translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
021109: Startgalerie im Museum auf Abruf: Petra Schweifer – Schreihaus
Startgalerie im Museum auf Abruf: Petra Schweifer – Schreihaus
Successful at second glance
The first impression of the works by the young artist conveys chaotic sketches and half-finished pieces. This impression is enhanced by the unusual hanging of most of the works, which seem coincidentally grouped and only seemingly abstract, and fill almost all of the gallery walls. But after taking a closer look one discovers the delicate aesthetics of the individual pieces. Such as the tiny and wonderful minimalistic picture titled “Threads”, showing a white object, resembling a house, balanced on four delicate stilts. An increasing number of appealing works are discovered among the various sized oil and tempera paintings when undertaking an expedition through the chaotic-dense hanging of the artist’s oeuvre. As so often, the smaller formats, like the 30 cm oil painting without a title and depicting the resemblance of a bluish tree – are consistently the ones that are most convincing.
The paintings, which all insinuate buildings, landscapes, or trees convey their beauty only at second glance; with some of the most outstanding works even reminding of Max Weiler’s paintings. Although if it is not always clear with the first impression, Petra Schweifer’s compositions always deal with landscape painting in the broadest sense; something that is confirmed by poetic titles such as “Steine springen” (stones leap) or “Das Meer ist heute auf der rechten Seite” (today the sea is on the right side).
The unpretentious, one could almost say discrete form of painting requires a great deal of preparedness to indulge in her picture language and logic, but one is definitely rewarded with surprising insights.
By Walter Pichler
Startgalerie im Museum auf Abruf
1010 Vienna, Felderstrasse 6-8, next to the Town Hall
until 05.11.09
http://www.musa.at
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021109
Startgalerie im MUSA
1010 Wien, Felderstraße 6-8, neben dem Rathaus
Tel: +43 1 4000 8400, Fax: +43 1 4000-99-8400
Email: musa@musa.at
http://www.musa.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di, Mi, Fr 11-18, Do 11-20, Sa 11-16 h
Startgalerie im MUSA
1010 Wien, Felderstraße 6-8, neben dem Rathaus
Tel: +43 1 4000 8400, Fax: +43 1 4000-99-8400
Email: musa@musa.at
http://www.musa.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di, Mi, Fr 11-18, Do 11-20, Sa 11-16 h