ZURICH- The exhibition of work by artist Haris Epaminonda, planned to begin on 16 September 2011, has been postponed. Instead, the Kunsthaus will show contemporary art until 27 November acquired from the ‘Gruppe Junge Kunst’ (Young Art Group) and presented to the Kunsthaus on long-term loan. The ‘Gruppe Junge Kunst’ is a member of the Vereinigung Zürcher Kunstfreunde (VZK), the museum’s patron association.

When the Kunsthaus Zürich and Haris Epaminonda conceived of the exhibition a year ago, the plan was to create art especially for a Zurich premiere. Since the artist is now expecting a child, however, she cannot complete these works, and the exhibition has been postponed until December of 2012.

YOUNG SPONSORS BUY YOUNG ART
Visitors can nevertheless look forward to new, in some cases never before exhibited pieces. The show includes installations, paintings, sculptures, videos and drawings purchased in recent years by the ‘Gruppe Junge Kunst’ and presented to the Kunsthaus on long-term loan.

The ‘Gruppe Junge Kunst’ is a member of the Vereinigung Zürcher Kunstfreunde (VZK), the museum’s patron association that currently comprises over 700 members. On the initiative of former Kunsthaus director Felix Baumann, some of the members joined forces in 1969 with the aim of lending the Kunsthaus and its collection fresh impulses by purchasing young contemporary and cuttingedge art. With an annual acquisition budget of CHF 75,000 fed by VZK membership dues, the group has made regular purchases of artworks since 1970 and presented them to the Kunsthaus on long-term loan.

WORKS PURCHASED EARLY NOW WORLD-FAMOUS
The acquisitions include pieces by Donald Judd, John Armleder, Martin Kippenberger, Pipilotti Rist, Hans-Peter Feldmann and Andreas Gursky as well as work by Olafur Eliasson, Francis Al˙s, Mai-Thu Perret, Lutz/Guggisberg and Andro Wekua. Many of the works purchased early in the careers of their artists are today world-famous – as for instance the black rubber sculptures and celebrated photo series ‘Stiller Nachmittag’ (Quiet Afternoon) by Fischli/Weiss.

In late 2008 the ‘Gruppe Junge Kunst’ was re-formed, and has since purchased key works by Keren Cytter, Lucy Skaer, Latifa Echakhch, Tobias Madison, Mark Manders, Pauline Boudry/Renate Lorenz, Stefan Burger and others. Haris Epaminonda is also among the artists represented. Her photographs ‘Untitled (#3)/(#11)/(#34)/(#35)/(#49)’ were created in 2008 and are now receiving their first museum exhibition.