"This introduction of Signer’s work to China starts with an investigation of his artworks. Through this exhibition, the curatorial team hopes to share with the public Signer’s memories, that were formerly boxed up and preserved in archives and databases. Signer has never been a fan of large-scale events and artworks, and he intentionally avoids talking about himself. Indeed, at documenta 8, when he was very much in the art world limelight, he may have felt the level of attention was too much. Signer is an artist who always contemplates his relation to the world, and who always lives in self-reflection. He existed – in the sense that his artworks and their dimensions are deeply related to the world; yet he never exists – in the sense that part of his artworks are presented in real time in front of an audience. He even deliberately wipes away his own traces, or his artworks’ connections to the world, and stays apart, in an individual state of being. This kind of ‘disconnection’ does not exist as a blunt fracturing from the world. Instead, it is a process of dissolving into daily life. It is clear that Signer’s work has not changed due to shifting politics, economics, or even time. He maintains simple methods of expressing his understanding of the world, re-discovering the world through materialised forms and through experiments with the spiritual and material.
Roman Signer’s first touring exhibition to China is kindly supported by Museum of Contemporary Art of CAA, CAFA Art Museum, Art Museum of GAFA, OCT Art and Design Gallery (Shenzhen), MAN Nuoro Art Museum (Italy), Wti, and Chronus Art Center. Special thanks go to Mr. Yang Jingsong, Mr. Qiu Zhijie, Mr. Wang Huangsheng, Mr. Wang Chunchen, Mr. Hu Bin, Mr. Feng Feng, Mr. Lorenzo Giusti for their curatorial support, and Mr. Zhang Qinghong for his generous support.
The exhibition is also supported by: documenta Archiv Kassel, Helmhaus, Swiss Arts Council, Chronus Art Center, Kunstgiesserei St.Gallen etc. Generous support also comes from Corinne Schatz, David Signer, Karin Stengel, Simon Maurer, Barbara Signer, Michael Bodenmann, Uli Sigg, Josef Felix Müller, Peter Zimmermann, Reto Thüring, Rachel Withers, Max Wechsler, Geneviève Loup, Felix Lehner, and Aline Feichtinger.
Publication and copyright support come from Vexer Verlag, graphic design is provided by Yu Qiongjie with Transwhite Studio, translation and copy-editing is provided by Eva Luedi, Wang Pan, Iris Xinru Long, and Susannah Worth.
On November 3rd, Roman Signer will realize his first work of sculpture to have been produced in China – the result of a commission from Ms. Sunny Sun and LUXELAKES·A4 Art Museum, Chengdu, Sichuan.
The project’s development has been widespread, proceeding via Hangzhou, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Sardegna (Italy), and finally Chengdu, where Signer completes this unique sculptural piece.
Signer’s endeavour begins with the water cycle active around the viewers: reflecting on the ephemeral nature of time, we meet moments of uncertainty, subtlety, dynamics, and humour.
Water from the lake shall return to it, eventually."
-Li Zhenhua
A project founded by Li Zhenhua, Zhang Qinghong and Roman Signer in 2014.
Author: Li Zhenhua, Qiu Zhijie, Corinne Schatz, Hu Bin, Feng Feng
Editor: Cai Liyuan
Design: Wang Nana, Ge Tingting
Translation: Long Xingru, Liu Xiao
Proofreading: Barbara Signer, Edward Sanderson
Language: Chinese, English
185 x 260 mm, 73 p.
Publication Date: November 2018
Print run: 500
《罗曼·西格纳（Roman Signer）影像 1975—1989与现在》文献画册，收录了策展人李振华关于罗曼·西格纳影像展览的梳理文章，以及邱志杰、科瑞尼·莎茨（Corinne Schatz）、胡斌、冯峰等策展人、艺术家及批评家的重要评述，同时将艺术家从1975年与Bernard Tagwerker的联合项目《桑蒂斯与博登湖》到2018年在成都由麓湖·美术馆委托创作的《椅子》等作品一一呈现，其中还包括艺术家在1987年卡塞尔文献展、1999年威尼斯双年展上的重要作品。该画册为麓湖·A4美术馆十周年特别文献画册，限量500册。
介绍罗曼的工作始于对他作品的点滴认识，希望能通过展览共享这些被保藏的记忆。罗曼通常不喜欢过于庞大的现场和作品，他甚至有些故意的避免过多的谈自己。哪怕是在1987年卡塞尔文献展上所出的风头，也许让他有悔意，这与一个艺术家不断和这个世界调整的关系，以及自我投射的个人。他存在过，与作品的大小有关吗？他没有存在，他的部分作品发生在无人之处，或故意抹掉那些和世界的联系，他一直保持着一种个人的状态，有些作品也很自然的被混同于他的日常生活。很显然罗曼的工作，并没有因为时间、经济或是政治的情况而发生改变，他通过最简单的方式，阐释自己对这个世界的理解，通过对物质和精神——物化的尝试，去发现这个世界。
罗曼在中国的系列展览得到了中国美术学院美术馆、中央美术学院美术馆、广州美术学院美术馆、深圳华美术馆、意大利努奥罗美术馆、网庭、新时线媒体艺术中心等机构的支持。感谢杨劲松、邱志杰、王璜生、王春辰、胡斌、冯峰、Lorenzo Giusti的策展支援，感谢张庆红先生对这个项目的支持。
对这个项目的支持机构还有：卡塞尔文献展文献库、Helmhaus艺术馆、瑞士文化基金会、新时线媒体艺术中心、圣加仑艺术铸造公司（Kunstgiesserei St.Gallen）等。支持项目的还有Corinne Schatz，David Signer，Karin Stengel，Simon Maurer，Barbara Signer，Michael Bodenmann，Uli Sigg，Josef Felix Müller，Peter Zimmermann，Reto Thüring，Rachel Withers，Max Wechsler，吉纳维夫·卢普（Geneviève Loup），菲利克斯·莱纳（Felix Lehner），阿莲·菲施汀格（Aline Feichtinger）等。
罗曼的出版物版权支持来自Vexer Verlag，设计来自非白工作室的虞琼洁和团队，翻译的朋友有林小发（Eva Luedi）、王盼、龙星如、Susannah Worth。
罗曼的第一件在中国的雕塑作品，由孙莉女士和成都麓湖·A4美术馆委托创作，于2018年11月3日完成，伴随着这个系列展览在地缘上的挪移，项目经历杭州、北京、广州、深圳、意大利撒丁岛……在成都，最终罗曼的工作凝结成一个特别的雕塑，当水流从人头顶越过的时候，罗曼工作中贯穿始终：动态的、不确定的、微妙的、幽默的瞬间，借助时间的稍纵即逝得以再现。
来自湖中的水，也必回到湖中。
——李振华
此项目由李振华、张庆红、罗曼·西格纳于2014年共同发起。
