Munich: Journey through the "Ulysses"

Created: 03/06/2022, 09:36

By: Michael Schleicher

"Ulysses" in Munich: Galerie Klüser celebrates the 100th of the novel by James Joyce.

© Marcus Schlaf/Münchner Merkur

100 years ago, in February 1922, Ulysses by Irish author James Joyce was published for the first time.

The Klüser Gallery in Munich has put together an enchanting exhibition to mark the novel's 100th birthday.

Suddenly the images seem to float.

The spring sun, which is falling through the high windows of the Munich gallery Klüser, makes the gold leaf in Mimmo Paladino's work sparkle and shimmer.

The etchings now seem even more airy, lighter - and thus form a particularly robust contrast to the mammoth work that they illustrate.

The cycle by the Italian born in 1948 is the wonderful centerpiece of a small but fine show celebrating a special birthday in the house on Georgenstraße: 100 years ago, in February 1922, Shakespeare & Company in Paris published the first edition of “Ulysses ' by Irish writer James Joyce (1882-1941).

Gallery owner Bernd Klüser calls the decision to

to bring out the book.

After publication, the literary world was different;

With “Ulysses”, Joyce pushed the door to modernity wide open.

"Ulysses": James Joyce tells of June 16, 1904 in Dublin

The structure of the novel seems simple: the author describes 18 hours of June 16, 1904 in Dublin, from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.

"The content, which at first glance seems trivial, is so condensed that it acquires timeless philosophical relevance," explains Klüser, who has already published several times on "Ulysses".

The readers can embark on a journey "into the depths of knowledge, memory, the unconscious and the irrational".

At the same time, however, this journey was characterized by the “accurate accounting incorporation of empirically verified facts”.

"Ulysses" in Munich: The Klüser gallery is also showing book sculptures by Mimmo Paladino.

© Marcus Schlaf/Münchner Merkur

Paladino also treads this path into the unconscious in his cycle of 18 sheets, one for each hour described by Joyce.

The writer did not title the episodes, but gave each an equivalent from Homer's "Odyssey."

The Italian artist has adopted this for his work - and expanded it with everyday experiences and expenditures that the protagonist Leopold Bloom experiences and makes in the novel.

The "Ulysses" series dates back to 1994

The series created in 1994 (the single sheet costs 1,600 euros, the complete work 26,000 euros) is supplemented by various “Ulysses” editions that Paladino has reworked into wonderfully playful book sculptures (3,400 euros per object).

Klüser is also showing etchings that Richard Hamilton created for "Ulysses".

The British artist was born in the year of publication 1922 - and with that the circle in this exhibition closes wonderfully.