Sam Pulitzer’s first institutional exhibition in Germany centers on a narrow corridor made of aluminum and transparent acrylic glass. It lures and constrains us, and as a spatial element it keeps us at a distance. The seven drawings inside the corridor reveal the artist’s – whose practice continues to be critical of institutions – affinity for linguistic games, hidden references, logos, and pop culture. The installation is juxtaposed with other groups of works by Pulitzer and works from the Nationalgalerie Collection by Daniel Buren, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Mona Hatoum, Jenny Holzer, Jonathan Horowitz, Gülsün Karamustafa, Bruce Nauman, Raymond Pettibon, Gregor Schneider, and Roman Signer. 

The title of the installation and the exhibition refers to Keynesian theory, according to which decisions are not based on rational calculations but on animal instincts (‘animal spirits’) and ‘whim or sentiment or chance’.

Sam Pulitzer (*1984 Fremont, NH, USA) is the winner of the Baloise Art Prize 2017. The Baloise Group has been committed in the field of the visual arts for several decades. The main focus of activities is the Baloise Art Prize, which is awarded annually to two young artists. The prizes, each worth CHF 30,000, are awarded at Art Basel in the Statements sector by an international jury.

The exhibition is made possible by the Baloise Group.

There will be a publication to accompany the exhibition.

Curator: Ina Dinter