Installation views

Global Soap (Series 2)
Mnemories / Samples (Nr. 1–16)
2000/2001
Lambda print, variable dimensions (130 x 130 cm, 130 x 104 cm)
Edition 3 + 1 ap

Small samples:
Global Soap (Series 2)
Mnemories / Samples (Nr. 1–16)
2000/2001
Lambda print, variable dimensions (60 x 60 cm, 60 x 48 cm)
Edition 6 + 2 ap


With Global Soap (2000/2001) Julian Rosefeldt developed a collection of gestures and figure constellations from soap operas that refers to the image atlas Mnemosyne by Aby Warburg. While the German art historian and establisher of the method of Iconography already included image material not deriving from the high-culture context, Rosefeldt focusses exclusively on cultural trash that is mirrored in the work’s low-end aesthetic.

The artist filed and combined motifs and scenes from various international soap operas according to an self-created inventory. In about 300 terms Rosefeldt’s atlas summarises archetypical situations that can be found in almost all television series despite country of origin, or social and political background. The artist was supported by Goethe Institutes from all over the world, which provided him with recordings of their national TV programmes. In Global Soap Rosefeldt uncovers stereotype structures of soap operas and stylises their protagonists into the ‘new icons of the media age’ (M. Heinzelmann). In the course of an increasing archival activity at the end of the twentieth century, he evaluates the necessity of saving cultural products outside the art canon.

Summarised from Wolfgang Ernst and Markus Heinzelmann, in: Julian Rosefeldt: Global Soap (2001)


Exhibitions / Catalogues

Mnemories / Samples (Nr. 1,3,5,6,11,16):
– Julian Rosefeldt, MW projects, London, July–September 2004
Mnemories / Samples (Nr. 5,6,8,9):
– Gesamtkunstwerk: New Art from Germany, Saatchi Gallery, London, November 2011–April 2012 (curated by Rebecca Wilson; catalogue)
Mnemories / Samples (Nr. 11,14,16):
– Julian Rosefeldt: Global Soap, Galería Leyendecker, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, November–December 2005
Mnemories / Samples (small samples, all photo works):
– Global Soap, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, July–August 2001 (curated by Luminita Sabau, Christoph Tannert)
Mnemories / Samples (small samples, Nr. 1,2,3,11,14,16):
– Julian Rosefeldt und Piero Steinle, Galerie im Park – Museum Franz Gertsch, Burgdorf, January–March 2003 (curated by Reinhard Spieler)