MACRO is amongst the various locations around the world presenting the film MARX by artist Olaf Nicolai, from 12 pm 21 September to 12 pm 22 September, 2021, local time. The movie moves around all time zones like an artificial sun rotating around the Earth.

MARX portrays in a specific way the Karl Marx Monument by artist Lew Kerbel which was inaugurated in 1971 in Karl-Marx-Stadt. The monument, which has been under monument protection since 1971, shapes the inner city of Chemnitz (formerly Karl-Marx–Stadt) to this day.

Kebel was known for his monumental sculptures; his best-known work is the Soviet War Memorial in Treptower Park (Berlin).

For this work, the central part of the giant bust’s face was filmed in a fixed shot from noon on 21 September 2020 to noon of the following day (the time of the equinox).
The 24-hour passage of time is reflected both in the changing light on the bronze surface and in the sound recording of the surrounding urban life. That transforms the political icon into a landscape, subject to constant change in a successive play of light.

MARX ends with a brief quotation from the Danish author Inger Christensen: “Nobody knows in spite of everything if the universe is counting down while we are faithfully counting up”.

Olaf Nicolai, MARX, 2020
24 Hours, HD, colour, 16:9, stereo
Camera: Volker Sattel / Camera assistant:Thilo Schmidt / Sound editor: Jakob Braito /Editing: Olaf Nicolai, Patrik Thomas /Production assistant: Maeve Gerding

Produced as part of the project “Gegenwarten I Presences 2020”, organized by the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz.

The worldwide 24-hour-premiere is made possible by the support of Haus der Kunst, Munich; Galerie Eigen + Art Leipzig /Berlin; Knust Kunz Gallery Editions; Stiftung Federkiel & Christian Jacobs; Kulturstiftung des Bundes and Stadt Chemnitz.

Screening locations according to timezones: TIMES MUSEUM, Guangzhou / MAUDI, Tblissi / AL MA’MAL FOUNDATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, Jerusalem / CINÉMATHÈQUE DE TANGER, Tanger / GARAGE. MUSEUM FOR CONTEMPORARYART, Moskwa / GOETHE INSTITUT SOFIA, Sofia / LOCUS ATHEN, Athens / HAUS DER KULTUREN DER WELT, Berlin / HAUS DER KUNST, München / KUNSTSAMMLUNGEN CHEMNITZ, Chemnitz / MACRO. MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART, Roma / MGML. MUSEUM AND GALLERIES OF LJUBLJANA, Ljubljana / ICA. INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS, London / FOGO ISLAND ARTS, Fogo Island / SUBTE. CENTRO DE EXPOSICIONES, Montevideo / ARTE CONTINUA LA HABANNA, Habanna / VILLA AURORA, Los Angeles