Our group, Nabila Akthar, Sophia Ebanks and Angelika Pokovba went to see an exhibition at the Guggenheim. The New York Guggenheim Museum presents the ZERO: Countdown to Tomorrow, 1950s-1960s exhibit that is shown in the United States for the first time. The artists that are displayed began a completely different art movement using dynamics and distinct media to convey their seemingly meaningless pieces.

The ZERO Network initially began with Otto Piene and Heinz Mack in 1957; Gunther Ucker joined the German post World War 2 group in 1961. The group further became associated with distinct international artists that identified themselves with the Zero philosophy; the Guggenheim presents the works of 37 artists. They chose the name in order to indicate the post-war situation in wounded Europe, ZERO represents “a zone of silence and pre possibilities for a new beginning as at the countdown when rockets take off” (Piene). The artists shared a desire to redefine the art in the aftermath of World War II by rejecting the existing European styles such as Tachisme and Art Informel. These styles emphasized personal expression and spontaneity, but Zero artists wanted to banish any trace of personal style or signature from their work and rather bring in elements of the “non-artistic” world into their art. In essence, the artists started with a completely clean slate and let their art be their guide from there. They denied all art that was a precedent and instead focused on making their own art without any influences; ZERO was completely unprecedented and utterly unique to its artists.

ZERO artists concentrated on pure color, pure light and pure media as the fundamental premise of their art. The artists reduced their color palette to only ONE color and often their work was bland because the use of vivid colors was limited. Further, the artists incorporated a wide range of materials, such as aluminum, plastic, and sand into their work. They used lines and grids to emphasize the structure of their works. Some members even used destructive elements, such as burning, cutting and nailing in order to create something new in the aftermath of the war. The artists emphasized the creation involved in destruction, thus fulfilling their main objective by “making it new”(Ezra Pound).

For the exhibit, artists employ space as both subject and material, and they explore the “interrogation of the relationship between nature, technology, and humankind.” Light, movement and space were the central themes for the ZERO network. The audience is not supposed to ponder about the artwork because the artist completely rejects his trace in the piece and wants the viewer to simply see the final product. The artists emphasized a sense of nihilism; their art works are not supposed to have meaning but because the art pieces are meaningless they in turn gain meaning. The ZERO network incorporated some of the most avant-garde artists of the 20^th century that defined the post-war era. ZERO art screams despair, yet at the same time it provides a sense of tranquility and hope.

 

Angelika Pokovba, Nabila Akthar & Sophia Ebanks