Art & Culture |May 12, 2023

"Fashion has always played a role"

Interview with Romina Dümler and Leonard Merkes from the ZERO foundation

On the floor are the traces of paint from Günther Uecker's industrious work, on the walls the artworks of several ZERO artists. The whole thing is flanked by contemporary fashion creations, among other things. In the former studio building of the Düsseldorf ZERO artists Mack, Uecker and Piene, the ZERO foundation based here today is celebrating its 15th anniversary with an exhibition on the theme of ZERO and fashion.

From April 16 to July 2, 2023, the focus will be on contemporary fashion designer Viktoria Lorenz's exploration of ZERO art. Lorenz has developed a twelve-piece collection based on various works of art. Monochrome surfaces in black and white are enlivened by geometric structures, while the formal language of the art movement is reflected in the silhouettes and accessories. On the occasion of the exhibition opening, curators Romina Dümler and Leonard Merkes will provide an insight into the background to the marriage of the art movement with young fashion design, scenography and sound collages.

What role did fashion play for ZERO?

Romina Dümler: Fashion has always played a role. For example, the Italian Lucio Fontana - known for his holes and slits in the canvas - designed women's dresses with similar stylistic elements. Yves Klein, who created a monumental wall in the typical Yves Klein building in the Musiktheater im Revier in Gelsenkirchen, also created a chic evening dress for the architect's wife Anita Ruhnau for the opening of the building. In the ZERO foundation, we are also showing a shoe object by Yayoi Kusama and the legendary "ZERO dress", which was worn by spectators at the ZERO demonstrations of the 1960s. A white "0" on a straight black, knee-length dress that transformed the wearer into a human ZERO zero.

Leonard Merkes: Then there are the personal stories: Otto Piene taught at the Düsseldorf Fashion School for ten years. He never designed a dress, but he inspired many students for art. Incidentally, they had sewn the ZERO dresses for the performances. Heinz Mack discovered a kind of silver space suit that fitted in very well with the ZERO artists' idea of going out with art, towards the sky.

How did the idea of developing such an exhibition come about?

Leonard Merkes: In 2014, fashion designer Viktoria Lorenz came across the art of the ZERO avant-garde at New York's Museum of Modern Art, MoMA, and created the first designs for a collection. She then approached the ZERO foundation. Our director, Barbara Könches, had the idea of creating an entire exhibition on the subject instead of a fashion show.

Romina Dümler: We had the opportunity to present Viktoria Lorenz's classic works of art and fashion in the midst of Konrad Jackisch's extraordinary sound design and Anika Koppe's innovative scenography. All senses are addressed. This is typical of ZERO art, which was an all-encompassing gesture, not a style or a group.

Which piece in the exhibition are you particularly proud of?

Leonard Merkes: On the silk robe by Yves Klein for Anita Ruhnau. In fact, we know of no other dress design by him. It was a friendly service, and we are very pleased that Ms. Ruhnau made the dress available to us. ZERO always has a lot to do with light and the silk of the dress really shines.

What does ZERO mean for Düsseldorf? And Düsseldorf for ZERO?

Romina Dümler: Mack, Piene and Uecker created an international art avant-garde from Düsseldorf. That is still unique today.

The ZERO foundation has involved the renowned fashion theorist Barbara Vinken, professor at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, in the project. She will give a guest lecture on "ZERO and fashion" on October 2, 2023. The lecture will be published afterwards. Public guided tours on May 17, 2023 and June 14, 2023, both at 5.30 p.m. and as part of the "Strike a Pose" festival on June 2, 2023 at 4 p.m.