Rituals are an important component in human expression and communication behaviours and tell us much about the values, understanding of roles and social interaction where they often assume a regulatory and supportive function. The complexity of the substantive issues and the great importance of rituals for humanity inspired the curatorial team of the FOTOGALERIE WIEN to put a focal point on this theme with a series of four exhibitions for the years 2019/2020. The term “ritual” was originally only in common use in liturgical and/or ceremonial contexts but is now in general use at every social level. A ritual is a series of actions carried out according to fixed rules, usually in a specified order. This is primarily aimed at engendering identity and meaning and correlates with a desire for orientation, knowledge and community actions. It is distinguishable from everyday habits i.e. from instrumental, regular and, above all, purposeful activities that can, however, have a “ritual character” ascribed to them. First and foremost, therefore, rituals occupy the spiritual and emotional sphere. Additional characteristics are enactment, processuality and, usually, a high degree of symbolism too.
The four exhibitions are concerned with social rituals and their associated networks of relationships: with rituals that articulate demonstrations of power, suppression and exclusion along with religious and other ceremonial rituals. In the course of this, the codes, behaviours and forms of communication related to the various rituals will be examined.
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3. September 2019 — 5. October 2019
The first exhibition with the title, Correlations, shows works by artists who are concerned with eliciting the complexities of identity, role models and the ritual structures in the societies and cultures of various countries. [...] -
26. November 2019 — 11. January 2020
Both religious and profane ceremonies take centre stage in the second show of the Rituale special series. The sequential processes of ritual are usually defined by celebratory ceremonials which have a predetermined form that embodies order, actions, gestures and deportment and are partially augmented by objects, images and signs that have great identificatory and symbolic character for those taking part in the event. [...] -
3. March 2020 — 13. June 2020
One of the formal foundational elements of ritual is its performativity. The artists in this exhibition are showing works in which the body takes an explicit role in ritual acts both formally and substantively. This includes issues of self-optimisation in the areas of fitness, health, beauty, sexuality, happiness and achievement. [...] -
1. September 2020 — 3. October 2020
One of the formal foundational elements of ritual is its performativity. The artists in this exhibition are showing works in which the body takes an explicit role in ritual acts both formally and substantively. This includes issues of self-optimisation in the areas of fitness, health, beauty, sexuality, happiness and achievement. [...]