THOMAS DEMAND (b. 1964) Badezimmer (Bathroom).

Exhibitions
Kunsthaus Zurich, March 28-May 24, 1998;
Kunsthalle Bielefeld, June 7-September 6, 1998, Thomas Demand, n.p. (another example exhibited; Illustrated);
Oktogon der Hochschule für Dresden, October 2-November 5, 2000;
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf; Kunstverien für die Rheinlande und Westfalen, November 24, 2000-January 14, 2001, p. 12 (another example exhibited; illustrated);
Kunsthaus Bregenz, Thomas Demand: Phototrophy, September 17-November 7, 2004, n.p. (another example exhibited; illustrated);
New York, The Museum of Modern Art, Thomas Demand, March 4-May 30, 2005, p. 45 (another example exhibited; illustrated)

Literature
H.P. Von Däniken, Die ganze Welt ist Bloss aus Pappe,Tages-Anzeiger, April 4, 1998 (illustrated);
V.I. Wiensowski, "Das Bild vom Bild vom Bild", Spiegel Kultur Extra, March 1998, p. 12 (illustrated);
A. Pühringer, Noëma Art Journal, No. 47, April/May 1998;
V.H. Meister, "Die Attrappen alsWirklichkeit," Westdeutsche Zeitung, August 19, 1998;
J. Buddenberg, "Extreme Bezüge," Montag, August 24, 1998 (illustrated);
M. Schwendener, "Thomas Demand Foggy Intersection of Photography and Truth," Flash Art, October 2000, p. 62 (illustrated);
K. Schmidt Rottluff, Thomas Demand, 2000, Dresden, p. 12 (illustrated);
A. Ruby, "Memoryscapes," Parkett, No. 62, 2001, p. 127 (illustrated);
E. Schneider, Thomas Demand: Phototrophy, Bregenz, 2004, n.p. (illustrated);
R. Marcoci, Thomas Demand, NewYork, 2004, p. 65 (illustrated)

Essay
Sculptor or photographer? Thomas Demand is an artist who operates adeptly within both of these mediums. His photographs are visual records of the sculptures that he produces. The sculptures themselves are typically records of nefarious locations or events. Aesthetically they are well composed striking photographs, but lurking just below the surface an undeniable sense of dread exists.

In the present lot, Badezimmer (Bathroom), Demand constructs what appears to be a seemingly ordinary washroom scene; a bath has been drawn, the room seems quiet. Upon further inspection one finds a loss of surface visibility; the scene is not as "cut-and-dry" as initially thought. The water filling the bathtub is murky, the shower curtain obscures ones view into the tub; the door is slightly ajar allowing only a partial view into the next room which is cast in an abysmal darkness. The lighting present in the scene is somber, creating the feeling of quietude. However, this 'quiet' is not one of peaceful tranquility but one charged with an aura of dread, as if something terrible were about to happen or has already occurred. In reality, this is very true. Demand has engineered his bathroom scene in a specific manner in order to elicit these feeling from his viewers.

The bathroom upon which this work was modeled does in reality exist. It is a model of a bathroom in the hotel 'Beau Rivage' in Geneva. On October 11, 1987, the body of German politician Uwe Barschel, was found fully clothed in the bathtub of his room in the hotel Beau Rivage'. The authorities deemed the case a suicide, however to this day the events surrounding the prominent and controversial political figures death remain unsolved. At the time of his death the media and newspapers published a photograph of Barschel's body as it was discovered lying semi-submerged in the bathtub. It was from these images that Demand culled his source material.

Devoid of Human presence, the places Demand depicts are often significant, although he provides few clues that would allow for easy identification. Many events often refer to salient events in German History. His exacting paper mock-ups aim to cast into doubt the viewer's relation to reality" (R. Marcoci, Thomas Demand, New York 2004, pp. 11 & 13).