wolfgang tillmans’ ‘what is different?’ in carré d’art museum of contemporary art in nîmes

the new exhibition of the german photographer and turner prize winner in 2000 wolfgang tillmans will be on show in carré d’art museum of contemporary art in nîmes starting on the 4th of may and will last until 16th of september. titled ‘what is different?’, the exhibition will reveal tillmans’ different ways of instituting a relation to the visual and physical worlds.

after two major exhibitions at tate modern in london and the fondation beyeler in 2017, this show in the nîmes museum will combine recent works, such as ones made in africa, with older ones, including rarely-shown works from the late 1980s, a set of tables from the truth study center project and sound installations.

nee IYaow eow eow II, 2017
image © wolfgang tillmans

the exhibition is accompanied by a cognominal publication — being a guest editor for the ‘jahresring’ section of the kulturkreis der deutschen wirtschaf web portal, tillmans became interested in the backfire effect, a psychological state in which the individual remains convinced of the truth of an affirmation in spite of the fact that it is totally false. nothing can persuade the person to change their views – indeed, proof to the contrary only strengthens their conviction.

paper drop oranienplatz, 2017
image © wolfgang tillmans

for tillmans, the backfire effect ‘plays a particular role by leading to questions linked to emotional states that impact our identity and political convictions.’ if there have always been conspiracy theories, it is clear that today more people are impermeable to factual arguments and that we are gradually sinking into a state of somnolence. in this publication, tillmans questions what has fundamentally changed over the last few years. what is different? one of the aims of this book is to reflect on the proliferation of fake news and to ask who benefits from it.

morning rain, 2014
image © wolfgang tillmans

yulan grant, 2016
image © wolfgang tillmans

vapeur, 2017
image © wolfgang tillmans

victoria park, 2007
image © wolfgang tillmans