First Nation, Second Nature

Taking place directly prior to the opening, this discussion of Jungen’s work brings the artist together with his London-based contemporary, the artist and writer Edgar Schmitz. Together they will explore various aspects of Jungen’s work in an informal conversation that takes its title from an eponymous work by Jungen.

“First Nation” is the name given to the original inhabitants of North America, also referred to as aborigines and previously labeled “American Indians”. Jungen was raised in a the Dane-zaa nation and much of his work explores the stereotypical vision of First Nations’ identities and cultural production, as seen not only in anthropological museums but also in the marketing of contemporary Canada to tourists.

Schmitz has written for Witte de With’s Brian Jungen publication. He is known for his public debate series a conversation in many parts, an international discursive platform for contemporary cultural practice and concepts, that he co-directs with Lisa Le Feuvre in London. Born in 1968 in Germany, he studied at Ruhr Universität Bochum, Académie des Beaux Arts, Brussels, Accademia di Brera, Milan and Goldsmiths’ College, London. He lectures in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths’ College, London, writes in Kunstforum International, Cologne and Texte zur Kunst, Berlin and curates for the Zamyn think tank, London. Recent exhibitions include too close is good too, Play, Berlin, 2005; London Movies, Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels, 2005; and Liam Gillick: Edgar Schmitz, London, 2006. His new book Ambient Modes. Poetics and politics of dispersed engagements is forthcoming with Lukas & Sternberg, Berlin/New York. Edgar Schmitz lives and works in London.