Gregor Schneider: Publicity to die for (2008)
"I want to display a person dying naturally in the piece or somebody who has just died. My aim is to show the beauty of death."—Gregor Schneider
Art Design Publicity at ADC | 1 October 2010 | Re-release: 24 October 2021 | Updated 25 October 2021
As the discussion-generating German artist opens his latest show at the Sadie Coles HQ power gallery in London (2010), we reflect on a selection of Gregor Schneider’s 2008 publicity outputs. Specifically, we’ve compiled ones that refer to his interest in offering one of his art installations for a terminally ill person to die in—or something comparable. This triggered a full-on international, sensation-junkie journo frenzy to "inform" their readers—from the UK to Germany, Canada to Chile, South Africa to Sweden, and Russia to China and Japan to Australia.
We however wonder: while "goth rock" Gregor Schneider describes the response as unexpected and overwhelming, was this public "discussion" all really a coincidence and brand-damaging—or was it a low-cost media/communications coup that strengthened the brand, was waiting to happen— and worth it?
Below are just a sample of the publicity outputs, sorry, we mean "media coverage".
For rough foreign language translations, see Google translate.
18 April 2008: On Friday, the firecracker is lit...
Nate Archer. (18 April 2008). Gregor Schneider plans to exhibit a dying human. designboom (Italy). Thorsten Dörting. (18 April 2008). Künstler will Sterbenden ausstellen. Spiegel Online (Germany). Holger Liebs. (18 April 2008). Da geht noch was. Sueddeutsche (Germany). Brian Sewell. (18 April 2008). Before... and after; The Wellcome Trust’s exhibition of portraits showing people shortly before and after their deaths finds both dignity and beauty in its subjects. The Evening Standard (London, UK). (Mention). (18 April 2008). Artista alemão quer transformar morte humana numa "performance". Público (Portugal). (18 April 2008). German artist seeking volunteers willing to die for art. Artinfo.com (USA). (18 April 2008). Художник хочет сделать смерть искусством. Open Space (Russia). |
19 April 2008
Wolfram Goertz. (19 April 2008). Gregor Schneider will einen Sterbenden zeigen. Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany). Ulf Poschardt. (19 April 2008). Krawallschachtel als Avantgarde. Welt Online (Germany). (In Welt am Sonntag hard copy the following day.) Jeroen De Preter. (19 April 2008). Kunstenaar zoekt terminaal zieken om in naam van de kunst te sterven. De Morgen (Belgium). Gerhard Charles Rump. (19 April 2008). Künstler will Menschen sterben lassen; Gregor Schneider sucht Kandidaten. Berliner Morgenpost (Germany). (19 April 2008). Der Künstler Gregor Schneider will Sterbende ausstellen. Hamburger Abendblatt (Germany). (19 April 2008). Gregor Schneider will Menschen sterben lassen. Bild (Germany). (19 April 2008). Heute in den Feuilletons: "Verzerrung der Wirklichkeit". Spiegel Online (Germany). (Mention). (19 April 2008). Kunst mit Sterbendem? Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany). (19 April 2008). Künstler plant Live-Tod in Haus Lange. Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany). (19 April 2008). Künstler will Todkranke ausstellen. Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany). |
20 April 2008: It’s Sunday— Will the firecracker fizzle out?
Wolfram Goertz. (20 April 2008). Künstler will Sterbenden ausstellen. Rheinische Post (RP) Online (Germany). Christiane Hoffmans. (20 April 2008). Auch sterben ist eine Kunst. Welt am Sonntag (Germany). Andrew Johnson. (20 April 2008). Death: art’s final taboo. The Independent (UK). (20 April 2008). Nachrichten (Todes-Kunst umstritten). Berliner Kurier (Germany). (Mention). |
Section B: Gregor Schneider vs. Nine Inch Nails
For the full intended effect, click the song below.
Nine Inch Nails. [Journo-]Starf***ers.
21 April 2008: It’s Monday—BOOM! Wire services activate deep, global media coverage
Your attention, please. Wire service reports: (21 April 2008). Artista en boga levanta polémica en Alemania al querer exhibir a moribundo. Agence France Presse (Spanish). (21 April 2008). Artista plástico alemão quer exibir um moribundo num museu. Agence France Presse (Portuguese). (21 April 2008). Empörung über geplantes Sterbe-Kunst-Projekt in Krefeld. ddp Basisdienst (German).
(21 April 2008). German artist wants to put dying person on show. Agence France Presse (English). (21 April 2008). Künstler will Sterbenden ausstellen. SDA - Basisdienst Deutsch.
(21 April 2008). Noticias breves de sociedad (Alemania-arte). Agence France Presse (Spanish). (Mention). (21 April 2008). Sumario de cultura, espectáculos y gente. Deutsche Presse-Agentur (Spanish). (Mention). (21 April 2008). Un artista alemán quiere exponer a moribundos. Deutsche Presse-Agentur (Spanish). (21 April 2008). Un artista alemán utilizará enfermos agonizantes y cadáveres recientes. EFE Newswire (Turismo Cultural) (Spanish). AFP. (21 April 2008). Artista plástico alemão quer exibir um moribundo em museu. Terra (Brazil). AFP. (21 April 2008). Artista plástico alemão quer exibir um moribundo num museu. Último Segundo (Brazil). AFP. (21 April 2008). Un artiste allemand fait scandale en voulant exposer un mourant. Le Point (Paris, France). Uta Baier. (21 April 2008). Gregor Schneider: Künstler will humane Orte für den Tod bauen. Die Welt (Germany). DPA. (21 April 2008). (News in brief:) Künstler will Sterbenden ausstellen. Der Standard (Vienna, Austria). DPA. (21 April 2008). Sterbender als Kunstobjekt. Kölnische Rundschau (Germany). DPA. (21 April 2008). Un artista alemán quiere exponer a moribundos. La Tercera (Santiago, Chile). DPA/AFP. (21 April 2008). Polémica por artista que quiere exponer a moribundos. Perfil.com (Buenos Aires, Argentina). EFE. (21 April 2008). Gregor Schneider ’expondrá’ un enfermo agonizante que morirá en público. El Mundo (Spain). EFE. (21 April 2008). Moribundos y cadáveres recientes entran en la galería de arte. El Pais (Spain). Hans-Juergen Fink. (21 April 2008). Auch für Künstler bleibt die Menschenwürde unantastbar. Hamburger Abendblatt. (Mention). Georg Imdahl. (21 April 2008). Unterstützung für Schneiders Vorhaben. Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (Germany). Stefan Kobel. (21 April 2008). Die Endkunst-Ente. artnet (Germany). |
Starf***ers
Incorporated
Andrian Kreye. (21 April 2008). Das Ende der Tabus. Sueddeutsche Zeitung (Germany). Andreas Laux/ddp. (21 April 2008). Sterbe-Kunst sorgt für Empörung. FOCUS Online (Germany). Karin Leuthold. (21 April 2008). Sterben für die Kunst. 20 Minuten Online (Germany).
LUSA (Agência de Notícias de Portugal). (21 April 2008). Artista provoca escândalo por querer expor moribundo. RTP TV2 (Portugal). Helga Meister. (21 April 2008). Tabubruch: Zum Sterben ins Museum. Westdeutsche Zeitung (Germany). Bertram Müller. (21 April 2008). Der Mann, der den Tod inszenieren will. NGZ Online (Germany). Bertram Müller. (21 April 2008). Der Tod als Live-Kunstwerk? Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany). Bertram Müller. (21 April 2008). Tod im Museum - würdelos. Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany). Bertram Müller & Gerhard Voogt. (21 April 2008). Empörung über "Sterbe-Kunst". Rheinische Post (Germany).
Reuters. (21 April 2008). Lepota smrti na naravni način. MMC RTV Slovenia (Ljubljana, Slovenia). Dirk Richerdt. (21 April 2008). Tabubruch löst Empörung aus. Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany). Dirk Richerdt. (21 April 2008). (Untitled). Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany).
Peter Richter. (21 April 2008). Sterben nach Ruhm. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany). Martin Röse. (21 April 2008). Verboten: Sterben im Haus Lange. Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany). Kerstin Rottmann. (21 April 2008). Die Kunst der Provokation. netzeitung.de (Germany). SBA/DPA. (21 April 2008). Künstler will Sterbenden ausstellen. Der Tagesspiegel (Germany). SDA. (21 April 2008). Dieser Künstler will Sterbenden ausstellen. Blick (Switzerland). SDA. (21 April 2008). Sterbender als Ausstellungsobjekt. SF Tagesschau (Switzerland).
(21 April 2008). Ist der Tod bühnenreif? Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (Germany). (21 April 2008). Heute in den Feuilletons: "Dream-Team Eva & Katharina". Spiegel Online. (Germany). (Mention).
(21 April 2008). Moarte "pe viu", la o expozitie de arta. Apropo (Romania). (21 April 2008). (News in brief, Hamburg:) Sterben in der Kunst: Was geht zu weit? Hamburger Abendblatt (Germany) (Mention). (21 April 2008). Stimmen zu Schneider. Rheinische Post Düesseldorf (Germany).
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Section C: Gregor Schneider vs. Marilyn Manson
For the full intended effect, click the song below.
Marilyn Manson. Mister [Art] Superstar.
22 April 2008
Your attention, please. Press release: (22 April 2008). Börnsen/Krings: Sterben kein Ausstellungsstück. CDU/CSU - Bundestagsfraktion press release via Pressportal.de (Germany). Your attention, please. Wire service report: (22 April 2008). アート・ギャラリーで「人間の死」を作品化、独芸術家. AFP BBNews (Japan). Paola Álvarez. (22 April 2008). Schneider pretende hacer una muestra con un cadáver. El Periodico de Aragón (Spain). COLPISA/AFP. (22 April 2008). Revuelo en Alemania por una exposición con un moribundo. Diario Sur (Málaga, Spain). Polly Corrigan. (22 April 2008). Artist Gregor Schneider plans to put dying person on show. Telegraph (UK). ČTK. (22 April 2008). Umelec chce vystaviť umierajúceho človeka. Pravda (Slovakia). DPA. (22 April 2008). Der Tod im Museum: Wirbel um Gregor Schneider. Münstersche Zeitung (Germany).
Cicely Gosier. (22 April 2008). Abortion "Art" Project Cut from Yale Exhibit. CBN News (Christian Broadcasting Network). (Mention). Amy Judd. (22 April 2008). Artist Gregor Schneider plans to put dying person on show. NowPublic (Canada). Anja Lösel. (22 April 2008). Tod als PR-Gag? stern.de (Germany).
Julia Schröder. (22 April 2008). Schöner Sterben mit Besucherregelung? Stuttgarter Zeitung (Germany). |
STA/DPA. (22 April 2008). Künstler Schneider bekommt Morddrohung. Spiegel Online (Germany). Natalie Tenberg. (22 April 2008). Wird die Sterbende ausgestellt? Die Tageszeitung (Germany). Windsor Star. (22 April 2008). World report: German artist seeks to put dying person on show. Canada.com. Xinhua. (22 April 2008). Artist wants to put dying person on show. China Daily (Beijing) (English). (22 April 2008). D Künstler will Sterbenden ausstellen. Radio Vatikan (Vatican) (German).
(22 April 2008). Ein Sterbender als Kunstobjekt. Abendzeitung (München, Germany). (22 April 2008). Expondrían a un moribundo como una obra de arte. Clarin (Buenos Aires, Argentina). (22 April 2008). German artist seeks subject willing to die for art. CBC News (Canada). (22 April 2008). Gregor Schneider will sterbenden Menschen ausstellen. Europolitan (Germany). (22 April 2008). Немецкий художник представит инсталляцию естественной смерти. Gloss (Ukraine). (22 April 2008). Немецкий художник хочет сделать частью выставки умирающего человека. ЛIГА.новости (Ukraine). (22 April 2008). Немецкий художник Грегор Шнайдер хочет сделать частью выставки умирающего человека. Newsland (Russia). (22 April 2008). Künstler-Idee "geht zu weit". n-tv (Germany).
(22 April 2008). ¿Naturaleza muerta?: Polémica por un artista que quiere exponer a moribundos. Rosario 3 (Rosario, Argentina). (22 April 2008). Polémica en Alemania por intentar exponer un moribundo. ideal.es (Granada, Spain). (22 April 2008). Sterven voor de kunst. Knack (Belgium). (22 April 2008). Un artista busca un museo para exponer a un moribundo. El País (Spain). (22 April 2008). Художник ищет желающих умереть на выставке. ARTOFF (Russia). |
Section D: Gregor Schneider vs. Night of the living dead
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For the editor, these scenes from Night of the living dead parallel the international journalists in a frenzy trying to get access to— and into the studio of— Art Star Gregor Schneider...
23 April 2008
Your attention, please: (23 April 2008). German artist seeking volunteer willing to die in the name of art. WiredPRnews.com (Dallas, TX, USA). Megan Backhouse. (23 April 2008). Mixed Media. The Age (Australia), p.17. (Mention). BBC. (23 April 2008). Artista alemão procura doente terminal para morrer em instalação. Globo (Brazil). Roger Boyes. (23 April 2008). Dying to see Gregor Schneider’s latest work? Don’t worry—you could be in it. The Times (UK). (Entitled "Uproar over spectacle of death" in hard copy version.) Perez Hilton. (23 April 2008). Dying as art? perezhilton.com, entrepreneur of the new high-traffic Internet elite (Top 600 Alexa ranking).
Andreas Rossmann. (23 April 2008). Auch Johannes Paul II. starb öffentlich. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany).
SV. (23 April 2008). Artista provoca polêmica ao querer "expor a morte em museu". Deutsche Welle (Portuguese) (Germany). TT Spektra. (23 April 2008). Kritik mot tysk dödsinstallation. Norrköping Tidningar (Sweden). (23 April 2008). Ferner Horizont. Rheinische Post (Germany). (Mention). (23 April 2008). L’exposition de la mort. Excite.fr (France). (23 April 2008). Un artist german scandalizează dorind să expună un muribund. Obiectiv (Romania). |
24 April 2008
AFP. (24 April 2008). Art to die for. iafrica.com (South Africa). Nanna Baldersheim. (24 April 2008). Søker døende til utstilling. Dagbladet (Norway). Roger Boyes (The Times (UK)/Reuters). (24 April 2008). Artist Gregor Schneider wants volunteer to die as artwork. news.com.au (Australia). Roger Boyes (The Times). (24 April 2008). German artist’s deathly project raises howls of outrage. The Australian, p.8. Sébastien Cools. (24 April 2008). Voulez-vous mourir pour mon art? 7sur7 (Belgium). Barbara Miller. (24 April 2008). German’s "deathbed art" panned as tasteless. The World Today show (12.10PM), ABC local radio (Australia). Richard Morrison. (24 April 2008). Dying art— Comment. The Times (UK).
Aleksandra Rybińska & Piotr Jendroszczyk. (24 April 2008). Śmierć jako happening. Rzeczpospolita (Poland). Danilo Taino. (24 April 2008). Scultore tedesco cerca un moribondo «La fine della vita è un’opera d’arte». Corriere Della Sera (Italy). The Times. (24 April 2008). German artist looks for volunteer to die as work of art. FOXnews (USA). Uta Baier. (24 April 2008). Morddrohungen inklusive. Welt Online (Germany).
Magda Hartman. (24 April 2008). Czlowiek umrze w galerii. Bedzie to dzielo sztuki. Pardon (Poland). Sander van Walsum. (24 April 2008). Kunstenaar wil stervend mens exposeren. Volkskrant (The Netherlands). (24 April 2008). Artist wants person to die. The Sun (UK). |
25 April 2008
Marcelo Crescenti. (25 April 2008). El arte de morir. BBC Mundo (Spanish). Isabelle Dans. (25 April 2008). Il veut exposer -un mort- dans un musée. cDingue.com (France). (25 April 2008). La agonía como una de las bellas artes. e-consulta (Mexico). (25 April 2008). Преглед на германските седмичници. Deutsche Welle (Germany) (Bulgarian). (Mention). (25 April 2008). Stervende gezocht voor expositie. De Pers (The Netherlands). |
26 April 2008
Diego Guerrero. (26 April 2008). Responde artista Habacuc Guillermo Vargas, quien exhibió atado, sin agua ni alimento, a un perro. El Tiempo (Colombia). (Mention). Gregor Schneider. (26 April 2008). There is nothing perverse about a dying person in an art gallery. The Guardian (UK).
Joost van der Vaart. (26 April 2008). Duitse artiest wil stervenden exposeren. nrc handelsblad (The Netherlands). Jennie Yabroff. (26 April 2008). Art aimed to shock. Newsweek (USA). (Mention). (26 April 2008). Deadly Arts. ArtCulture (UK). (26 April 2008). El artista alemán Gregor Schneider anda en busca de un enfermo desahuciado que esté dispuesto a morir como parte de una exposición artística. El mundo al Instante (Spanish). |
27-30 April 2008
Nathan Bevan. (27 April 2008). It’s to die for. Wales on Sunday (UK). (27 April 2008). Un artista busca un enfermo terminal para que sea una de sus obras. telecinco.es (Channel 5) (Spain). (27 April 2008). Un moribundo no Museo. Galicia Hoxe (Spain) (Gacilian language). (28 April 2008). Die Gesellschaft im Spiegel. domradio (Katholische Nachrichten) (Germany).
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May-December 2008
(01 May 2008). Gregor Schneider: death as a work of art. The Art Newspaper (UK).
Nate Archer. (02 May 2008.) Gregor Schneider responds to dying human exhibit. designboom (Italy). (05 May 2008.) 10 controversial art pieces. ArtCulture (UK). (Mention). Алексей Кузнецов. (05 May 2008.) Истории Запада и Востока. Скандальный проект немецкого художника Грегора Шнайдера. svobodanews.ru (Russia).
(05 May 2008). Смерть как экспонат. Evropa Ekspress (Germany) (Russian). Heinz-Norbert Jocks. (June 2008). Der Tod als Kunstwerk? K.West. (Kunst und Kultur in NRW (Germany). Heinz-Norbert Jocks. (July-August 2008). Das Sterben als Kunstwerk? Kunstforum International (Germany). Mohsen Zafargrayb. (08 August 2008). معرض-البعث ثانية-! Ahewar.org debate section (Denmark) (Mention). Clemens Bomsdorf. (02 September 2008). Death row inmate gives his body to art. Art Newspaper. (Mention). |
2009
Rachel Campbell-Johnston. (27 January 2009). Gregor Schneider, the inner space man. The Times. (Mention).
Andrew Johnson (15 March 2009). Till death do us sculpt. The Independent on Sunday (UK). (Mention).
into
infinity
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For a fuller range of sexy cuttings, search Art Index and the art indices and the full-on range of powerful international newspaper and magazine indices, usually only available at a top university library.
Unfortunately for a full list, including radio and TV broadcasts, that would require hiring an expensive agency to see a fuller media relations/project impact. Note that this compilation does not reflect depth into regional and smaller city coverage that the newswires may reach. Don’t forget inclusion in survey books on sculpture/installation, art and controversy, German contemporary art, catalogues, relations material, etc. ...