David Brooks and the Karl Max Kessler Archive

The Karl Max Kessler Archive is pleased to announce the completion of its second artist residency with New York artist David Brooks. After a two-week stay in June 2024, during which Brooks immersed himself in the unique environment of the Kleinwalsertal, held conversations with the local community, researched archive material and explored the landscape, he is now presenting his artwork entitled “There's Gold In Them Thar Hills”. will be unveiled on the billboard on the Kanzelwand descent on October 12, 2024.

The day begins in the morning with a meeting at the Riezlern community square, from where visitors walk to the archive exhibition area at the Kessler lift mountain station. The art installation is presented there and the idea behind it is explained. In the evening there will be a presentation in the Walserhaus in which Brooks will delve deeper into the themes of his work and further negatives from the Karl Max Kessler archive will be shown.

There's Gold In Them Thar Hills is an exploration of how we assign different values ​​to natural spaces. The title refers to an American saying from the time of the California Gold Rush, which symbolizes professional opportunities and the commercialization of nature. In his work, Brooks draws a visual parallel between the search for gold and the diverse values ​​we ascribe to landscapes today - be they aesthetic, biological or economic values. The artwork itself is based on a constructed image from the Karl Max Kessler archive and shows an exaggerated snowy landscape with huts buried under an amount of snow that is unimaginable by today's standards. It contrasts this idyllic, exuberant scene with the reality of today's landscapes, which have been altered by climate change. At once familiar and exaggerated, the image challenges viewers to reflect on the cultural and physical influences that shape our perception of nature.

The central element of the installation, a golden advertising board on the pulpit wall, invites viewers to think about their own role in the nature of the Kleinwalsertal, which is both scenically attractive and economically important. Additionally, a 1:1 replica of the billboard was cut into 32 pieces and distributed throughout the valley, similar to currency. These pieces, placed at various commercial locations in the valley, symbolize the interplay of different values ​​meeting in the landscape. The Karl Max Kessler Archive and the Walserhaus invite the public to take part in this insightful art intervention and view the local environment from a new, multi-layered perspective.

Event details:

• Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024
• Meeting point in the morning: 11 a.m. Gemeindeplatz, Riezlern
• Presentation in the evening: 7.30 p.m. Walserhaus, Hirschegg

For further information please contact Bettina Kessler: bk@fotokessler.org