Walter Niedermayr
dal 13/11/2013 al 1/2/2014
Segnalato da
13/11/2013
Walter Niedermayr
MuseumsQuartier 21, Wien
The Replicants. The alterations of the alpine landscape through the presence of man represents a constant in Niedermayr's artistic oeuvre. "The alpine space is a topography, where society manifests itself exemplarily in the many varieties of our consumer world." (W. N.)
On November 14, 2013 EIKON presents Walter Niedermayr´s video work “The Replicants” at EIKON SchAUfenster.
The change in alpine landscape through human activities is a permanent feature of Niedermayr's artwork. In his work, Walter Niedermayr weakens the ideal of an untouched natural landscape, and brings the effects of winter tourism in focus. Mostly done in polyptychs, his photographic series forbid the usual point of view of a landscape as a panorama and forces the recipient to a new perception. Niedermayr regards his work not merely as a criticism of the handling with landscape. It's up to the recipients to express their criticism.
“The alpine space is a topography where society manifests itself in an exemplary way in the most diverse variations of our consumer world.”–Walter Niedermayr
The alterations of the alpine landscape through the presence of man represents a constant in Walter Niedermayr's artistic oeuvre. The ideal of a mountain scenery in its natural state is invalidated in his work, the effects of tourism on the mountain world become the image's content.
The video work "The Replicants" (2009) shown at EIKON SchAUfenster deals with the alpine landscape as a "sports equipment": on an (at first) empty ski slope, a spate of skiers descend the mountain. Their downward movements linger like dark traces on the snow white track until the stream of people dries up. The track seems to pause shortly, then the ski run starts again.
The video was made in 2007 on the occasion of the annual final ski race "Der weisse Rausch" on the Arlberg.
Walter Niedermayr (*1952, Bozen) live and work in Bozen, Italy.
Image: Walter Niedermayr, Hintertuxergletscher 55. Diptych, pigment prints, 2012/2013 each 33 x 43 cm. Installation Measurements: 68 x 43 cm numbered and signed. Edition: 25 + V
Opening: Thursday, November 14, 2013, 7pm
Österreichisches Institut für Photographie und Medienkunst - EIKON SchAUfenster
Electric Avenue, quartier21, / Museumsquartier Vienna
daily 10am – 10pm
Free admission