AVANTI DILETTANTI
On the Challenges of Failure

The exhibition circles around the themes of dabbling, failing, and apologizing. The centerpiece of the show is the video installation „and i’m sorry for whatever i did“ by artists Julia Niemann and Leonie Seibold. Fragments from films, music videos and politicians' speeches offer an insight into the "cultural technique" of male apologies: Often these seem only half-baked and are simply meant to end a discussion. Around this nucleus of the failed apology, other works of art - historical and contemporary positions, for the most part from the Wien Museum's collection - are arranged.

Failure is understood to mean when a set goal is not achieved by an action. Failure is frowned upon in a success-oriented society. Yet we need to fail in order to (mis)learn, to change the process and to start again. For in the best case, failure also implies a nevertheless.

The approach of the dilettantes is contrary to this: the goal of their doing is the doing itself. Thus they cannot fail at all. In the early days, "dabbling" meant turning to a valued artistic pursuit. Derived from the Italian "dilettare", to enjoy, there is a fearless lightness and humor inherent in the action, which we want to celebrate in this form: AVANTI DILETTANTI!

Curators: Daniela Hahn & Andrea Lehsiak (The D0D0-Project)

Artists of the exhibited works: Walter Berger, Razvan Botis,Thomas Geiger, Sofia Goscinski, Julia Niemann und Leonie Seibold, Margot Pilz, Alfred Rottensteiner, Linus Riepler, Curt Stenvert, Sebastian von Wahl