Who’s Boss — a collection of works

I chose the Boss story to engage with, although many other German compa­nies prof­ited during the war years by exploita­tion, because Boss was a clothing manu­fac­turer; the idea that a costume doesn’t just provide a protec­tive layer but can also be a form of disguise, intrigued me. Hugo Ferdi­nand Boss made gentle­men’s suits in Metzingen, Germany until 1931. Later, when he became a Nazi party member, the firm made uniforms. Now the priva­tised and highly successful fashion house follows contem­po­rary trends that still conform to an average uniformity.

Tanya Ury

Tanya Ury has been working on the research project Who’s Boss – Empire’s New Clothes, as PhD. in Human­i­ties candi­date at Leiden Univer­sity, Insti­tute for Cultural Disci­plines (NL) since 2010.

Who’s Boss — a collec­tion of works:

• Fashion Victim
• Barbie and Klaus
• Hair Shirt
• Hair Shirt Army — Armee des härenen Gewandes
• shower proof
• Art Prize
• Röslein Sprach…
• Boss Rune
• Your Rules
• Soul Brothers & Sisters
• Selec­tion
• sweat­shop

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Solo Exhi­bi­tions

2002 Fashion Victim, Jacob’s Ladder (solo), Hochbunker Cologne-Ehren­feld (9^th Nov. 2002 Cologne’s Long Muse­um’s Night) (D)
 

2006 (26.7. – 9.8.) Solo exhi­bi­tion, Seminar in the exhi­bi­tion, Tüzraktér Inde­pen­dent Cultural Centre, Budapest (HU)

2006 (3.11. – 4.11.) Solo exhi­bi­tion, 9 – 12 hours work­shop with pupils from the Anne-Frank-Realschule (secondary modern). Opening 20 Uhr 3.11., Bochumer Kulturrat, (D)
 www​.kulturrat​-bochum​.de, www​.ruhr​-guide​.de, www.j‑comm.de, www​.kijukuma​.de

2014 (13.2. – 21.4.) Tanya Ury’s Hair Shirt Army, an instal­la­tion, spon­sored by the Kulturamt (Art’s Council Cologne), will be presented for the first time in the crypt of EL-DE-Haus, the Nazi Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Cologne (D), opening 7pm, 13^th February, with an intro­duc­tion by Professor Dr. Ernst van Alphen, Leiden Univer­sity (NL). A programme of events includes a perfor­mance concert archive burn out with ​“Suspended Beliefs”, impro­vised poetry with impro­vised music: Tanya Ury (voice), Gernot Bogumil (trumpet), Kasander Nilist (double bass), Hans Salz (percus­sion)

Group Exhi­bi­tions

2004 Hair Shirt, Dress­codes, group exhi­bi­tion, Kunstverein Neuhausen (D)

2005 ​“Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt…” (“Always glad to be of service …”), ifa Galerie, group exhi­bi­tion, Berlin (D)

2005 ​“Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt…” (“Always glad to be of service…”), group exhi­bi­tion, Prora Doku­men­ta­tion­szen­trum, Rügen (D)

2005 ​“Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt…” (“Always glad to be of service…”), Kunstverein Rosen­heim (D) (Art Centre), group exhi­bi­tion, Opening 9^th November 2005, 19 hours. The exhi­bi­tion is from 9^th November till 6^th January 2006

2006 (2.9.- end September) Group exhi­bi­tion, Soul Brother Shaheen, Connec­tion, Propeller, Berlin (D)

2008 (25.4. – 15.5) Who’s Boss: Boss Rune (T‑shirts) & Röslein Sprach… (DVD), group exhi­bi­tion, Open Space at the World-Ex-Posi­tion 08, Zentrum für Kunst­pro­jekte Vienna www​.open​space​-zkp​.org/… www​.meta​mute​.org/​en/no… (AT)

2015 (22.3−1.11) 6 of 19 coats from Tanya Ury’s Hair Shirt Army is presented in Daniel Spoerri’s group exhi­bi­tion ​“Lieben und Haben – Lieb­haben, Sammeln und Sammler“ (Loving and Having – Cher­ishing, Collecting and Collec­tors). Spoerri’s 85^th birthday exhi­bi­tion is in the Spoerri Exhi­bi­tion House, Hader­s­dorf am Kamp (A). The opening is Saturday 21^st March 2015, at 4 pm www​.spoerri​.at/​a​k​tuell…

Festi­vals & Events

2005 (7.12.) Seminar & trailer Röslein Sprach…, Confer­ence: Jüdische Frauen in Geschichte und Gegen­wart (Jewish Women in the Past and Present), Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Wesseling nr. Bonn (D)

2006 (27.2.) Peer Critique, seminar with video trailer Röslein Sprach…, Ben Uri Gallery, London (GB)

2006 (14. – 18.6.) Who’s Boss as archival mate­rial, Performing Rights Library a four-day confer­ence and accom­pa­nying programme of live events Perfor­mance Studies inter­na­tional (PSi) #12: Performing Rights, Queen Mary, Univer­sity of London (GB)

2006 (28.8. – 3.9.) Who’s Boss as Seminar presen­ta­tion, c.sides Festival, Jerusalem ICC (Inter­na­tional Conven­tion Center)(IL)

2007 (23.3.) On the online Femi­nist Art Base www​.brook​lyn​mu​seum​.org: Who’s Boss: Art Prize No.4, Who’s Boss: Your Rules, The Eliz­a­beth A. Sackler Center for Femi­nist Art, The Brooklyn Museum, New York (USA)

2007 (4. – 7.4) Who’s Boss power point presen­ta­tion Saturday, April 7^th, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., Salon K , Fashion, Appear­ance and Consumer Iden­tity, Popular Culture Asso­ci­a­tion, Thirty-seventh Annual Meeting, Boston Marriott, Boston (USA) www​.popu​lar​cul​ture​.org

2008 (16. – 18.5) Who’s Boss power point presen­ta­tion in German, Limmud-Festival Werbellinsee (Jugen­der­hol­ungs- und Begeg­nungsstätte) www​.limmud​.de (D)

2012 (6) Tanya Ury is the featured artist new works in the June edition online of Imag­i­na­tions: Journal of Cross-Cultural Image Studies, with Videos: Inti­macy, cement & dark room; a series of 17 concrete poems, the photo­graph Alibi­jude, Selec­tion from the Who’s Boss series, and 8 photos from Soul Brothers & Sisters, also 3 photos of Occupy in Stras­bourg, from the Fading into the Fore­ground series; further­more 5 Toned Poems (sound & music Kasander Nilist) and a peer review inter­view (text and Skype video) with Claude Desmarais, www​.csj​.ualberta​.ca/im… (CA)

2017 (3.7.) Personal state­ment by Tanya Ury on her Who’s Boss, nomen est omen artworks and Katy Deepwell’s n.paradoxa publi­ca­tion, on its 20^th anniver­sary, at a special confer­ence on Local and Global Dynamics in Contem­po­rary Art at the Univer­sity of Middlesex, London (GB)

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Publi­ca­tions & Press

2004 Ury´s web site and artworks Who´s Boss referred to on the Metzinger city home­page www​.metzingen​-zwangsar​beit​.de (D)

2004 (12.6.) Schwäbis­ches Tage­blatt, by Wolf­gang Alber (D) more

2004 (20.12.) Article by Matthias Reichelt: Coali­tion of Forget­ting, a Follow up on the Flick Collec­tion, Tageszeitung junge Welt — Daily News­paper: Young World (D)

2005 Cata­logue, ​“Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt…” (“Always glad to be of service…”), Ifa Galerie, Berlin (D)

2005 ​“Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt…” (“Always glad to be of service…”), german​gal​leries​.com (D)

2005 ​“Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt…” (“Always glad to be of service…”), berlin​.art49​.com (D)

2005 ​“Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt…” (“Always glad to be of service…”), Sarah Ross, AVIVA​-BERLIN​.de (D)

2005 krim­inelle firmen (crim­inal firms), schein­schlag Nr. 05/​05, Berlin (D) more

2005 (29.1.) Kulturkueche​.de (Culture Kitchen), Berlin (D)

2005 (27.1.) Article with photo still Röslein sprach…,: Wer das härende Hemd trägt (who wears the hair shirt), Berliner Zeitung news­paper, by (BLZ) (D) more

2005 (27.1.) Article Wer das härende Hemd trägt (who wears the hair shirt), berli​non​line​.de, by (BLZ) (D)

2005 (27.1.) Article: Verdi­enen Am Horror — Holo­caust: ​“Stets gern für sie beschäftigt” (Gains by Horror — Holocaust:“Always glad to be of service…”) (rit.), Ticket — Das Magazin für die Stadt (The Maga­zine for the City), Berlin (D) more

2005 (27.1.) ​“Stets gern für Sie beschäftigt…” (“Always glad to be of service…”), ifa-Ausstel­lung über ​“Indus­trie und ihre NS — Auftraggeber” (ifa exhi­bi­tion about ​“Industry and its National Socialist employers”, Kultur­radio, rbb​-online​.de Im Hörfunk, Berlin (D)

2005 (1.2.) Article: Grauen — nicht auf den ersten Blick — ifa-Galerie thema­tisiert Zusam­men­hänge zwis­chen Firmen und Naziver­brechen (Horror — not at first sight — ifa Gallery’s theme is the link between compa­nies and Nazi crimes) by Robert Meyer, Neues Deutsch­land, Berlin (D) more

2005 (2) Article: Heraus­ra­gend (Outstanding), by kbn. Tip — Berlin Magazin (D) more

2005 (10.2.) Schoa-Kunst in Berlin, Jüdische Allge­meine Wochen­zeitung (ja), (Art of the Shoah in Berlin, Jüdische Allge­meine Weekly) Berlin (D)

2005 (16.2.) Article: Es fährt ein Bus nach Sach­sen­hausen — Die dunkle Seite von Hugo Boss (There’s a bus driving to Sach­sen­hausen — the dark side of Hugo boss), by Brigitte Werneburg, TAZ news­paper (D) more

2005 (18.2.) Article: Haut­naht — ifa-Galerie: auf den Spuren des Holo­caust (Skin Deep — ifa Gallery: In Search of Traces of the Holo­caust), by Jens Hinrichsen, Tagesspiegel, Berlin (D) more

2005 (25.2.) Review with photo still Röslein sprach…, ​“Hugo’s dunklere Seite” (Hugo’s dark side) article by Martin Conrads, Netzeitung​.de, Voice of Germany (D) more

2005 (3) Article: Neue Liter­atur, Palästina Journal Nr. 61 (New Liter­a­ture, Pales­tine Journal No. 61), by Thea Geinitz (D) more

2005 (3) Article with photo still Röslein sprach…, by Martin Conrads Zitty Maga­zine, Berlin (D) more

2005 (3.3.) Mahnen und Erin­nern (Memo­rials and Remem­bering), Märkische Oderzeitung Frank­furter Stadt­bote News­paper (D)

2005 (7.3.) Article Röslein sprach…, Geld stinkt eben doch — Voll waren die Auftrags­bücher zu Nazizeiten: Eine Ausstel­lung in der ifa-Galerie Berlin erin­nert an Prof­i­teure des Massen­mords (Money stinks after all – the order books were full during the Nazi times: an exhi­bi­tion in the ifa Gallery remem­bers those who prof­ited from mass murder) by Matthias Reichelt, Tageszeitung Junge Welt newpaper, Berlin (D) more

2005 (19. 05.) Ausstel­lung zur Vernich­tungspolitik (Exhi­bi­tion about exter­mi­na­tion poli­tics), Ostsee Zeitung​.de (news­paper) (D)

2005 (28.05.) Kunstausstel­lung in Prora über Indus­trie und Holo­caust (Art Exhi­bi­tion on Industry and the Holo­caust): Sechs Künstler zeigen Werke über die Verstrickung deutscher Firmen in den Massen­mord (six artists show work about the involve­ment of German firms in mass murder), Evan­ge­lis­cher Presse­di­enst (Prote­s­tand Press Service (D)

2005 (28.05.) Ausstel­lung klagt deutsche Firmen der Beteili­gung am Holo­caust an (Exhi­bi­tion accuses German firms of involve­ment in the Holo­caust), Märkische Oderzeitung (news­paper) (D)

2005 (29. 05.) news.rasender-reporter…

2005 (29. 05.) www​.doku​men​ta​tion​szen​trum​-prora​.de

2005 (29. 05.) www​.stoer​te​beker​.net

2005 (29. 05.) Prora: Ausstel­lung über die Indus­trie und den Holo­caust (exhi­bi­tion about Industry and the Holo­caust), Berliner Morgen­post (news­paper) (D)

2005 (30.5.) Article: ​“Stets gern für sie beschäftigt” — Kunst und Zwangsar­beit im Doku­men­ta­tion­szen­trum Prora,(Always Glad to be of Service — Art and Forced Labour in the Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Prora), by Andreas Küster­mann, Rügener Zeitung (Ruegen News­paper) (D) more

2005 (16.11.) article: Vergan­genes bleibt gegen­wärtig (the past remains with us) — Ausstel­lung zum Thema Holo­caust beim Kunstverein (Holo­caust exhi­bi­tion at the Kunstverein), by Eva Meyer, Ober­bayrisches Volks­blatt (news­paper) (D)

2006 www.esztertaska.blogte…

2006 (5.2006) Image of Beelze­bu­larin in Jahre­sausstel­lung cata­logue, Kunstverein Rosen­heim (Art Centre), (D)

2006 (3.11.) Who’s Boss and chil­drens’ work­shop, news­paper article with Photo, Ruhrnachrichten (Ruhr News) (D) more

2006 (4.11.) Who’s Boss and chil­drens’ work­shop, news­paper article with Photo, Stadt­spiegel Bochum (D)

2006 (4.11.) Who’s Boss, news­paper article with Photo, Bochum (D)

2008 (11) Who’s Boss: Hair Shirt and Röslein Sprach… discussed in article on Tanya Ury (in German) by Hartmut Bomhoff, Jüdische Zeitung (monthly), Berlin (D) article as PDF

www.j‑zeit.de

2013 (9) ​“Performing the Jewish Body in Contem­po­rary Germany”, to be published disser­ta­tion on Esther Dischereit and Tanya Ury, Dr. Juli­ette Brungs, Univer­sity of Minnesota (USA)

2014 (February/​April) Flyer and poster for Who’s Boss: Hair Shirt Army in the Nazi Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Cologne (D)

2014 (13.2) ​“A Personal Memo­rial”, article on Who’s Boss: Hair Shirt Army in the Nazi Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Cologne, by Susanne Kreitz in Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (Cologne City Gazette) (D)

2014 (13.2) ​“Hair Shirt Army in the Vault”, article on Who’s Boss: Hair Shirt Army in the Nazi Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Cologne, by Susanne Schramm in Köln kompakt – Rheinische Post – Neuß-Greven­broicher Zeitung (Cologne compact – Rhine Post — Neuß-Greven­broich Paper) (D)

2014 (13.2) ​“Not a vendetta against the Boss Company”, article on Who’s Boss: Hair Shirt Army in the Nazi Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Cologne, in Kölnische Rund­schau (Cologne Review) (D)

2014 (13.2) ​“Hugo Boss and the Nazi Past”, article on Who’s Boss: Hair Shirt Army in the Nazi Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Cologne, by (ehu) in Köln Nachrichten (Cologne News) The Online News Maga­zine for Cologne (D)

2014 (26.2. – 26.3) ​“Tanya Ury: Who’s Boss – Hair Shirt Army” article by Barbara Hess on the instal­la­tion at the Nazi Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Cologne, in Stadtrevue (City Revue) (D)

2014 (18.4) Inter­view with Tanya Ury by Brigitte Lang and Rebecca Mann, on the instal­la­tion Who’s Boss: Hair Shirt Army in the Nazi Docu­men­ta­tion Centre, Cologne, including an extract of Ury’s concert perfor­mance burn out, with Suspended Beliefs: Tanya Ury (text/​voice), Gernot Bogumil (trumpet), Kasander Nilist (double bass), Hans Salz (percus­sion)), Good Friday at 9:04 pm, on Allewel­tonair (All the World on air), on civic radio, with Radio Cologne, 107,1 FM (D)

2014 (11.9) Inter­view with Tanya Ury by Verena Krippner (18.4.2014), online at this link: fish​ing​fore​mo​tions​.de/ (D)

2015 (23.1.) ​“Arbeiten am Archiv” (Working on the Archive), 50-minute radio programme in the series ​“Das Feature” (The Feature) on Tanya Ury by Dr. Astrid Nettling (director Burkhard Reinartz), from 8:10 till 9 pm on Friday 23^rd January, Deutsch­land­funk (D) www​.deutsch​land​funk​.de…

2015 (22.3−1.11) Tanya Ury’s Hair Shirt Army are repre­sented on a double side in the cata­logue for Daniel Spoerri’s group exhi­bi­tion ​“Lieben und Haben – Lieb­haben, Sammeln und Sammler“ (Loving and Having – Cher­ishing, Collecting and Collec­tors). Spoerri’s 85^th birthday exhi­bi­tion is in the Spoerri Exhi­bi­tion House, Hader­s­dorf am Kamp (A) www​.spoerri​.at/​a​k​tuell…

down­load cata­logue: www​.spoerri​.at/​d​o​wnloa…

2015 (30.4.) ​“The Art of Jewish Hair”, an article about Salon Style, a group show at the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City, including a para­graph on Tanya Ury’s Hair Shirt, by Marjorie Ingall, in Tablet Maga­zine (USA) www​.tabletmag​.com/jewi…

Artist’s Writ­ings & Publications

2005 Thorn in the side, inter­view by Amin Farzanefar, with image Art Prize No. 4, Zeitschrift für Kultur Austausch (Maga­zine for Cultural Exchange) (D) more

2005 (27.1.) Inter­view by Julia Kaiser Deutsch­land Radio, Berlin (D) more

2005 (3.2.) Inter­view by Otto Langels Scala, WDR Radio, Cologne (D)

2005 (4.2.) Inter­view by Katrin Cüruk, TDI a, Life Style-Magazin, Kabelfernsehen (cable TV) DT1 Deutsch-Türkisches Fernsehen (German-Turkish TV), Berlin TV (D)

2005 (2) Inter­view by Von Oppen Deutsch­land­funk, WDR, Berlin (D)

2005 (1.4.) Who’s Boss project presented in Anti-Flick-Collec­tion Edition

2006 (26.8.) Inter­view with Aron Hadar and Who’s Boss: Art Prize No. 4, Ha’aretz (IL) of Texte zur Kunst, in the TAZ news­paper, Berlin (D)

2007 (7) Publi­ca­tion of Who’s Boss article in Translate/​Narrate issue, volume 20, n.paradoxa, Inter­na­tional Femi­nist Art Journal, London (GB)

web​.ukon​line​.co​.uk

2017 (1.8.) Personal state­ment by Tanya Ury on her Who’s Boss, nomen est omen artworks for Katy Deepwell’s n.paradoxa publi­ca­tion (GB), on its 20^th anniver­sary online: www​.ktpress​.co​.uk/conf…