When Helmut Lang applied for an artist's studio permit in 2007 from the East Hampton town board where Lang now resides, it was initially met with protestations that Lang was a fashion designer. Of course Lang has had no involvement with the label that bears his name today since 2005 and has since been developing HL-art, involving himself in mixed media installations and sculptures.

Validation and confirmation of Helmut Lang's new visionary role came on Friday, with the support of Absolut Vodka and its ongoing visionaries programme 'In an Absolut World', when he opened his first institutional solo exhibition "Alles Gleich Schwer" at the Kestnergesellschaft in Hanover. Curated by Frank Thorsten Moll and Neville Wakefield, the exhibition showcases a series of objects that explore the interaction between interior and exterior identity, the familiar and intimate body form and the world at large, themes that were also important to Lang when designing clothes and even he admits that there are links between his previous role as a fashion designer and his present one as an artist; "The continuity is that I’m expressing what’s important to me with the appropriate form, content and context through different mediums and other dimensions.”

The second phase of the collaboration will attempt to take "Alles Gleich Schwer" online where Lang's vision will be exhibited to a worldwide audience from September 30th to December 1st. With virtual galleries having varying levels of success, it will certainly be interesting to see how the scale of the installations and objects will be conveyed on screen.

“Alles Gleich Schwer” will be on view at the kestnergesellschaft August 31st – November 2nd.