The irony of using polished marble to depict the trivial menu of a sausage stand becomes an epicurean symbol that skilfully encourages the viewer to look behind the scenes of our society. “The sausage and the roll is the simplest menu and was also an everyday food for me as a child and later as a student. For me it is a symbol of a social environment and of social attitudes‘ says Erwin Wurm. “It also stands for a certain category of white men who talk about their world view at the sausage stand – a world view that is characterized by narrowness, prejudice and intolerance, not to speak of an anti-feminist attitude.“
The sculptures become an accurate, concise and ironic montage. “Humor is a weapon“, says Erwin Wurm. However, he does not see himself as a humorist, but uses his wit to show everyday life from a different perspective. In a way, his work also reminds us of the drama of the triviality of our existence:
„Whether you approach it through philosophy or through a diet, you always lose out in the end‘ said Worm.
Despite all the contextualization of the content, Erwin Wurm always proves to be a stringent sculptor who knows how to use the possibilities of the sculptural for his thematic concerns and also explores the possibilities of the material. The sausages and baked goods made of heavy stone stand vertically on just a small footprint, and balance on the pedestal with great conciseness.
About the artist: Erwin Wurm (born 1954) lives and works in Vienna and Limberg, Austria. His work includes material sculptures, actions, videos, photos, drawings and books. One of the most influential groups of works is Wurm’s ONE MINUTE SCULPTURES.
KHK – Small House of Art – 1st, Friedrichstraße 7 – www.kleineshausderkunst.at
