Paul Gangloff designed this exhibition catalogue in the form of a diary for the year 2020. This diary is based on an eighteenth-century calendar from the French Revolution in which the names of animals, plants and tools replaced heroic religious feats. Gangloff distributed the artists’ specially developed contributions over specific days of the year.

2020 was published on the occasion of the exhibition becoming ahh at the Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht, 7th November, 2010 – 27th March, 2011. Becoming ahh was conceived in conjunction with the exhibition by the BACA Laureate 2010, Francis Alÿs. Becoming ahh exhibits the work of five young artists and one designer from the Jan van Eyck Academie: Wolfgang Fütterer (D), Paul Gangloff (F), Magicgruppe Kulturobjekt (D, NL, A), Dominique Hurth (F), Axel Loytved (D) en Nicholas Matranga (US).

Preceding the opening of both exhibitions, Alÿs and the young artists discussed their work during what was referred to as a BACA ‘masterclass’. Masterclasses like this are a sensitive issue in the visual arts. The master-pupil hierarchy is difficult to reconcile with the art world’s general expectation that the artist be innovative, original and authentic. The idea of a hierarchy does not fit in well with the egalitarian mission directed at artistic research of the Jan van Eyck Academie, where students and lecturers are invariably referred to as ‘researchers’ and ‘advising researchers’.

Language: English