Goldrausch: Gegenwartskunst Aus, Mit Oder, Uber Gold

Gold Rush: Contemporary Art Made From, With or About Gold is an exhibition catalogue published to accompany the exhibit of the same title, which was featured at Kunsthalle Nürnburg (October 18, 2012 to January 13, 2013) and at Villa Merkel, Galerien der Stadt Esslingen am Neckar (February 17 to April 14, 2013), in Germany. The show explored the appearance of gold in the recent works of 18 international artists, including Joseph Beuys, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Daniel Knorr, Kris Martin, Jonathan Monk, and Claudia Wieser. Because gold typically elicits strong emotional responses, the use of gold appeals to contemporary artists who wish to interpret and express the complexities and connotations associated with this precious metal. Using gold as an artistic medium and a color in unexpected ways, artworks in this exhibition presented a critical study of gold’s many paradoxes and provocations. Such artworks push the boundaries of traditionalism, innovation, and ornamentation to explore the interrelationships among money, power, and beauty. The preciousness and symbolic power of gold inevitably raises the questions about the value of art and material worth.