While visiting Bratislava, Christian Jankowski happened upon a folk art shop and became intrigued with hand-carved walking sticks. These objects have been used as a support, a weapon, and symbol for the wanderer for thousands of years. They are also among the first tools fashioned and decorated by men, anchoring them within the early history of art. Jankowski was particularly interested in these walking sticks because they had faces carved into their handles—representations of animals, ghosts of the forest, and other mythical characters.
In order to better understand the craft and history behind this form of folk art, Jankowski met with the 77-year-old woodcarver, Oldrich Richter, who made these traditional walking sticks. In a filmed interview, the two discuss Richter’s profession and his creative processes. The artist commissioned Mr. Richter to produce a new series of walking sticks, exhibited as part of the installation History of Man and Stick. Jankowski leans these walking sticks against the gallery walls and uses them to hold in place images illustrating the use of such sticks through the ages: from ancient Egyptian wooden figures to Pope John Paul II to Leonardo DiCaprio. A surprising dialogue arises from the juxtaposition of the carved wooden faces and the illustrated faces.
Editors: Christian Jankowski and Lydia Pribišová
Publisher: i+i print, 2017
Softcover, 24 pages
21 x 14,7 cm
ISBN: 978-80-971 474-5-7
About the Artist
Christian Jankowski (b. 1968, Göttingen, Germany)
Throughout his career, Christian Jankowski has developed a conceptual art practice that ranges from mass-media to fine arts production. This has lead Jankowski to collaborate with several media outlets, such as Columbia Tristar in Germany (Rosa, 2001), Taijin Media in South Korea (The Day We Met, 2003) and Televisa in Mexico (Crying for the March of Humanity, 2011). The resulting artworks synthesize performative elements into videos, sculptures, photographs and site-specific installations that challenge old parameters and suggest new ways of image production through questioning the images which circulate in mass-media and reflecting upon the current role of art in society.
His videos, films, and installations have been exhibited nationally and internationally in places such as Fluentum, Berlin (2020); Fondazione del Monte, Bologna, IT (2018); Yokohama Triennale, Yokohama, JP (2017); HAL, Berlin (2016); the K21, Stiftung Kunstsammlung, Düsseldorf (2015); The Progetti per l’arte, Florence, IT (2015), The Proyectos Monclova, Mexico City (2014); The Pavilion Downtown Dubai (2013); Sala de Arte Publico Siqueiros, Mexico City (2012); MACRO, Rome (2012); Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden, DE (2009); Kunstmuseum Stuttgart, DE (2008); Miami Art Museum, Miami, FL (2007); and MIT List Visual Art Center, Cambridge, MA (2005).
He has participated in numerous Biennials, including the 48th Venice Biennial in 1999, the Whitney Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York in 2002 and the Taipei and Sydney Biennials in 2010. In addition, Jankowski curated Manifesta 11, Zurich, CH (2016).
Christian Jankowski is a recipient of the Heitland Foundation Award (2013) and the Finkenwerder Art Prize (2015). Jankowski studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Hamburg and lives and works in Berlin.
