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120312: Projektraum Viktor Bucher Sophie Hirsch – heut schau ich mir schöne Bilder an damit ich besser schlafen kann
Projektraum Viktor Bucher
Sophie Hirsch – heut schau ich mir schöne Bilder an damit ich besser schlafen kann
16.02.12 – 17.03.2012
Performative concentration on plastic sheeting waste
By Margareta Sandhofer
Sophie Hirsch, born 1986 in Vienna, graduated from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna in 2011, received the Kunsthalle Wien Prize the same year and her first solo exhibition is currently shown in the Projektraum Viktor Bucher – the meteoric rise of art made of twisting plastic sheeting, whose material substance originated from more or less public garbage dumps.
What is the basis of the enticement of Sophie Hirsch’s garbage mesh? Is it based on recycling waste? (After all- it’s been quite a while since recycling art was considered the latest craze.) Is it based on the tedious process of handcrafting the twisted ropes? On the unusual and therefore courageous size of her sculptures? And can they be seen as sculptures at all?
Sophie Hirsch’s works are primarily forms characterized by the marked processing of the material. The artist handles the used plastic in the so-called Torser-technique (twisting and interweaving) – a craft she learned in Peru.
The play-off of the capacities of the same material becomes apparent: a peculiar oscillation between the skin-like transparency and, foremost, both the translucence of plastic sheeting as well as its manifest corporeality in its bundled state: an oscillation that is increased to an extensive static performance in the central piece (Untitled, just like the two others) displayed in Viktor Bucher’s gallery.
The plastic sheeting is processed to ropes in different intensities and bundled to a voluminous body. The entire work has a Baroque opulence and is bundled in a sophisticated disorderly order and supported by an aluminium tube that lifts it up and presses it against the wall. The massive weight of this seemingly improvised assemblage is incarcerated between the wall and the floor, in an arbitrarily determined abeyance. The suggested instability of balance leaves the impression of volatility; the constant tension that of theatrical drama.
In contrast, the two other works shown in the exhibition do not display this vehement physical manifestation. While the object described above (Untitled #3) conveys an active space filling presence, Untitled #2 is similar, yet packed beautifully, and Untitled #1 is something totally different.
Sophie Hirsch rejects labelling her work as recycling art. No matter how trendy or trashy garbage-art might be, this would implicate an iconological reduction of the artistic message. Hirsch does not want to let herself be pushed into an ideological corner – and her work certainly doesn't warrant this. Any colour print or logo that might remind of its former function as packaging material is avoided. Any specific characteristics of garbage are reduced to traces of its past, the reminiscence of its staining and former usage.
The result shown in Viktor Bucher’s Projektraum refers to the pure aesthetics of the art of the 1960’s: it is less the conceptualisation of Minimal Art, but rather the clear concentration on a self reflective object that only casually implies a non-artistic context - and it definitely refers to Arte Povera. Hirsch’s evident recourse to the art of the 1960’s is reformatted by explicitly using up-to-date material as a contemporary statement.
Projektraum Viktor Bucher
1020 Vienna, Praterstrasse 13/1/12
Tel: +43 1 212 69 30
Fax:+ 43 1 212 69 30
Email: projektraum@sil.at
http://www.proejtraum.at
Opening hours: Tue – Fri 14 – 19 hours, Sat 11 – 15 hours and by appointment
Mehr Texte von translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville
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120312
Projektraum Viktor Bucher
1020 Wien, Praterstraße 13/1/2
Tel: +43 676 561 988 0
Email: projektraum@sil.at
http://www.projektraum.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di-Fr 14-19, Sa 11-15 h und nach tel. Vereinbarung
Projektraum Viktor Bucher
1020 Wien, Praterstraße 13/1/2
Tel: +43 676 561 988 0
Email: projektraum@sil.at
http://www.projektraum.at
Öffnungszeiten: Di-Fr 14-19, Sa 11-15 h und nach tel. Vereinbarung
