Hans Kupelwieser

Alongside Erwin Wurm and Franz West, Hans Kupelwieser (born in 1948 in Lunz) occupies a third independent position in contemporary Austrian sculpture that represents a significant step forward in the development of a Postmodern concept of sculpture. Kupelwieser has always sought new materials which he uses in the manner of Arte Povera but also in a kind of linguistic approach in which he explores new meanings associated with these materials. A flat rubber or a massive steel sculpture in which letters have been punched to create openings serve, for example, as a windscreen and thus assume an entirely new function. This interplay of material extension and operational expansion between form and function is the fertile ground of Hans Kupelwieser's analytical explorations. Presenting numerous large illustrations, the book offers an overview of the sculptor's current work as well as several important reference works from early periods. Attention is also given to his photographic oeuvre, an equally important part of his work that relates closely to his sculpture. Exhibition schedule: Neue Galerie Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum, May 8 - June 20, 2004