victim of banks: 2012

Alexander Rodin-Belarussian Painter

Photo by Petrov Ahner

Art Direction and text by Miriam Wuttke

Photo taken Jan 16 2012

This Photo is part of the Tacheles Biennale 2012 and is currently shown at

Goldener Saal, 1st floor of Arthouse Tacheles, Oranienburgerstr 54-56a, 10117 Berlin

The story behind the image:

On December 7 2011 HSH North-Bank managed (by means of forced administration) to evict the Belarussian painter Alexander Rodin and confiscated his art work by trespassing without legal eviction notice and without the presence of court officials.

The breaking into the spaces of Kunsthaus Tacheles with the temporary exhibition of Alexander Rodin was made by order of the lawyers’ office of HSH North- Bank Schwemer, Titz & Tötter.

A crew of about 30 security guards smashed the door on the 5th floor of the building and forced the 64-year-old painter to leave the exhibition hall under threat of violence.

After the illegall take over the paintings of the internationally well known artist have been kept under tight wraps.
It was irony of fate that the same week the security guards threw him out of his exhibition and took over his paintings Alexander Rodin had a book with his large scale works published by Hatje Cantz Verlag: While releasing the book which embraces a great part of his life work, the painter did not know what condition he would find his paintings in- if to see them ever again.

On top of the confiscation the 30 men in black occupying the 5th floor on a 24/7 basis deliberately destroyed a large scale oil painting with a knife. They also urinated in the corners of the space and treated art like trash.
By order of HSH North-Bank, a bank which we all "support" by paying taxes since it was "saved" by our governments, and their white-collar crime lawyers the guards crossed a line not to be crossed.- But this degrading and disrespectful behaviour seems to be symptomatic for a society in which you can get away with every kind of fraud and mannors if you have enough money.

Alexander Rodin is a painter seeking freedom of expression in a country founded on democratic values, whilst in his home country he does not have the opportunity to work freely as it is ruled by corruption and censorship.

As he states: "I did not think this would happen in Germany..."

If this is the face of democracy as we ought to live it, we must be worried about the future.

More information:
http://kritikdesign.blogspot.com/
Grossgemaelde von Alexander Rodin zerstoert
Tacheles Biennale 2012

Augustrasse,Berlin-Mitte
17 Feb 2012

About the Blog

Victim of banks is a blog created after the title of an exhibition of the painter Alexander Rodin at Kunsthaus Tacheles in Berlin Mitte in January 2012. With his installation in the New Gallery of the independent arthouse, the Belarussian artist protested against the eviction from his studio on the 5th floor of the house which took place in December 2011. The painter was thrown out by security guards hired by a law firm of HSH Nordbank, a „communal bank“ which was „saved“ by German Government in the course of the bank bailout in 2008.

The blog is reflecting symptomatic political developments in relation to these bank bailout backings which have been continued under „social market economy“ governments since.

The main aspect the blog deals with is the reflection of the special situation of artists and cultural „workers“ . In this discourse it is considering the situation of arts and culture in general, being embedded in a neo liberal society based on functionalism, profit increase and the dispossesion of the Commons.

The questions raised are connected with the instrumentalization of commons, the rising gap between active leaders and passive followers in society and the meaning and value of „work“ in general.
The attitude of passiveness and victimization which is to be seen as a symptom of degradation of citizens to a cheap labor force is transformed in the moment of awareness of constant critical discussion and involvement with society and public.

Victim of banks wants to give a platform and a face to artists dealing with these contemporary questions with the means of their choice in their own discipline.
Each artist portrait of the blog mirrors either a work which is reflecting social and urban development in contemporary arts, culture, poltitics and society, or it shows the condition under which artists live and work.

The production of the photographical portrait includes a personal meeting and closer examination of the artist, their work and it`s developing process. It is crucial to the outcome of the portrait shot to try to capture the actual situation and the point of view expressed in the piece of work which is shown on the blog. To meet on site or in the artist`s studio, to talk, discuss, try to define, let time pass and chose the photo with care is part of a communication process which can be seen as an artistic and creative dialogue on a basic and respectful human level.