A short introduction to the exhibition by Nina Venus

Who rules the World? The question raised cannot have a simple and definite answer. It is a serious question for a world so varied, so complex. Noam Chomsky chose this question as the title for his latest book, an inclusive and thorough analysis of the current international situation. Born in 1928 in the land of milk and honey (a.k.a. USA), he is now 92, a linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, social critic, and political activist – a defining western intellectual figure and one of the most cited scholars alive. Chomsky’s book is a passionate call for action to humankind, appealing for properly organized popular mobilization and activism as means to make a large and big difference.

Who rules the World? One possible answer to this rhetorical question might be found right here at gallery cube+ in Kiel, where gallerist/curator team Shi Shi and Ying-Chih Chen invited artists Kyoko Takemura and Thomas Judisch to pair up for the current exhibition entitled HONEY RULES THE WORLD, an undermining word play on the common cynical saying that it is money, that rules the world. More than a joke, it is a double take and flip of the coin that has two sides – are we only willing to see the sweet side of life? What about the salty, sour, and bitter, not to mention the umami aspects of things that ultimately allow the sensation of sweetness to be experienced. In this contrasting and complementary show, we are invited to engage with two complex bodies of work that both deal in a poetic and enigmatic, humorous way with very serious matters.

Kyoko Takemura, born 1992 in Yokohama, Japan, works in Berlin as a discoverer and investigator of hidden truths in everyday objects. In “Canned” she explores our ruthless quest for efficiency using convenience food as an example and presenting it as unintentional sculpture shaped by boundless human desire. The price we must pay remains unknown. Unknown is also what awaits us after we no longer are alive: in “Luxury beyond Death” Takemura portrays commercially available paper offerings from Vietnamese street markets that are burnt in religious ceremonies by relatives who wish to send luxury items to the deceased. The absurdity of burning the simulated luxury items raises many questions, among them what might be truly valuable in life?

Thomas Judisch, born 1981, works and lives in Dresden and Schleswig-Holstein. He is an accomplished master of the double take and subversive public intervention, lifting everyday objects poetically out of context and thereby reminding us to be alert and question our viewing habits and preconceptions. In “Meine hundert besten Freunde”/ “One hundred of my best friends” he claims a room full of people celebrating, yet all we see are half empty champagne glasses. The absence is eerily present. In “Dreamer” from the series “n.N.”, a ghostly hand emerges from the other side playing with a tiny cocktail umbrella, as if inviting the viewer to join the party. With “Tigercrew” from his series “One for all”, he playfully alludes to an infamous local criminal gang “The Tigers” while subverting our assumption skillfully in trompe-l’oeil manner: no one is here, the jean jackets are flat out fake and yet so real we want to touch and feel.

While both artists infiltrate their work with witty humor and stingy irony, they are sincere and profound. The works presented in this exhibition connect not only through poetic lightness but maybe especially through the correlating melancholy, if not sadness. By pointing out the obvious, the sweet, funny, weird, and absurd - the overlooked, unseen, and unwanted, the sour, bitter, and salty aspects and flip sides of life are made visible, even tangible. HONEY RULES THE WORLD – the title to the show is resounding like a plead and echoes a hopeful answer to the question behind the answer.

Here we have a heavy show, a delightful show, a beautiful show. Enjoy!