German artist Stephan Us has just opened what he calls a transforming exhibition in Muenster, Germany. Done in collaboration with other artists, Nothing Will Have Happened runs this November–December, 2016.
He writes: “For over 15 years, I have been working on the subject of nothing and cultivating the world’s only “Archive of Nothing”. This year, under the title “Ich tue Nichts – I do nothing”, I carry this nothing into everyday life. In 366 daily self-examinations, performances, interventions, or actions carried out by small changes, I explore the nothingness and its relatives like silence, emptiness, absence, zero … the vacancies in the systems.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Archive of Nothing, which contains more than 2900 media, I will explore this Nothing in collaboration with numerous artists, people and visitors in a constantly changing exhibition. No one will be able to see anything, but many will see nothing. “Nothing will have been” in the exhibition hall “Am Hawerkamp” tries to make this ephemeral, often fragile state of nothingness, this in-between, this perhaps unspeakable in installations, performances, objects, ascertainable and incarnate… – success and failure inclusive.
No one will be able to see anything, but many will see nothing.”
(The picture above is part of Us’ collaboration: Montreal-artist Evelyne Bouchard printed up a copy of the slogan, “I do nothing,” (in French) as requested by Us, which was then brought up to Mont-Royal during the Sweet Nothings in October walk, to now be photographed by DARE-DARE’s Martin Dufrasne who came on the walk. The pic was then sent back to Us to be entered into his continually growing “Archive of Nothing.” Convoluted but lovely, right?)
The Sanctimonious Sect of Nothing Is Sacred 