This abstract sculptural work is composed of a human figure made entirely from straw or hay. The figure takes on a minimal, semi-abstract form, with the natural texture and earthiness of the straw creating a striking visual effect. The composition is simple yet powerful, with the figure standing upright against a plain white background, drawing attention to the organic, ephemeral nature of the materials used. The artist's intention may be to explore themes of the human condition, the relationship between nature and humanity, or the transient nature of existence. ...
Kaspar Müller (b. 1983, Schaffhausen) lives and works in Berlin and Zurich. In his practice seemingly familiar objects somehow appear as hieroglyphs. A cast of everyday, yet nonetheless strangely hermetic motifs reappear throughout his oeuvre like vanished memories. Recoded, recalcitrant, and on first glance sometimes stubbornly mute, past works have ranged from physically tangible sculpture to shadowy reproductions of images. Often working in recursive loops, Müller creates elusive installations that stage the fluctuations and transformation of the creative process between the space of the studio and the gallery. For Müller, this process is akin to archeology, yet the things he addresses aren’t hidden; we simply don’t pay attention to them. The moment that their latent qualities suddenly emerge and seem connected and appealing is an exciting moment, which, as Müller notes, is “prone to mystification.” Müller’s works examine the residues of different systems of production and value, honing in on the formal and associative qualities of everyday objects and goods. With his lamp sculptures, Müller engages with how industrial lighting, from its inception to the current day, functions as a means to create a mood or atmosphere through the expression of one’s aesthetic affinities. Müller’s interest in notions of craft and reproduction, and vintage and “fake vintage,” led him to bring together an exuberant yet discordant constellation of bulbs as a kind of mirror of the range of industrial production and contemporary taste. ...
Galerie Francesca Pia was founded 1990 in Bern and from their first exhibitions forward has consistently fostered contemporary artists including Betty Woodman (1990), Peter Fischli & David Weiss (1992), Hans-Peter Feldmann (1993), Thomas Bayrle (1998), Mai-Thu Perret (2000), Wade Guyton (2004), Jutta Koether (2008) and Rochelle Feinstein (2016) et al. Today the gallery is known for the discovery and promotion of emerging artists. After 16 years in Bern, the gallery moved to a larger space in Zurich in 2007. In 2012 the gallery extended and relocated to a more generous space in the historic Löwenbrau building, where it continues to engage in an ambitious program, representing over thirty artists of different generations. ...
