Globally acclaimed contemporary artist Roni Horn’s solo exhibition Give Me Paradox or Give Me Death is currently on view at Museum Ludwig in Cologne, Germany. The title is a play on the famous quote by the 18th century American revolutionary Patrick Henry, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” where the term “liberty” is substituted with “paradox.” By equating the two values, she underscores the liberating potential of paradox, exploring ambiguity and variability in nature in this context.
 
One of the works on view, a.k.a (2008-2009) realizes the human being as organisms in a constant state of transformation, which Horn further describes as “the multitude in each of us.” The thirty self-portraits filmed throughout the course of her life, displayed in fifteen random pairs, provide a representation of her nonconforming identity long before terms such as “gender,” “genderqueer” or “non-binary” entered public discourse. Horn suggests through these fluctuating portraits that as appearance changes, everything else may change; similarly, that external qualities may reflect very little of their internal counterparts.

Also noteworthy is Untitled (Chambers St.) (1971-1989), a drawing series shown for the first time in Give Me Paradox or Give Me Death. Drawing is central to Horn’s practice; she has compared drawing to breathing, signaling the importance they hold within her oeuvre. Using thin, jittery lines, Horn created abstract, at times organic-looking forms by means of grid structures. Without any clear orientation, their motifs prompt numerous associations with nature, maps, or other micro or macro formations, while ultimately inviting viewers to the world of abstraction. The exhibition runs through August 11, 2024.