Carsten Höller Videoretrospective with Two Lightmachines

Mu.ZEE presents the first major retrospective of the audiovisual work of Belgian/German artist Carsten Höller (b. 1961).

Carsten Höller’s videos and installations resemble scientific or sociological experiments. However, they have no specific result in view, other than to elicit and to reflect upon human behavior. Thus, visitors to the exhibition can study themselves and others present at the same time. How do we perceive things, alone and through others? How do we think about ourselves? How can we deal with ourselves in the world around us?

Höller’s early video works, shown together for the first time in this exhibition, are provocative, verging on the taboo, and leave spectators momentarily disoriented. Höller’s interest lies in this resulting state of doubt and confusion—feelings associated with discomfort and failure that we prefer to avoid.