erwin wurm can make a madcap sculpture in a minute, but it takes longer to appreciate that beneath his slapstick world – where you’ll find yourself blinded by giant police helmets or confronted with grotesquely corpulent cars and people spitting in soup– lies a serious critique of society. as he says, ‘it’s always the best when it’s hurting and it’s cynical and it’s not nice’.
words: mark rappolt
portrait : jaap scheeren
excerpt from art review magazine issue 47
the real point is this: one characteristic of wurm’s work is the extent to which it renders the banal [...] by turns horrible, monstrous, menacing and sinister. And then moderates that shock, but amplifies the effect, via an ironic veneer of comedy.
“i think to be cynical – to make a joke about something – gives me more strength and more ability to be rude or to be nasty and not talk in that german way of pathos where you speak about death and everybody cries”, says wurm “the joke is subversive”, wurm continues. “i call it cynical criticism because you can tell someone the truth by making a joke; he’s laughing, but it’s still the truth and it hurts. Sometimes it’s not good, but it’s always the best when it’s hurting and it’s cynical and it’s not nice. i don’t like to make it nice.”
(on 13 pullovers, 1991)“it’s the doubling of the skin – of the surface, [...] when we wear clothes, they take on the shape of the body and show the person underneath. this piece itself is just the surface.”
“i ask the question ‘what is sculpture?’ sculpture is to add volume, to take volume away, and you can also say that’s when you gain or lose weight. this brought me to these fat pieces.”
“i’m very much into art in public spaces. not like the usual art in public spaces, or streets or houses or whatever, but the public space of magazines and newspapers or videos like this – i find it very, very interesting. i’m interested that my work finds interest. this would be enough for me, rather than making the work for 10 critics and 52 gallery visitors.”
does he want to change society through his art? “no, i cannot change it. it’s even stupid to think so”, is the rapid response. But then with typical perversity he qualifies that rather depressing finale: “but i am a political person, i live in my time, and i think it’s a very important right to criticise our time.”
words: mark rappolt
portrait : jaap scheeren
all images from art review.com
erwin wurm: yes biological
jan 11- feb 12
galerie thaddaeus ropac
3 comments:
The working of forklift trucks is simple to understand. So, it is very important that the warehouse contractor knows all of these before getting started with the construction. In fact, to show how important the floors are, there are now tools that are used to measure the floor flatness and levelness. These tools help in making the foundation of the business warehouse strong and can withstand any events or happenings that might occur in the warehouse during the construction and operations as well. For warehouse owners, take your part in checking the flooring of your warehouse so that you can be assured of continuous operations for your business. The fuel tank and hydraulic fluid tanks are often built right into the frame as well. The only drawback, is that they can fail because of blowouts.
The working of forklift trucks is simple to understand. So, it is very important that the warehouse contractor knows all of these before getting started with the construction. In fact, to show how important the floors are, there are now tools that are used to measure the floor flatness and levelness. These tools help in making the foundation of the business warehouse strong and can withstand any events or happenings that might occur in the warehouse during the construction and operations as well. For warehouse owners, take your part in checking the flooring of your warehouse so that you can be assured of continuous operations for your business. The fuel tank and hydraulic fluid tanks are often built right into the frame as well. The only drawback, is that they can fail because of blowouts.
Excellent article. Keep posting such kind of information on your site.
Im really impressed by your site.
Hello there, You have performed an excellent job.
I will definitely digg it and personally suggest to my friends.
I'm sure they will be benefited from this website.
my homepage Diet Patches
Post a Comment