MARCUS GEIGER
AXEL HUBER
GRUPPENAUSSTELLUNG
Opening: 31/05/2007 7pm
Exhibition: 01/06/2007 – 27/07/2007
„Gruppenausstellung“
is the result of the collaboration between the swiss artists and friends
Marcus Geiger and Axel Huber.
The main space of the Engholm Engelhorn Gallery is used for a room-filling
installation where then classical disciplines of sculpture and painting
enter into a surprising dialogue. Ten hollow, male and life-size sculptures
of various colours and consisting of needle felt have been positioned
in the main space: standing, sitting, lying. Formally stimulated through
a well known photography archetype, ten contemporary artists posed as
models for the figures.
Inevitably the visitor has to blaze his own trail through the partly fragmentary
and mummy-like body-casings to get a general idea of the whole group.
Characteristically for Marcus Geiger’s work is the application of
non-artistical materials as, for example, terry towelling and carton which
he has already used for various pieces. By chosing such material he undercuts
the substantial anticipation-attitude the beholder has towards sculpture.
As the visitor is encouraged to navigate freely between the single sculptures,
the overall impression of the installation changes consistently and challenges
numerous connotations.
The hollow needle felt casings seem to qualify as a multilateral projection
screen for the viewer who so often is in search for quotes. However, like
in previous works Marcus Geiger not only provides a simple and reliable
informative basis. Quite the contrary he breaks with alleged art-historical
references by sensible irritations and deflections.
Also Axel Huber refers to the definition of art and its producers subversively
considering as well its further context. To Geiger’s posing male
figure-casings he opposes a volume of nostalgic female nude portraits,
anonymous paintings found at a Parisian flea market. Here Huber adopts
the role of two players within the creative industries at the same time
-curator and artist. He further exhibits paintings and photographs created
by himself, and with Geiger he shares the intention to question the beholders’
skilled glance and to re-open it for a new point of view on the object
of art.
Troughout the duration of the exhibition, the Engholm Engelhorn Gallery
shows a video of 30 seconds length by both artists on www.engholmengelhorn.com.
