Superuschi
Superuschi was launched by Berlin-based artist and curator Jonny Star in March 2013. Superuschi is a further development of Star´s art projects Sweet Home (2011 - 2013) and Jonny´s (2007 - 2009). Conceptual changes and process-oriented developments made a name change necessary.
Jonny Star develops events as an exploratory artistic act to take place in specific venues (either within private or staged private living spaces). Participating international artists and performers were given a theme to reflect upon, and with the given theme, individually or collaboratively, create material for a Superuschi show. The result is a temporary show that psychologically alters the physical location according to possibility and chance, combining the intended or unintended interactions of the space, the objects, and the artists and guests, all in the spirit of a social sculpture. In a Superuschi show, simultaneously and equally different disciplines and traditions are shown, and during the exhibition special events are organized. The participating artists are coming together at a Superuschi show for the first time or coming together on a regular basis, so a Superuschi show creates a social gathering which generated new friendships and activities. It belongs to the concept of Superuschi that the participating artists are present at openings and special events. A primary concern of Jonny Star is that the guests of Superuschi are given the opportunity to experience being an integral part of the art, therefore increasing their awareness of the importance of the visual and performing art for an individual and for a community.
Superuschis (You Can Feel It), 2014
Superuschis (You Can Feel It) are high-quality pigment prints on paper in small, limited editions that are reminiscent of banknotes. The digital collage features a self-portrait of the artist and is treated with 24 carat gold leaf and acrylic paint. Each work has an individual serial number and is signed by the Jonny Star on the front. In different sizes and "currencies" these works are true collector's items that distinguish their buyers as art lovers. As Superuschis (You Can Feel It) are not backed by gold or any other currencies, but by the promise of Jonny Star and the associated artistst to create intensive happenings and interesting art exhibitions that are truly special events for both the artists and the visitors. By purchasing Superuschis (You Can Feel It) you are supporting Jonny Star's activities.
Invited artists: Katharina Arndt, Jim Avignon, Mischa Badasyan, Julianna Bass, Thomas Behling, Hannah Bertram, Sascha Boldt, Joanna Buchowska, Sindy Butz, Anke Cott, Betty Diggler, Michal Dudek, George Ferrandi, Markus Siegfried Fiedler, Franciscus & Franciscus, Peter Freitag, Monica Germann & Daniel Lorenzi, Reinhold Gottwald, Elke Graalfs, Katy Gunn, Prof. Inhalt, Ben Kamili, Sol Kjøk, Macklin Kowal, Abigail Lane, Jenny Löbert, Peter Max Lawrence, Honey McMoney, Carmen Morales Alvarez de Ron, Mosbach, Shana Moulton, Lori Nelson, Manfred Peckl, Jen Ray, Römer + Römer, Kelli Ryan, Maik Schierloh, Ann Schomburg, Raven Schlossberg, Kerstin Schröder, Veronika Schumacher, Tanja Selzer, Scott Snyder, Jonny Star, Peter Stauss, Annette Stemmann, Tulip Enterprises, Berit Uhlhorn, Lena von Goedeke, Sador Weinsčlucker, Werner Widmer, Nadine Wottke
Sweet Home
Sweet Home was launched by Berlin-based artist Jonny Star in March 2011. Star invited international artists to show their work during a solo exhibition in a staged "campy” living room. Sweet Home evolved out of Jonny´s, a former art project by Jonny Star (2007 - 2009). During regularly opening receptions and special events a Portuguese bar provided food and drinks for guests. The living room was open to the public, as it was in a store located in Berlin-Kreuzberg. Within the art project Star was providing a space for the presentation of contemporary art not linked to the commercial aspects of the art world. Her main interest, besides intense exhibitions and interesting challenges for the artists, was the development of a community and the development of more awareness about the necessity of art in daily life. In December 2011 Sweet Home was invited to participate in the art fair SCOPE Miami. In March 2013, after the experiences of 11 art shows and an art fair, Jonny Star developed a new concept for Sweet Home and changed the name of her art project to Superuschi.
Invited artists: Julia Büttelmann, Karin Christiansen, Michal Dudek, Tulip Enterprise, Ute Haecker, Dan Hudson, Zipora Rafaelov, Jonny Star, Ansgar Skiba, Mechtild van Ahlers
Jonny´s
The art project Jonny´s was initiated by Berlin-based artist Jonny Star in May 2007. At first glance, it was an exquisite, extraordinary, fine Portuguese shop in Berlin-Kreuzberg. Rare foods and bizarre household goods were offered, beautiful and strange in design, that seemed to have come from another era. Jonny Star drove hundreds of kilometers to track them down in the nooks and crannies of small villages in Portugal. In 2008 a bar with Portuguese tarts, coffee, traditional food, and drink was added. On second glance, it was an art installation that looked like a beautiful foreign shop. Jonny Star enticed passerbys into the small shop with the help of the slogan, “food for everyone.” Inside the shop people were nourished with food, could find household things and art. On the shelves and old cupboards, between sardine tins, piri-piri and feather dusters, one could find bronze works, collages, and painting of the exhibiting artists. This unusual merging of an everyday shopping experience and art discovery made it possible for Star to reach people who are usually reserved towards art or even believed that art was something not for them. The regular visitors of Jonny´s were art aficionados, Portugal lovers and people for whom art and art experiments were new. Regularly opening receptions, performance evenings, readings and artist talks started to be extravagant evenings, where guests enjoyed shrimp, got to know excellent Portuguese wines, and focused on the works of an artist. In 2009 Jonny Star had to close Jonny´s. Each art project of this size may only exist temporary if the commercial considerations are not the main focus and the art project is without funding. Out of the essence of the experiences of Jonny´s, a new art project named Sweet Home was developed in March 2011.
Invited artists: Anna Borowy, Bianca Döring, Michal Dudek, Jonny Star (Gabriele-Maria Scheda)