Jun Yang

“Modern design classics, collectors’ objects, luxury goods, and industrial mass taste – that’s the spectrum that interests me. The Tobias cantilever chair of transparent plastic and chrome-plated tubular steel, can be purchased for 89.99 euros at IKEA. At xxxlutz, there are cantilever chairs from 29.90 to 289 Euro, in imitation leather, fabric, or Viennese wicker for ‘dining in style’!” (Jun Yang, 2023)

The overwhelming number of Bauhaus furniture designs are produced by three companies today: Knoll International, Tecta, and Thonet. Bauhaus furniture is sought after. In addition to the originals, there are faithfully reproduced objects and licensed reissues. There is also a large market for unauthorized copies. The work of the artist Jun Yang starts with the latter: He furnishes the Bauhaus Building with famous Bauhaus furniture of very different origin. Their construction, use of materials, and quality of production reflect a wide spectrum of interpretation. With his work Yang is initiating a discourse how to approach the legacy of the Bauhaus, its continued existence, but also transfers from industrially produced furniture to the design icon, the copy, and the fetish as well as from the legally punishable pirate copy to the work of art. Last but not least, Yang raises questions about rights of use and exploitation, about who has and who doesn’t have which rights.

In addition to the original, faithfully produced objects, the licensed re-editions and very free interpretations, exciting design developments by Kerstin Bruchhäuser and Katrin Greiling for Tecta will also be on display. In close collaboration with Tecta, the Bauhaus Museum’s café will also be furnished with red B40 chairs and foldable D4 armchairs, famous tubular steel furniture by Marcel Breuer. Films will provide an insight into the production process at Tecta and show how much the company has remained a manufactory to this day.

The opening will take place as part of a conference. The artist Jun Yang will also be present.

11 am
Introduction
// About the art project
Barbara Steiner, Director SBD and curator of the exhibition

11:30 am
The Theseus Paradox, Jun Yang, artist
// Lecture and tour

12:30 am – 1 pm
Break

1 pm
Owning and occupying, having and being:
From type furniture to the Wassily Chair.
// Lecture
Werner Möller, Head of Collection and Research Associate SBD

1:45 pm
Made in … Sitting on the fancy or the original
// Lecture
Juliane Aleithe, Research Associate SBD

2:15 pm
Film report from production today
// Lecture
Christian Drescher, Tecta

3 pm
Design process of the F51N
// Lecture
Katrin Greiling, Studio Greiling

3:15 pm
Complicated Bauhaus heritage?
// Talk
Christian Drescher, Jun Yang, Barbara Steiner, Katrin Greiling and Juliane Aleithe