Earlier this year Austrian artist Heimo Zobernig (b. 1958) simultaneously furnished paintings and sculptural objects for installations at three distinct venues. Below, gallery views from MUDAM in Luxemburg and Nicolas Krupp in Basel. Above, the indoor Zobernig landscape created at Friedrich Petzel, New York.
As far as New York goes, some people might have been surprised or dismayed to note the presence of several naked, matte-white, gender-specific, mildly embellished mannequins. Some might have wondered what kind of artist wanted to rely on the art-making potential of such bland objects?
Personally, I did not ask myself this question. The mannequins were what first attracted me. But my reasons were idiosyncratic and they related to my granddaughter. Just two weeks ago, on the day I last saw Mabel, we were making lunch together in the Spencer Alley kitchen when she brought up the subject of death.
"Grandpa, did you know everybody dies?"
"What?!?!"
"But even after you are dead, don't worry. I will keep a little mannequin of you in my heart."
