Gregor Schneider

 Gregor Schneider, Haus ur, 1985-, (installation detail)

The main focus for the Carnegie International exhibition is reality and with Gregor Schneider's project, Haus ur,  it makes one wonder what is real and what is not. When one first enters his project, there is a door leading to a bedroom with a mattress on the floor. Then there is another door leading to a very small kitchen and after that room, one goes through an even smaller door to enter a huge room with a video screen. It reminded me of the holocaust and of the houses described where Jewish people had to hide. The rooms were so small and confined and not well lit. It is amazing to me how Schneider is able to create these small rooms upon bigger ones. I first thought that there was only a bedroom and a kitchen but after I crawled through the smaller door and entered the outside room I was amazed. You could see the intricate work and exterior of the smaller additions. As one watches the video they are able to see through Schneider's eyes as he goes through the process of building these additions. It makes you realize that things are not always what they seem at first.