Bojan Šarčević and Netherlandish Depictions of Church Interiors
Blickwechsel: Schenkung Sammlung Hoffmann / Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
In the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, a contemporary video work is meeting Netherlandish paintings from the 17th century, entering a dialogue that spans the epochs. Here it becomes clear how Bojan Šarčević has taken up the visual language of the Old Masters. Fascinated by the spatiality of sacred architecture, he has imbued his works with references to Netherlandish depictions of church interiors – a pictorial genre that developed as early as the 16th century. Yet, the surprise lies not only in seeing these works side by side: They are also united by a motif that today is a rare sight in sacred spaces: the dog in the church.
- Exhibition Site Zwinger
- DATES 24/05/2025—22/02/2026
- Opening Hours daily 10—17, Monday closed 29/05/2025 10—18 (Christi Himmelfahrt) 30/05/2025—31/05/2025, 10—18 (verlängerte Öffnungszeit)
- Admission Fees normal 16 €, reduced 12 €, under 17 free, groups (10 persons and more) 12,50 €
Dabei wird deutlich
Emanuel de Witte, Gerard Houckgeest and Job Adriaenszoon Berckheyde show spaces of the Reformed Church, recognizable by its simple, sparse interior with an almost complete lack of images. Here, churches appear to serve a broad public function: They are accessible places where sermons and communal life can unfold, and denominational boundaries can be overcome. It is not surprising then that the depicted scenes show groups of figures who stroll through the spacious halls, engrossed in conversation. And no one seems bothered by the presence of dogs – rather, these scenes clearly identify the church as a space of everyday, communal interaction.
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Neben der Videoarbeit
Šarčević takes up and develops this thought in his video work of 1999, for which he filmed the interior of the Westerkerk in Amsterdam, complete with three dogs roaming freely. The artist quotes Georges Bataille in his work title, while also calling into question the French philosopher’s clear distinction between culture and nature. The camera guides our eyes to the behaviour of the dogs in their unfamiliar surroundings: They appear restless, searching for something – not at all “like water in water” as the title suggests. Thus, both the historical paintings and Šarčević’s video work depict a relationship between humans and animals, between church and everyday life – all while questioning the purported separation of these spheres.
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