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A little rainMagazine
Portraits to really make us think
by Angela Kelly1/ 9/2006
A RATHER different look at portraiture is on offer at a
fascinating free exhibition at Cornerhouse in Manchester's Oxford
Street until September 24.
Artists Michael Clegg, from Ireland, and Martin Guttmann, born in
Israel - who currently work from Berlin and Vienna - have worked
together since 1980. Their work is known around the world and much
sought after, and this exhibition, entitled Social Sculptures,
Community Portraits and Spontaneous Operas, includes a wide range
of public projects produced by them.
The acclaimed duo move away from traditional pictorial format to a
wider sociological exploration of people, places and institutions.
Through research, participation, sculpture, photography and film,
Clegg and Guttmann's sculptural installations explore the points
where historical and intellectual knowledge intersect with public
and institutional space.
Interestingly, each of the works in the exhibition began as a
special project made in situ with particular communities or
institutions. The resulting materials from these projects have been
reorganised for exhibition later using different stategies of
"recontextualisation".
The exhibition also includes a new work by them - Manchester 1911 -
which was inspired by the city's connections with one of the most
influential philosophers of the 20th century, Ludwig
Wittgenstein.
He came to Manchester in 1908 to do research in aeronautics,
experimenting with kites. His interest in engineering led to
mathematics which in turn got him thinking about philosophical
questions on the foundations of mathematics.
Wittgenstein studied with Bertrand Russell at Cambridge, greatly
impressing the famous man, and moved on to logic.
He served bravely in the Austrian army during the First World War,
and published his renowned philosophical work Tractatus
Logico-Philosophicus - the only book he wrote that was published
during his lifetime.
In 1929, he returned to Cambridge to teach at Trinity College and
after the war concentrated on his writing.
He spent the last two years of his life in Vienna, Oxford and
Cambridge and kept working until his death from cancer in
1951.
Different aspects of Wittgenstein's life are also covered in a
one-hour talk on the great man at Cornerhouse next Thursday (Sept
7) at 6pm.
Raymond Tallis - who is professor of geriatric medicine at the
University of Manchester and who has also written numerous books on
philosophy - will use his radio play about Wittgenstein to reveal
more about the man and his work as well as looking at the nature of
philosophical problems.
Tickets for the exhibition are £2.50 with concessionaries costing
£2.
To find out more about Cornerhouse events, ring the box office on
0161 200 1500
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