Greta Schödl

Greta Schödl emerges as a trailblazing voice in poesia visiva (visual poetry), carving out a singular path in a field where women were strikingly underrepresented. Over six decades, she has developed a distinctive visual language, crafting compositions that blend myth, abstraction, and meticulous repetition. Letters and symbols recur obsessively in her works, transforming into abstract patterns that resonate with the methodical intensity of Hanne Darboven and the symbolic depth of Tomaso Binga. Schödl integrates geometric forms and striking signs with text, often enhanced with gold leaf or wire embroidery, and applies them across a wide array of surfaces—from handmade paper, books, and maps to intimate domestic objects such as ironing boards, pillowcases, and bed linens. This fusion of found materials with Old German script references both her Austrian roots and ancestral memory, while her performative works engage with contemporary Italian culture, exploring its symbols and societal stereotypes. By merging linguistic and visual elements, Schödl dissolves the original function of words and objects, reassigning them new significance and poetic resonance. Like her contemporary Li-Yuan Chia, who stayed with her in the early years of her career, her oeuvre questions social constructs of language, offering alternative modes of expression and interpretation that blur the line between reading and seeing. ...

Founded in 2012, Richard Saltoun Gallery specialises in contemporary art, with an emphasis on feminist, conceptual and performance artists from the 1960s onwards. It is guided by a strong focus on rediscovering the work of important yet under-recognised artists through presentations at both its locations, online exhibitions, events and participation in art fairs around the world. Since its inception, Richard Saltoun Gallery has been driven by an interest in serving a wider purpose and is now recognised for its critically and socially-engaged programme. In 2019, the gallery launched a year-long initiative titled 100% Women that aimed to address gender inequality in the art world and encourage wider industry action through debate, dialogue and collaboration. In 2021, it dedicates all exhibitions to the writings of German-born, American political philosopher Hannah Arendt in a 12-month programme On Hannah Arendt to confront some of the most perplexing socio-political issues of our time. The gallery is considered a leader in its representation of female artists, from avant-garde pioneers of the 1960s and ‘70s, such as Eleanor ANTIN, Renate BERTLMANN and Gina PANE, to a younger generation of female artists including Silvia GIAMBRONE and Florence PEAKE. It continues to support female artists through extensive research, partnerships and solo presentations at the gallery and online. Additionally, Richard Saltoun is noted for its support of pioneering artists who have pushed the conceptual and disciplinary boundaries in which they work, from LI Yuan-chia, one of the earliest proponents of abstract and conceptual art in Taiwan, to ULAY, the late photographer and performance artist, as well as British artists Victor BURGIN, Rose ENGLISH, John HILLIARD, Peter KENNARD, Bob LAW, Penny SLINGER and more. The gallery preserves the legacy of artists through its representation of artist estates, including Helen CHADWICK, David HALL, Alexis HUNTER, Bob LAW, Marinella PIRELLI, Jo SPENCE, Barbara LEVITTOUX-ŚWIDERSKA and Shelagh WAKELY, amongst others. The gallery acts as a consultant to major museums and public institutions and advises private and corporate collections. It actively documents the work of its artists through the production of publications and frequently stages talks, screenings and performances. ...