Introduction

The architectural motif of the pavilion has been a defining motif in Dan Graham's work for many years. The light, architectural sculptures composed of a few walls form spaces, but due to the use of semi-transparent materials they exhibit the openness that is characteristic of this architectural genre. Graham uses this ambiguity for questions of architecture in relation to nature, open and closed, hidden and visible, to be seen and to be seen, which interest him in relation to people, the viewers of his works.

Born in Urbana, Illinois, in 1942 and living and working in New York City, conceptual artist Dan Graham has been attracting international attention since the mid 1960s. His performances, installations, video and film works, photographs, and glass pavilions have been shown worldwide in important institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, and the National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo, as well as at documenta 7, 9, and 10 in Kassel and Skulpturen Projekt '87 and '97 in Münster.

In Berlin there are two examples of Dan Graham's pavilions, the one in front of BEWAG on Köpenicker Straße and the one in the courtyard of the Kunstwerke (KW) on Auguststraße, which is occupied by Cafe Bravo.

Johnen Galerie is very pleased to present a new pavilion by Dan Graham. The pavilion, which is also suitable for outdoor use, will be installed in the gallery for the duration of the exhibition.