Gramercy, New York
Jonathan Joosten
Erase / Rewind
Goethe-InstitutThe Goethe-Institut New York presents Erase / Rewind, the first US solo exhibition by artist Jonathan Joosten. Featuring newly commissioned, site-responsive works, the exhibition explores how reality, value, and meaning are constructed through framing, repetition, and symbolic attribution. Working at the intersection of cinematic simulation and consumer display, Joosten examines how film, architecture, and exhibition formats shape perception, creating presence while simultaneously obscuring absence. Referencing the two films The Thirteenth Floor (dir. Josef Rusnak, 1999) and Welt am Draht (dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1973), as well as Kim Jones’s Dior Autumn/Winter 2025 runway show, the project reflects on simulated realities and the instability of what appears immediate and real. Developed between New York and Berlin, the exhibition draws on urban observations such as empty yet illuminated storefronts and the missing “13th” floor in American elevators, subtle signs of absence within systems of visibility. Erase / Rewind brings these observations together, examining urban space and media as sites where presence is continuously staged and absence persistently operates. Curated by Emily Pretzsch Special thanks to Zachary B. Feldman for his guidance and support in every aspect. Many thanks to Léonard Berthou, Hiiona Choi, Jakob Hübner, Felix Murphy, and Moksha Richards for their expertise and conversations. Graphic design by Anton Krude & Jonathan Joosten This exhibition is made possible with the support of Cabin NY, led by Lawrence Hazen, where Joosten is a spring 2026 artist-in-residence.