Palace of Projects 1999, 2003

Serigraphie/Offsetlithographie, Collagen

30, 10 AP, 4 PP

120 x 160 cm, box 135 x 175 x 7 cm

mike karstens, Münster

“Palace of Projects“ 1999

Kokerei Zollverein Essen, Germany

The installation displays and examines a

seemingly commonly known and even trivial

truth: the world consists of a multitude of

projects, realized ones, half-realized ones

and not realized at all. Everything that we

see around us, in the world surrounding us,

everything that we discover in the past, that

which possibly could comprise the future –

all of this is a limitless world of projects.

But turning to oneself, thinking about

one’s own life, we, as rule are not sure about

this, we do not discover in ourselves, so it

seems to us, any special project, especially

not a major one which captivates us entirely.

We think that to have a ”project” is most

likely the business of some other, special

people and therefore they are standardly

referred to as ”creative,” or it is in general

some sort of special, extreme state which

requires a special resolve and special personality

traits.

But we are convinced, and we try to

demonstrate this in our installation, that the

only way and means to lead a worthy human

life is to have one’s own project, to conceive

it and bring it to its realization. To have one’s

own project, to realize it, perhaps, should be

inherent in every person, the project is the

concentration, the embodiment of meaning of

life, only thanks to it can he establish ”who

he is,” what he is capable of, can he receive

”a name.” It is only from the moment of the

determination of his project that his true

”existence” and not just ”survival” begins.