Susan Philipsz (born 1965, Glasgow, UK) originally trained as a sculptor, but her sound and video installations have assured her international recognition, and led to her being presented with the prestigious Turner Prize in 2010.

As an artist, Susan Philipsz explores how sound can create spaces, trigger memories, and make an audience aware of the place they are in – both physically and mentally.

“The art of Susan Philipsz reaches its audience in a particularly emotional manner. Her way of using music and sound call upon our collective awareness and trigger a special kind of presence, which reaches deep into our hearts and souls. In the exhibition at ARoS, you get to experience Susan Philipsz’ sound work combined with video in a highly emotional installation, which makes us reflect on violent human reactions,” says Rebecca Matthews, director of ARoS. She adds:

“When you experience the artwork, you are both physically present in the room and in the here and now, while being mentally surrounded and overwhelmed by memories, recollections and thoughts.”

A complex and timeless artwork

The exhibition at ARoS (July 1st to December 3rd, 2023) is made up of a single work – Study for Strings Sokol Terezín – which is a video piece consisting of two screens with individual audio tracks.

Recordings of two instruments – a cello and a viola – are isolated from the original score which was composed by Czech-Jewish composer Pavel Haas (1899-1944).

The original piece was performed for the Nazi propaganda film, Theresienstadt: Ein Dokumentarfilm aus dem jüdischen Siedlungsgebiet from 1944, which was made with the purpose of presenting the German concentration camps as something completely different from the inhumane work and extermination camps they actually were.

Composer Pavel Haas was a prisoner at Theresienstadt before being transferred to Auschwitz, where he, along with most other prisoners from Theresienstadt, were murdered.

In the artwork Study for Strings Sokol Terezín, the visual side consists of two large screens with subtle footage from the building in Theresienstadt as it appears today.

“In the video piece, we see the camera move through the empty building as a ghost haunting its former home, ultimately ending up in the dark basement of the building,” explains Jakob Sevel, who is the curator behind the exhibition.

By restaging the composition in the location where the footage for the 1944 propaganda film was shot, Philipsz reminds us of the horrific things that provide the backdrop for the film. In this way, she forces us to reflect on the meaning of past events as we view history through our present perspective.

The artwork – which is shown for the first time in Europe – is originally part of Susan Philipsz’ former work, Study for Strings, which was presented at the Kassel train station in 2012. The train station was an important piece of infrastructure during the Nazi reign in Germany, and the performance of the work in this particular setting is often characterized as one of Susan Philipsz’ seminal works, as it received massive international recognition and attention.

Propaganda film was made after an inquiry from Red Cross Denmark

During a large-scale operation, the Nazi Wehrmacht captured about 500 Danish Jews, all of whom were deported to Theresienstadt. A year later, the central administration in Denmark succeeded in organizing a visit to the camp, during which the Red Cross was tasked with ensuring that Danish prisoners were being treated appropriately.

The Nazi regime used this occasion and the visit from the Danish delegation to spread rose-colored propaganda about conditions in the camp – including the propaganda film, which Susan Philipsz refers to in her artwork, Study for Strings Sokol Terezín.

The exhibition, Susan Philipsz – Study for Strings Sokol Terezín, can be seen at ARoS from July 1st to December 3rd, 2023. The work is made possible with generous support from Stiftung Kunstfonds.

During the official opening on June 30th, it will be possible to experience an artist talk with Susan Philipsz in the salon on Level 3 from 5.15-5:45pm. This talk will be conducted by curator Jakob Vengberg Sevel, and access to the event requires a regular entry ticket to the museum.

Installation photos can be downloaded via Dropbox – use creditlines.

Read more about the ARoS exhibition here.

For additional information, please contact:

Astrid Ildor · asil@aros.dk · (+45) 61 90 49 42

Sofie Klindrup · sofie@have.dk · (+45) 25 48 37 49

Amanda Larsen · amanda@have.dk · (+45) 26 19 94 59