Anna Oppermann Paradoxical Intentions

Paradoxe Intentionen (Das Blaue vom Himmel herunterlügen) / Paradoxical Intentions (To lie the blue down from the sky), since 1988

inventory number: 59

reference ensemble: "Pudding or soap - ensemble concerning honesty, or the different aspects of sheep"
quotes "Aggression - arrangement with the knife"

images of the ensemble:

text from Anna Oppermann on the ensemble:
[1]

secondary material on the ensemble:
[1] [2] [3]

thematic plants:
Tagetes
Indigofera tinctoria

theme / key words:
Paradoxical intentions: "I never lie "
I can‘t bewitch things and turn them blue
certain theories of German romanticism : (the Blue Flower , Heinrich von Ofterdingen), compared and placed in the context of the methodology of my ensembles
A. O. - portrait - ugly - of Alex O.
a beautiful receptable
reflected , self-estranged reality
touched-up reality
a kaleidoscope

association triggering objects:
1. Expressions and slogans using the adjective 'blue' (see title);
2. Plants: (a) Tagetis (has a scent of carnations, crème caramel, sweat, sperm, and fresh bread rolls;
(b) Indigofera tinctoria (from which a blue die was made by adding the urine of boys approaching puberty).
3. Ensemble-combination: 'Pudding or soap-ensemble concerning honesty, or the different aspects of sheep.' But, just a moment: 'To lie the blue down from the sky' is only relevant to the sheep-ensemble because it refers to honesty and truth, and I've already collected various quotations -- such as, 'This is the honest truth'. The blue slipped into the 'pudding-soap-sheep' image through the associations of soap, clean, clear, honest, innocent little lamb, bell wether, silly sheep, scapegoat, etc.
And how did the soap get into the sheep-ensemble? It had been placed in an old-fashioned pudding bowl, in the shape of a sheep, turning it into a soap-dish. The colour blue, again, is a favourite for advertising cleaning materials (advertising is truth-twisting exaggeration), since people associate blue with cleanliness, purity and clarity.
4. A glass shrine (found-object): no-one can imagine its former use, except that it is beautiful. It consists mainly of blue tinted glass and pieces of mirror. Looking at it, a blue tinted reality comes into existence -- reflected reality, parts of one's face, endlessly repeated, changed by light, the surroundings and the mood in the face of the viewer. (Dimensions of the shrine: 39 x 39 x 48 cm.)
The decorative ornaments and sacred character of the shrine must simply be put up with, although its saccharine sentimentality calls for a dry towel; and so:
5. A photo (dim. 12.5 x 17.7 cm) of Anna O., dated January 1976; a very unflattering one, taken in profile. The text on the back of the snapshot, written in blue, felt-tip pen, declares it as a birthday present: 'Voucher: to do for a whole day whatever Anna wants; sig. Alex.' Memories of distant times, of special mother-son relationships awaken. 'sig.' probably meant an eventual way out in case the recipient's wishes were unacceptable.
6. To lie the blue back into the sky.

public presentations:
Heidelberger Kunstverein 1990
Stadtgalerie im Sophienhof Kiel 1991
Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney 1994
Galerie Barbara Gross Munich 1995 (reduction)
NeuerAachener Kunstverein 1996 (reduction)
Kunstverein Celle, Schloß Celle/Gotische Halle 1998

	Paradoxe Intentionen (Das Blaue vom Himmel herunterlügen) / Paradoxical Intentions (To lie the blue down from the sky), since 1988
	inventory number: 59		reference ensemble: "Pudding or soap - ensemble concerning honesty, or the different aspects of sheep" quotes "Aggression - arrangement with the knife"
	images of the ensemble:

	text from Anna Oppermann on the ensemble: [1]		secondary material on the ensemble: [1] [2] [3]
	thematic plants: Tagetes Indigofera tinctoria		theme / key words: Paradoxical intentions: "I never lie " I can‘t bewitch things and turn them blue certain theories of German romanticism : (the Blue Flower , Heinrich von Ofterdingen), compared and placed in the context of the methodology of my ensembles A. O. - portrait - ugly - of Alex O. a beautiful receptable reflected , self-estranged reality touched-up reality a kaleidoscope
	association triggering objects: 1. Expressions and slogans using the adjective 'blue' (see title); 2. Plants: (a) Tagetis (has a scent of carnations, crème caramel, sweat, sperm, and fresh bread rolls; (b) Indigofera tinctoria (from which a blue die was made by adding the urine of boys approaching puberty). 3. Ensemble-combination: 'Pudding or soap-ensemble concerning honesty, or the different aspects of sheep.' But, just a moment: 'To lie the blue down from the sky' is only relevant to the sheep-ensemble because it refers to honesty and truth, and I've already collected various quotations -- such as, 'This is the honest truth'. The blue slipped into the 'pudding-soap-sheep' image through the associations of soap, clean, clear, honest, innocent little lamb, bell wether, silly sheep, scapegoat, etc. And how did the soap get into the sheep-ensemble? It had been placed in an old-fashioned pudding bowl, in the shape of a sheep, turning it into a soap-dish. The colour blue, again, is a favourite for advertising cleaning materials (advertising is truth-twisting exaggeration), since people associate blue with cleanliness, purity and clarity. 4. A glass shrine (found-object): no-one can imagine its former use, except that it is beautiful. It consists mainly of blue tinted glass and pieces of mirror. Looking at it, a blue tinted reality comes into existence -- reflected reality, parts of one's face, endlessly repeated, changed by light, the surroundings and the mood in the face of the viewer. (Dimensions of the shrine: 39 x 39 x 48 cm.) The decorative ornaments and sacred character of the shrine must simply be put up with, although its saccharine sentimentality calls for a dry towel; and so: 5. A photo (dim. 12.5 x 17.7 cm) of Anna O., dated January 1976; a very unflattering one, taken in profile. The text on the back of the snapshot, written in blue, felt-tip pen, declares it as a birthday present: 'Voucher: to do for a whole day whatever Anna wants; sig. Alex.' Memories of distant times, of special mother-son relationships awaken. 'sig.' probably meant an eventual way out in case the recipient's wishes were unacceptable. 6. To lie the blue back into the sky.
	public presentations: Heidelberger Kunstverein 1990 Stadtgalerie im Sophienhof Kiel 1991 Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney 1994 Galerie Barbara Gross Munich 1995 (reduction) NeuerAachener Kunstverein 1996 (reduction) Kunstverein Celle, Schloß Celle/Gotische Halle 1998