They are a living total work of art: Eva & Adele.
The two have only existed as a unit for 30 years; their individual biographies have erased.
Now they are exhibiting works from 30 years in the Nicole Gnesa gallery in Munich.
There is a heavy scent of perfume in the air. And a lot of cordiality. Eva & Adele are in town - unmistakable. When a boy walks past the Nicole Gnesa gallery on Tuesday morning, where the artists are making final preparations for their vernissage, he excitedly points to the shop window. "Mommy! Look, the women don't have hair! ”“ Yeah, cool, right? ”Dad asks him. And the little one: “Totally cool!” It's that simple when the heart is open and the view is unobstructed by prejudices.
Eva & Adele, this unique duo.
In 1991 they landed out of nowhere in the art world and have since wanted to be understood as a total work of art.
They deleted their individual biographies and gender attributions.
For 30 years, Eva & Adele have been a unit.
A perpetual performance wherever they go.
Eva & Adele also have many enthusiastic fans in Munich
The two of them - Adele exuberant, laughing loudly, communicative, Eva quietly, thoughtfully, with a subtle smile - were smiled away, rejected, and attacked. But they continued with their extravagant twin masquerade. It is part of their work. The second is to be photographed by everyone. If you do, they give you a business card. Associated with the request to send them the photo. These pictures are inspiration for her films, drawings and paintings. “When we started three decades ago, there was a kind of dictation: When you do performance, it's just photography and video,” Adele remembers. And is annoyed: “How can you give artists a dictation at all?” It is absolutely clear that they, who paint over the gender boundaries in such bright colors, also know no boundaries in their art."Whether we're designing a coat, painting the face, working on a canvas or making a film - we use every medium with love and passion."
That sounds so light-footed. But it takes strength. She recently asked a friend, a fighter for diversity and tolerance like her, where she got the energy from, over so many years. Your answer: “We are thoroughbred artists. We just believe in the power of art. Even if it was often painful. "
But if you hear them talk, it becomes clear that there is another source of power that is constantly gushing.
It's the many encounters with other people.
Like once, in the museum in Paris.
When a shy young man slipped them a note.
The message scrawled on it: "Thank you for making this World a beautiful Place" - thank you for making this world a beautiful place.
Or the American who single-mindedly approached them in New York and told them he would like to give them his late mother Emily's fur coat as a present.
It meant so much to her - and nothing would be better for him than the idea that this coat would become art.
Eva & Adele fulfilled his wish.
The coats they wear in Munich are trimmed with Emily's fur.
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Merkur editor Katja Kraft (left) met Eva (right) & Adele in the Nicole Gnesa gallery in Munich
© kjk
The former owner would certainly have liked how the two of them stroll through the city center on a November day, as golden as the quilted fabric under the fur.
How then a girl approaches Eva, 14, maybe 15 years old.
And announces with a smile: “You look so cool!” Adele smiles.
“Right, that's a lot of great acclaims that we get.
Testimonies of love. "
Eva & Adele also want to encourage others to be themselves
The works that can be seen from tomorrow in the Nicole Gnesa gallery and in the accompanying book (Hirmer) tell indirectly of these loving encounters. In the best case, your performance will have an effect. Just like a collector told them. At some point he realized that in situations in which he is faced with difficult decisions, he goes in his house where one of the pictures of Eva & Adele is hanging. "Because it enables him to see the risk of our performance - and the courage that we have shown," says Adele. And adds with a smile: “The communication with the picture works. Not only the exchange with us, but also the images are the senders of our message. Beyond time. "
Until December 18, Wed.-Fri., 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Galerie Nicole Gnesa, Kolosseumstraße 6, inner courtyard.
Current book: “Keep the rosy wings strong: Eva & Adele”, Hirmer, Munich, 168 pages;
39.90 euros.
To buy in the gallery or here
