SOUNDLESS MUSIC - DIE TÖDLICHE DORIS

SOUNDLESS MUSIC - DIE TÖDLICHE DORIS


Opening Night: 27 November 2007, 6 – 8pm

Exhibition: 28 November – 9 February 2008

Lecture: A History of Die Tödliche Doris: 28 November, 7:30pm

alt.gallery 61/62 Thornton Street,
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4AW,

www.altgallery.org


You are invited to the opening of the third exhibition at alt.gallery, Die Tödliche Doris: Soundless Music on Tuesday 27 November. The opening will be attended by Wolfgang Müller, artist and founder of the group.

This is the first UK exhibition of work by the Berlin art-punk group Die Tödliche Doris (The Deadly Doris). Founded in 1980 the group created records, tapes, films, performances, and exhibited their work widely including at documenta 8. Their seven-year plan saw the group dissolved into a bottle of Italian white wine in 1987.

Led by artist Wolfgang Müller, Doris was conceived both as a conceptual music group and a character resembling a super housewife philosopher. Dada inspired, her identity constantly evolved, refusing a singular definition or image. Die Tödliche Doris were central to the new atonal music scene in 1980s West Berlin, performing at Martin Kippenberger?s infamous music venue SO 36 and the Festival of Ingenious Dilletantes.

The exhibition re-presents their 1981 LP ? ? with its thirteen accompanying fashion styles, each created to express a different personality trait. In 1998 the LP was re-released through sign language and gesture, translating the original music and lyrics into a form of soundless music. Wolfgang Müller worked with sign language interpreters Dina Tabbert and Andrea Schulz to reshape the LP into the medium of ?deaf music?, expressed entirely within and through the body, gestures, movements, interaction and facial expression. This will be accompanied by images of the group taken by the acclaimed international photographer Nan Goldin.

Since 1987 Wolfgang Müller has created exhibitions, performances, books, audio plays and music projects internationally. For more information see www.wolfgangmueller.net

A limited edition print and multiple are available for sale to accompany this exhibition.

Exhibition presented with the kind assistance of Wolfgang Müller, Martin Schmitz Verlag Berlin and Tøni Schifer, Edition Kröthenhayn. Supported by Arts Council England, alt.vinyl and The Wire magazine.

www.altgallery.org
www.die-toedliche-doris.de

alt.gallery (entry via alt.vinyl) 61/62 Thornton Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4AW, mail@altgallery.org
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm / Thursday 10am to 8pm



EVENTS

A HISTORY OF DIE TÖDLICHE DORIS BY WOLFGANG MÜLLER
Lecture and Super-8 films

Wednesday 28 November, 7:30pm, Admission Free
Star and Shadow Cinema, Stepney Bank, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2NP

Thursday 29 November, 7:30pm, £3 / £1.50
The Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow

A lecture with Super-8 films by Wolfgang Müller founding member of Berlin based conceptual art group Die Tödliche Doris. Their acclaimed Super-8 films evoke a disappearing era. From the orgy of violence of the punk heroes Sid and Nancy (The Life of Sid Vicious), to grotesque dance movements in strange costumes (Dance, Water Ballet), to the endless parade of 1980s wallpaper patterns (Tapete) and the reconstruction of passport photos (The Photo-Booth Repair Man, Material for the Postwar Era). The films present a lost portrait of life in West Berlin in the 1980s through fairytales, re-enactments and documentary.

http://www.starandshadow.org.uk
http://www.cca-glasgow.com/events/wolfgangmuller.html