The ocean can be found in the centre of Munich. You can reach
it through a discrete entrance in the former Residenzpost, a glamorous
palazzo right across from the State Opera. The temporary video instal-
lation “Voir la Mer” is on display at the “Espace Louis Vuitton”: French
artist Sophie Calle filmed people who are doing precisely that for the first
time in their lives: “seeing the ocean”. The view is of their backs with the
water in front of them, its murmur filling the space. And then they turn
around, each of them in their own time, and their faces reveal emotion,
joy, disbelief.
“Look, the old gentleman has to close his eyes as he faces
the unfathomable,” says Oliver Holy with fascination. “And there, a
seasoned man is almost moved to tears. His glazed look is so emotional
that it is truly touching!” Holy is the owner of ClassiCon, and he could
have invited me to the Munich district of Riem, to the spectacularly
purist headquarters of his company, where the entire style-defining
furniture collection that has been bringing international reputation to
his company and himself for many years is on display in two spacious
showrooms – from classics, such as Eileen Gray’s “Adjustable Table
E1027”, to contemporary icons like Sebastian Herkner’s “Bell Table”,
to newer objects including “Piega”, a sculptural wall-mounted mirror
object designed by Victoria Wilmotte. Instead, he prefers to lead you
into this exhibition space for contemporary art and gets fascinated with
people with whom, at first glance, he has nothing in common. At second
glance, however, they experience in a pure way what he is always seeking
and what is the key to his success: the overwhelming impression the
discovery of the unknown can provide.
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