translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
060513: Kunsthaus Muerz - Umober Huberum
Kunsthaus Muerz
Umober Huberum
27.04.2013 – 16.06.2013
Jolly generalist
By Margareta Sandhofer
“An artist should be a generalist” (1) – Oswald Oberhuber expressed this in a resolute and extremely cheerful opening speech at the exhibition “Umober Huberum” in the Kunsthaus Muerz.
The playful lightness in the title, in Oberhuber’s speech, in his exhibited works, are reflected in the selection of works by Oberhuber’s former students: Ernst Caramelle, Franz Graf, Brigitte Kowanz, Eva Schlegel, Franz Vana and Hans Weigand.
Oswald Oberhuber was a professor and university rector, artist and gallery owner. Wherever he showed up, he left a lasting impression. Foremost, he revolutionized the university operations and provided students with a new perspective by negating, overthrowing or subverting conventional hierarchies. The sculptural pieces, all originating from his different work phases, and positioned in the middle of the room, represent the manifestation of this attitude. Oberhuber’s combination of serious depth and entertaining joyfulness, well-founded theoretical concept and impulsive spontaneity result in liveliness and dynamics – something much younger artists meticulously attempt to achieve.
The paintings, sculptures and installations by the six artists “Um()ober Huber(her)um” (around Oberhuber) correspond with the oeuvre of their former teacher and permanent mentor with autonomous self-understanding and authenticity.
Brigitte Kowanz chose some works from her series of mirrored cubes with neon-characters that shine in their sublime reduction with mysterious significance and elegant aloofness. Seemingly more eloquent but at the same time ambiguous is Franz Vana’s work “Glances shed dust”. Opposite is Hans Weigand’s large-format painting depicting a humungous wave swashing over a surfer whose heroic gesture is in grotesque contrast to his hopeless situation. Ernst Caramelle shows delicate aquarelles and one of his sensitive light paintings. Franz Graf surprises with his white geometric painting and his dark portrait of a woman that leads on to Eva Schlegel’s metaphoric projections. She filmed astronauts in free fall and intertwined the scenes with texts and quotes dealing with the razor-thin line between flying and falling. The installation, which was already presented at the MAK in 2010, is now more compact – both in content and formality and has gained complexity.
Brigitte Kowanz focussed on her initiative to present Oswald Oberhuber as the artist personality and his impetus-giving resonance with precision and consequence. In their decisive differentiation the individual artistic positions set forth the freedom of “joyful school days” (2) under the directorship of Oswald Oberhuber – who, in his serenity as an “generalist” and proponent of a permanent artistic change, facilitated, enhanced and ultimately challenged the development of original quality. In “Umober Huberum” they turn into a heterogeneous and sovereign overview through a manifold discourse centering on Oswald Oberhuber.
Kunsthaus Muerz
8680 Mürzzuschlag, Wiener Straße 35
Tel: +43 3852 56200
Fax: +43 3852 56209
email: kunst@kunsthaus.muerz.at
http://www.kunsthausmuerz.at/
Opening hours: Thu - Sat 10-18, Sun 10-16 hours
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060513
Kunsthaus Muerz
8680 Mürzzuschlag, Wiener Straße 35
Tel: +43 3852 56200, Fax: +43 3852 56209
Email: kunst@kunsthaus.muerz.at
http://www.kunsthausmuerz.at/
Öffnungszeiten: Do - Sa 10-18, So 10-16 h
Kunsthaus Muerz
8680 Mürzzuschlag, Wiener Straße 35
Tel: +43 3852 56200, Fax: +43 3852 56209
Email: kunst@kunsthaus.muerz.at
http://www.kunsthausmuerz.at/
Öffnungszeiten: Do - Sa 10-18, So 10-16 h