Erwin Wurm (*1954, Bruck an der Mur) is one of the most influential contemporary artists of our time. To mark his 70th birthday, ALBERTINA MODERN is dedicating a comprehensive retrospective to his work. The exhibition features sculptures, drawings, photographs, and videos that highlight the paradoxes and absurdities of our world.
Redefining Sculpture
Wurm challenges the boundaries between traditional art forms such as sculpture, photography, and performance. His works reimagine the relationship between stillness and motion, inviting viewers to see reality in new ways—whether through melting houses or performatively distorted objects.
His renowned One Minute Sculptures invite participants to become part of the artwork, offering a playful yet profound exploration of the relationship between art and society.
Art as a Reflection of Society
Wurm’s works address social and cultural norms with a provocative twist. A simple gherkin becomes a self-portrait, while the Fat Car symbolizes consumerism and excess. The Narrow House reflects the constraints of societal conventions and bourgeois values. A new addition to the exhibition is a rural school, representing outdated mindsets and restrictive ideologies.
Innovative Approaches and New Works
Wurm continues to innovate by exploring the concepts of volume, space, and materiality. In his Substitutes, the human body disappears, leaving only clothing as ghostly remnants. The Skins are thin strips of material that function as spatial drawings. In the Flat Sculptures, letters are transformed into three-dimensional artworks, questioning the readability of language and the boundaries of painting.
A Retrospective of Masterpieces
The exhibition spans Wurm’s entire career, from early wooden and dust sculptures to his latest works, some of which are being shown for the first time. Highlights include iconic pieces like the One Minute Sculptures, the Fat Car, and the Narrow House.
Exhibition Details
The retrospective will be on view from September 13, 2024, to March 9, 2025, at ALBERTINA MODERN. This is a unique opportunity to experience Wurm’s work in all its diversity.
Discover the art of Erwin Wurm—and see the world through a different lens.