St. Nimmerlein

The screen-printed poster series on modern saints consists of ten patron saints and was realized in 2010. As a group, they resemble the formerly very popular Fourteen Holy Helpers, whereas as individual figures they are fictional.

With their larger-than-life depictions, Various & Gould address current social issues. Since topics such as globalization, gentrification, climate change or financial crises do not allow one-sided views in their complexity, their substantial debate is always characterized by ambivalence.

In August 2013 Various & Gould together with Jan Kage (aka Yaneq, as the ‘high priest of the Church of Phonk’) organized a ‘saint procession’ through Berlin. In a mixture of protest and performance, four patron saints from the St. Nimmerlein series were carried to specific ‘places in need’.

Quotes

“Inspired by the representation of Christian saints, with a great sense of humor and passion for detail they impersonate the great conflicts of the 21st century […]. Hence, ‚Saint Gentrifizian‘ is appointed to a contemporary saint of the hood – a patron for squatters, demonstrators, masked men/women, graffiti sprayers, urban sociologists, cyclists and pedestrians.”

Alain Bieber, ART, 2010

“The Christian image of saints developed during the early days of the church to become a way of commemorating martyrs. They are usually depicted with their instruments of torture and serve as the patron saints for professions or social groups they are closely affiliated with; a prime example is St. Apollonia who is the patron of dentists. However, the modern saints presented by Various & Gould address serious issues, such as abuse, migration or gentrification. Their attributes are less representative of individual suffering and focus instead on wider societal grievances.”

Ilaria Hoppe, professor for Art in Contemporary Contexts and Media, KU Linz, quote from the book Various & Gould: Permanently Improvised, 2019