The bed: How we use it and how artists see it
A bed is a lot more than a place to sleep. It is place of birth and death, love and violence, loneliness and togetherness. Now an exhibition in the art museum 21er Haus in Vienna shows its depictions in art.
In bed with...
Nowadays, fans can catch glimpses of their favorite stars' intimate lives through selfies of them in bed that go viral on the web. Years ago, German photographer Juergen Teller wrapped top model Kate Moss in white sheets for "Young Pink Kate" (1998). The picture, part of an art exhibition in Vienna focusing on the different functions of the bed, puts the viewer in a voyeuristic position.
Between pop and provocation
In 1994, Bettina Rheims photographed pop singer Madonna sitting on an unmade bed, wearing lingerie. The red roses in the bouquet on the nightstand beside her can be seen as a symbol of love and passion, while the fallen petals remind of the impermanence of it all. Incidentally, Madonna released her album, "Bedtime Stories," that same year.
In the beginning was the bed
The exhibition at Vienna's 21er Haus combines contemporary art with ancient frescoes and medieval paintings. The true name of the "Master of the Divisio Apostolorum" is unknown, but we do know that this painter from Styria (in southeastern Austria) also created the "Birth of Mary" at the end of the 15th century. A painting which shows where life often begins: in bed.
Lonely and alone
Birth and death, love and violence, loneliness and togetherness: Mario Codognato, the curator of the 21er Haus art museum in Vienna, organized the exhibits by theme, combining paintings, sculptures, drawings, photos, and videos. Loneliness is depicted here in Pierre Bonnard's oil painting "Reclining Nude Against a White and Blue Plaid" (circa 1909).
Tell me where you sleep
Johann Baptist Reiter also portrays sensual loneliness in his painting "Sleeping Woman" (1849). The art curator Codognato is fascinated by the concept of the bed, an object found in all cultures throughout history. Representations of it can reveal many aspects of the economic, political and social development of each period.
Disease and suffering
A bed is not only a place for erotic encounters or soothing relaxation. The Austrian painter Maria Lassnig, who died last year, conveyed the idea of the bed as a place of suffering and despair in her oil painting "Hospital" (2005). She was 86 years old when she painted it.
War propaganda with teddy bear
Sir Cecil Beaton not only photographed celebrities and the royalty, he was also a war photographer. In 1940, he photographed Eileen Dunne, a three-year-old injured during German air raids, clinging to her teddy bear. The image provided a powerful piece of visual propaganda for World War II. On September 23, 1940, it was published on the cover of "Life" magazine.
The people grater
Forced migration, expulsion and violence are dominant themes in the works of Palestinian-British artist Mona Hatoum. "Dormiente" (2008) shows a steel "bed" which looks a bit like a cheese grater - uncomfortable as can be.
Never to wake up again
American artist Lucinda Devlin photographed execution cells in US prisons in the 1990s. The images of the empty spaces and plank beds, on which the death row prisoners received their lethal injections, transmit an oppressive and creepy mood.
Beds for the feet
The Austrian artist Birgit Jürgenssen's work in the 1970s did not actually focus on beds, but on shoes. In 1973, she designed "mattress shoes" made of leather, cork and fabric. They can be seen as part of the exhibition "Schlaflos - Das Bett in Geschichte und Gegenwartskunst" (Sleepless - Beds in History and Contemporary Art) at the Vienna art museum 21er Haus until June 7, 2015.