Rebecca Horn – Die Seele der Dinge

The artist Rebecca Horn, who died in 2024, was represented four times at the documenta in Kassel – in 1972, 1977, 1982 and 1992. Her kinetic objects, installations and films, her texts, drawings and performances helped to shape and expand the concept of art in the 20th century; her works transcended boundaries and redefined the possibilities of artistic expression. This multi-talented artist, who has received numerous awards, is regarded both nationally and internationally as one of the most important contemporary artists; Horn’s works continue to fascinate and inspire to this day. The filmmaker Claudia Müller (“Elfriede Jelinek – Language Unleashed”), herself a renowned art connoisseur who has produced numerous documentaries and features on female artists such as Jenny Holzer, Valie Export and Kiki Smith, traces the mark Rebecca Horn has left on the art world. Müller’s portrait of this remarkable figure intertwines her private life with her artistic practice in a way that makes Horn’s ideas and motifs accessible and sensually tangible, without robbing the works of their magic. Alongside her performance and installation works, the film also explores Rebecca Horn’s passion for film as a medium in depth. Her own works are often not visible live and in person, but are translated into moving images. A highlight of her body of work is undoubtedly “Buster’s Bedroom”. This surreal feature film, shot in 1990 at the ‘Nirvana House’ sanatorium, is a tribute to the silent-film comedian Buster Keaton. REBECCA HORN – THE SECRET LIFE OF THINGS is, however, more than just a biographical exploration of an artist’s life. Through statements by Marina Abramović, Valie Export and Nancy Spector, amongst others, the film also examines the role of the female artist in a male-dominated art world and its market mechanisms. A case in point is Jan Hoet’s documenta IX. Under his artistic direction in 1992, only 27 of the 190 artistic contributions were by women.