It is a great pleasure for the team of GalerieRieRiemann to welcome you on 24 hours of the euro-scene 2001 with the eighth 24-hour-exhibition titled »body/check«. This eighth exhibition is a special guest showing by invitation from the organizers of euro-scene.

GalerieRieRiemann’s first exhibition was in 1993 when three Leipzig artists; Thomas Matthaeus Müller, Andreas Tauber und Harald Alff, displayed their art works for 24 consecutive hours in an old unrenovated house in Leipzig. This concept was adopted by the people of two apartments at Riemannstraße 44 and kept alive by successive groups of culturally interested individuals. The combination of an open theme, demonstration medium and the varied perspectives of the group of artists synergize to create an eclectic mix of art, thoughts and feelings packed into 24 hours.

The 24-hour-exhibition from GalerieRieRiemann is a non-profit project which thrives off the ideas, creativity and enthusiasm of the volunteers involved. As Leipzig’s only 24-hour-exhibition, our presentations are based on an idea generated from a title theme.

»body/check« will give artists an opportunity to present their individual interpretations and perspectives on the phrase »body/check«. A variety of professional and burgeoning artists will experiment in mediums such as: music, dance, theatre, painting, photography, performance, installation, film, imagery and literature to explore the meaning behind the title phrase.

This year the exhibition will be shown in Leipzig’s nationally renowned theatre Schauspielhaus. The main theatre and areas in the neighbourhood around the theatre will become the nucleas and playground for artists. The partnership between GalerieRieRiemann and euro-scene 2001 will collide with a »body/check« for the climax of 24 hours of »Body search« euro-scene 2001. Yours sincerely GalerieRieRiemann

euro-scene Leipzig is presenting the work of the internationally known performance avant-garde artist Franko B, London and Ron Athey, Los Angeles at this exhibition. Ron Athey has especially appeared in the last few years with performances inspired by Christian symbolism and masochism such as »4 Scenes in a Harsh Life« and »Martyrs and Saints«. His work comes from his biographical context of homosexuality and being HIV infected and are channelled towards the theatre. Voluntarily accepting pain and the symbols of this pain such as tattoos, wounds and blood are signs of subordination that is simultaneously understood as circumventing society’s principle of order. »He eludes the mechanisms of power that the body is exposed to by consciously subordinating it to an even harder regime, that is his own responsibility« (Markus Weßendorf, Theater der Zeit, Berlin, January/February 1996). »Joyce«, the latest work of Ron Athey, will be presented as a work-in-progress.