Peter Kogler

We are delighted to announce the second part of the solo exhibition by Peter Kogler at Galerie Mezzanin. For the first time Peter Kogler presents his wellknown motive of the ant as a larger than life sculpture. Furthermore the exhibition comprises newly-made collages.

It is often organic and at the same time social systems of order which Peter Kogler tries to capture thematically. In the last exhibition space eight framed collages are installed on one wall – images from different medias, collected over years, layered with pen-plotter drawings – all fixated with magnets. “At the same time the preconditions of technological work processes are most closely linked with artistic concerns. Beyond the attempt to give computer processes, which form the basis of the image world of computer graphics, an aesthetically perceptible space, the structures and phenomena which go to make up digital communication are questioned. The complex structure of data flows is examined for its interactions with processes of movement in the world of physical experience. (...) „In that we contract, we are habits, at the same time we contract through contemplation,“ (...) so Deleuze in order to trace the dynamics of repetition. Contraction and relaxation, the swelling and subsiding of bubbles and bodies could be drawn upon as leitmotifs for Peter Kogler‘s works. With them, the artist who sees himself as connected to the communications system, as part of the digital network, describes the complex layering of information and data transfer and at the same time examines its links back into social relationships.“ Eva Maria Stadler, 2007

The collages are confronted with the ant-sculpture mentioned above which almost takes up the entire main space of the gallery. Peter Kogler first discovered the ant for himself in 1980 as he filmed one as it  crept across a newspaper; he was fascinated of this small organism inmidst of a jumblr of letters. He also called attention to himself on an international stage with the subject of the ant. 1992 the then 33-year old artist installed in the entree of documenta IX, around the central work of Bruce Naumann his contribution - an ornamental wallpaper with ants. „Help me, hurt me“, it screamed from Nauman‘s Video, while Kogler‘s compuer generated legion of ants crept obliviuosly its endless and aimless way along the outer walls.

 Small space

For the back room Peter Kogler selected works of other artists of the gallery - namely from Thomas Bayrle, Gerald Domenig, Stephen Prina, Mandla Reuter and Alexander Wolff.