The Steve McQueen Contemporary Art Exhibition of Film and Video Installations at Schaulager

Schaulager presented a comprehensive overview of the radical work of British artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen. The exhibition featured more than twenty video and film installations, photographs, and other selected works displayed within a custom-built, immersive 'City of Cinemas' environment.

This 2013 exhibition at Schaulager offered an unprecedented look at the wide-ranging oeuvre of Steve McQueen, an artist noted for his precise and physically engaging video and film installations. Organized in collaboration with The Art Institute of Chicago, the show transformed two floors of the museum into a 'City of Cinemas,' where the architecture of the space, including light intensities and viewing apertures, was integral to how the visitors experienced the work. By presenting over twenty works together, the exhibition allowed for a unique dialogue between the artist's early experimental pieces and his later narrative-focused feature films. The installation prioritized the physicality and temporal nature of McQueen's work, encouraging viewers to invest time in each piece. Works were presented in various configurations, ranging from intimate screens to large-scale projections on the building's exterior. This immersive approach aimed to soften the transition between the dark, cinematic environments of the installations and the outside world, creating a meditative, mystical atmosphere that heightened the impact of the artist's profound and thought-provoking explorations of the moving image.

Visitors were informed that because works with moving images often require significant viewing time, admission tickets were valid for three separate visits to the exhibition. Information regarding the exhibition programme, including tours and talks, was provided in an exhibition booklet and updated on the museum website throughout the show's run.