruce Whitson, Philharmonic South Westphalia (Deputy solo violist and conductor)
and Musical Director of the Collegium Musicum Siegen

5:02 pm
Galactica
UFO Encounter

5:31 pm
..

6 pm
The Eagle has landed
End of the silent auction