Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, 2020–21

「憤慨せよ！」、クンストパラスト、デュッセルドルフ、2020での展示風景
撮影：Achim Kukulies、デュッセルドルフ、2020
写真提供：クンストパラスト Installation shot at Ehrenhof, Düsseldorf. In the context of the exhibition "Empört Euch!" at Kunstpalas, 2020
Photo by Achim Kukulies, Düsseldorf, 2020
Courtesy of Kunstpalast

新聞広告、デュッセルドルフ
グラフィックデザイン：Yelena Maksutay、2020
Newspaper advertisement in Düsseldorf
Design by Yelena Maksutay, 2020

「私的空間からアドルフ・ヒットラーを引き摺り出す」、GOLD+BETON、ケルン、2021での展示風景
撮影：Almut Erhardt、2021
Installation shot "Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space", GODL+BETON, Köln, 2021
Photo by Almut Erhardt, 2021

「私的空間からアドルフ・ヒットラーを引き摺り出す」、Ebertplatz、ケルン、2021での展示風景
撮影：Almut Erhardt、2021
Installation shot "Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space", Ebertplatz, Köln, 2021
Photo by Almut Erhardt, 2021

「Taking my Thoughts for a Walk」、ドルトムント市内、2021での展示風景
ドルトムント芸術協会とアーバン・アーツ・ルールの共同企画展
撮影：Roland Baege、2021
Installation shot at brüderweg Dortmund. In the context of the exhibition "Taking my Thoughts for a Walk"
A cooperation of Dortmunder Kunstverein and Urbane Künste Ruhr
Photo: Roland Baege, 2021

ビデオスティル、ケルン版、2021
撮影：丹羽良徳
Video still from Köln ver, 2021
Video by Yoshinori Niwa

私的空間からアドルフ・ヒットラーを引き摺り出す
2020-21, インターネットで展開されるドキュメンタリー映像シリーズ（映像尺未定）と衣類回収コンテナ
—オリジナル版は芸術祭「シュタイヤーマルクの秋’18」によるコミッション・ワーク
—デュッセルドルフ版をクンストパラスト美術館（デュッセルドルフ）でのグループ展「憤慨せよ！」の枠組みの中で実施
—ケルン版をGOLD+BETON（ケルン）での個展「私的空間からアドルフ・ヒットラーを引き摺り出す」の枠組みの中で実施
—ドルトムント版をドルトムント芸術協会とUrbane Künste Ruhrによる屋外企画展「Taking my Thoughts for a Walk」の枠組みの中で実施
（以下、オリジナル版のテキスト）1938年から44年までオーストリアはナチス政権下のドイツの構成部分であり、その中でもグラーツはドイツ併合（アンシュルス）以前の親ナチス運動を評価され「大衆蜂起の街」という称号を戴いていた。戦争が終結し、ナチスドイツが消滅して以降、オーストリアは中立国として、そして二度とドイツと併合してはならないと定められ独立国となった。しかしながら、聞くところによれば、未だに多くの人が親族の形見として、一般に公開することが法律で禁止されているナチスやSSの制服を保管しているというのである。さらには、この先それらの遺品をどのように処分もしくは保管すればよいか多くの人がわからないままでいるようである。このTVシリーズ作品では、大型の衣類回収ボックスをグラーツ中央広場に設置し、新聞、雑誌などのメディアを通じて、住民らにナチス時代に関わる一般公開が禁止された遺品を廃棄するように呼びかける。また、該当する遺品を所持していて人々のお宅訪問をしては遺品整理することを勧める様子を映像に収め、その様子をエピソードとしてほぼ毎日TVサイトアップロードする。芸術祭の現場で展示されるのは、衣類回収コンテナのみでその他あらゆる映像ドキュメントはインターネット上で展開されるため、市内を巡りながらまたその建築美を堪能すると同時にその内側においてグラーツの住民がどのように過去と向き合っているのかを想像させる。広場に設置された回収ボックスは、空のままであるかもしれない。しかしながら、私的空間に取り残されて脚光を浴びることのない過去の歴史の取り扱いについて、また公的な歴史と私的な思い出が交錯する遺品について2010年代後半から応答を試みる。

Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space
2020–21, Documentary video series on the Internet (the length of the video is undecided) and Clothing collecting container
—Originally commissioned and produced by steirischerherbst’18
—Düsserdorf ver. is realised within the frame of the group exhibition "Empört Euch!" at Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
—Köln ver. is realised within the frame of the solo exhibition "Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Spac" at GOLD+BETON, Ebertplatz, Köln
—Dortmund ver is realised within the frame of the group exhibition "Taking my Thoughts for a Walk" organised by Dortmunder Kunstverein and Urbane Künste Ruhr in the public space of Dortmund
(below, the original description) Austria was a part of Nazi Germany from 1938 to 1944, and especially the city of Graz was given an honorary city title “City of Popular Uprising” because of its pre-Anschluss (pre-annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany) pro-Nazi demonstrations. After World War II and Nazi-Germany, Austria became an independent country as a neutral power, being prohibited to merge with Germany again. However, it is said that many people in Austria still keep relics of their family such as Nazi or SS uniforms, which are prohibited to be shown in public, and they seem to not know what to do with it as to how to store or dispose of it. In this TV series, Niwa installs a clothing collecting box at the central park in Graz and calls for residents via mass-media including newspapers and magazines to participate to throw away their relics that are related with Nazi, prohibited to be shown in public, into the box. And he visits their apartments to encourage them to decide how to handle the relics and films all the process, uploading an episode of these visits almost every day on the Internet. The artwork that the audience can see on the exhibition site is only the container, and the rest of the artwork including all of the video materials are deployed on the Internet. This project makes the audience imagine how the residents in Graz are facing and handling their past behind the beautiful architecture around the city that the audience would see in the video. The collecting box might be empty until the end. But Niwa tries to respond from the age of late 2010s regarding how to handle relics that have lost attention and have been forgotten in a private space, and also regarding relics that are the cross point where the official history and personal memories meet.

Series of video documentation(ongoing)

Day of 26 and 27 October 2020, Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, Düsseldorf
The artist Yoshinori Niwa has arrived in Düsseldorf and installed the black container at Ehrenhof. He offers local people to get rid of their unwanted NS relics until January 2021. The container stayed in the public space so that you can come anonymously and get rid of your unwanted relics at night.

Day of 281020_Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, 2020, Düsseldorf
Yoshinori Niwa is spreading the flyers offering to get rid of their unwanted NS relics and explaining the project to people near Graf-Adolf Platz, place known for former Adolf-Hitler Platz. The project reflects a part of German history that we should not forget. Many people turn to me to tell me their personal story, so I think it is very important to give these people a voice.

Day of 291020_Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, 2020, Düsseldorf
Yoshinori Niwa received many "Unlike" on his post about the container in Ehrehof and several private messages through FB after the press coverage of the exhibition "Empört Euch!" and his project "Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space" in major German news media. Some really hate my idea and some asked me not to destroy them, but donate them to the museum. He explains the idea behind the project.

Day of 301020_Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, 2020, Düsseldorf
Yoshinori Niwa opened the container and emptied it. A few relics and a message note from local people found in the container. All will be professionally shredded accordingly afterwards.

Day of 21120_Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, 2020, Düsseldorf
Yoshinori Niwa has received a message from a certain person who saw Niwa's advertisement on Düsseldorfer Anzeiger. He said that he has a uniform of great-grandfather that he doesn't want in his house, and he asked me for help. Niwa immediately offered him to help, but still haven't heard back from him. Due to the spread of the coronavirus for the last few days, Germany has decided to go into the 2nd lockdown. In spite of this difficult situation, Niwa is still waiting for his answer.

Day of 31120_Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, 2020, Düsseldorf
Yoshinori Niwa is still writing a reply message to the people at a cafe. And he is spreading more flyers. Some people imagine that it's still difficult to talk about NS era for the older generation. It is an exchange between the older generation and the younger one.

Day of 281120_Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, 2020, Düsseldorf
Someone left a message on the container of “Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space” at Ehrenhof, in from of the entrance of Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf. One written in Japanese, it means “Hey, you! Solve your country’s history first. I ask you to get rid of your stupid «art» soon.” Another one written in German, offers from a local stamp collection shop. Yoshinori Niwa responds to this message by giving some background on why he started the work.

Day of 15160321_Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, 2021, Dortmund
The container has travelled to Dortmund, a city known for it’s right-wing scene. It was installed in front of a former “Tönsberg” shop where you could buy clothes of the label “Thor Steinar”, known as identifying mark for right-wing extremists.

Day of 17180321_Withdrawing Adolf Hitler from a Private Space, Köln
The container has installed in the Ebertplatz where was Adolf-Hitler-Platz, Köln. Because of the lockdown in Germany, the artist could not visit Köln during the project. After leasing the lockdown, the artist visited a shredding factory to destroy memorabilia and answered some questions from the local people.

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