Jan Peter Hammer
Noreia (2024)
Trailer
Courtesy of the artist
Jan Peter Hammer’s film visits a small Styrian village that, in 1930, was renamed Noreia when state archaeologist Walter Schmid argued it was the site of a Celtic capital city and a famous battle between Romans and passing Teutons. At the time, Schmid’s discovery gathered much attention in Pan-Germanic circles. Enthusiastic villagers helped him with the excavations, eventually reconstructing the “royal house.” When it threatened to fall into disrepair in the 1980s, residents founded an association to preserve the site. Archaeologists had, however, long since refuted Schmid’s claim.
The film portrays the association’s president and features small reenactments staged with its members. It also shows experts commenting on the ancient province of Noricum, particularly its weapon production, and mysterious religion. Hammer focuses on how the myth of the lost city emerged in an atmosphere of Pan-Germanism and Styrian patriotism. He traces how its meaning shifted over time from the last Habsburg prime minister’s dream of a nonimperialist Noric Republic to more recent ultranationalist fantasies.
Jan Peter Hammer (1970, Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany) is an artist whose work often revolves around capitalism, the so-called military-entertainment complex, archaeology, and artificial intelligence. His works have been shown at Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Zurich (2023); Gropius-Bau, Berlin (2022); Tabakalera, San Sebastián (2021); Kunstmuseum Basel | Gegenwart (2020); Bergen Assembly (2019); 69th Berlinale – Forum Expanded (2018); MACBA, Barcelona (2015); and the 14th Istanbul Biennial (2015), among others. Hammer lives in Berlin.
Commissioned and produced by steirischer herbst ’24
Education event
21.9., 10:00
Exhibition tour with Assaf Gruber and Jan Peter Hammer
4K video, stereo sound, ca. 45 min.
Commissioned and produced by steirischer herbst ’24
Education event
21.9., 10:00
Exhibition tour with Assaf Gruber and Jan Peter Hammer
