Kerry James Marshall shows how narratives work
About 400 guests, «Fearless Elegance,» DJ music, a cellist—and a saxophonist who sounded as if he had enough breath for three instruments. «Interview by Ringier» and the Kunsthaus Zürich had extended invitations to the opening party celebrating Kerry James Marshall. And suddenly, an art opening turned into a lesson in how narratives are created—and why they resonate.
The setting was not just an exhibition, but a stage: the Kunsthaus as an architectural statement, as a cultural space - and on this evening as an event machine. Anyone walking through the halls quickly sensed that not only is art being shown here, but attitude is being made visible. And this is exactly where the bridge to m&k, our own media brand, begins, with the aim of illuminating the creative side of business.
Narrative: not just a story, but a system
In communication, "narrative" is often used as an elegant substitute for "story". But there is more to it than that: A narrative is not a single plot, but a framework of meaning. It determines who is at the center, what is considered normal, which images become established - and which voices appear at all. Kerry James Marshall works on precisely this level. His painting is not merely narrative, but a kind of correction program for what Western pictorial history has treated as "marginal" for decades.
"Seductive and complex" - the logic of the effect
Ann Demeester, Director of the Kunsthaus, outlined Marshall's art as a rare combination on this opening evening: visually attractive - and extremely complicated in terms of content. This field of tension is fascinating: seductive and complex at the same time. This duality is a principle that brands are also familiar with: First something attracts, then it holds you. First surface, then substance. With Marshall, this is not campaign mechanics, but painting - but the effect curve is amazingly comparable.
History in three parts: Fact, fiction, fantasy
Marshall provided the formula for the evening in his original voice: history always consists of at least three parts - fact, fiction and fantasy. And: these layers ensure that stories are never finally told. This is central to understanding narratives. After all, narratives don't work because they are "true", but because they are plausible, connectable, repeatable - and because they leave room for projection. In the talk, Marshall asked us to go beyond beauty and surface - and to come back. Repetition as part of the experience. This is also narrative work: meaning is not created at first contact, but through friction, time and looking again.
Representation as a change of perspective
Susanne Walder, Editor-in-Chief of "Interview by Ringier", brought the point down to the level of impact: it's not just about fame, but about people who make a difference. Marshall makes visible what has long had no place - and thus shifts perspectives.
Michael Ringier made the art-historical break in the talk tangible with an example: Manet's "Olympia" - the naked white woman in the center, the black servant at the edge. This, he said, was how European art history had treated African-Americans. Marshall sets new standards by placing black people at the center - as "completely normal citizens". Not as a marginal figure, not as a symbol, not as staffage.
And it is precisely here that we see how narratives work: They define normality. They decide who is the protagonist - and who is background noise. Marshall turns this around, without decorating and without apologizing. Large-scale, consistent, repeatable.
"Learning by drinking" - the reality check for taste
Ringier also provided the quote of the evening for all those who like to pretend that understanding art is a secret code: "Learning by drinking" helps with wine - and it's the same with art. You have to look, look, look. This also fits in with the narrative question: if you want to read narratives, you need exposure. Repetition. Comparison. It is less "explanation" than experience.
"Interview by Ringier" as a platform: culture becomes a conversation
The fact that this evening was not only supported by the Kunsthaus, but also by "Interview by Ringier", is more than just a co-hosting detail. The magazine uses cultural events as an opportunity to ask questions and open up perspectives - in the hall, on the stage, in conversation. And it also has the reach to do so: According to the information about the format, "Interview by Ringier" has a reach of over 300,000 and a circulation of around 90,000. Accordingly, the audience in the room is not just an art audience, but a cross-section of the media, culture, business and society - precisely the milieu in which narratives spread, condense and later move on to other contexts.
Soundtrack of a production: DJ, cello and a saxophone with overpressure
And then there was this second narrative layer: the atmosphere. DJ sounds that cut through the new building. A cellist as a counterpoint. And a saxophonist who sounded as if he could breathe three saxophones at the same time. Music as a beat, architecture as a resonance chamber, people as a moving image. All this is not just a "party". It is dramaturgy. It is the art of setting a moment in such a way that it sticks - and is later retold. This is where culture meets communication: not every event is a narrative. This evening was one.
Why this has a place in m&k
m&k is not primarily an art magazine. But communication thrives on borrowing from other disciplines when they can do things better: Enduring complexity without the need for explanation. Treating representation not as a trend, but as a responsibility. Building narratives in such a way that they are not finished after the first glance. Kerry James Marshall shows how to do this: with images that are big - and with a narrative that is bigger than the surface.
