erwin wurm: business of beauty at art basel miami beach 2011

erwin wurm ‘untitled’, 2011 wood, metal, glass 59.84 x 29.13 x 18.11 inches 152 x 74 x 46 cm image courtesy of the artist and lehmann maupin gallery, new york

austrian artist erwin wurm presents ‘beauty business’ at the bass museum of art as part of art basel miami beach 2011. ‘beauty business’ was created by the artist as a group of participatory pieces for this exhibition. wurm’s series consists of several sculptural works that possess a theatrical, humorous and philosophical quality. the essence of each piece focuses upon notions of ‘home’ and ‘dwelling’; the viewer’s emotional response to the altered architectural works is the artist’s aim. in his typical style, the two works entitled ‘architecture’ are formed from wooden braces dressed in sweaters — a playful approach to a formal form. each fashion piece, typically associated with warmth and security, are stretched and altered, creating a more dynamic and presence within the gallery space.

erwin wurm ‘architecture’, 2011 fabric, wood 33.46 x 23.62 x 43.7 inches 85 x 60 x 111 cm photo by german guevara for e11even productions courtesy the artist, bass museum of art and lehmann maupin gallery, new york

‘a dwelling is an in-between space where one may hesitate between worlds. the activity of dwelling is therefore a contemplative lingering– a way of remaining in a space or location that is responsive to the nature of that particular space or location that is responsive to the nature of that particular place, and open to whatever happens to trigger our imagination; through association, through fantasies, daydreams, desires, or memories’. –lehmann maupin in reference to erwin wurm’s exhibition, ‘beauty business’

erwin wurm ‘architecture’, 2011 fabric, wood 39.37 x 70.87 x 47.24 inches 100 x 180 x 120 cm courtesy the artist and lehmann maupin gallery, new york photo by german guevara for e11even productions courtesy the artist, bass museum of art and lehmann maupin gallery, new york

erwin wurm ‘house II’, 2011 bronze 20.87 x 39.37 x 31.5 inches 53 x 100 x 80 cm edition of 7, 2ap photo by german guevara for e11even productions courtesy the artist, bass museum of art and lehmann maupin gallery, new york

‘home i’ and ‘home ii’ consist of two bronze coats, filled with tension as the movement of the work seems to be suspended in time; wurm’s focus upon the lingering nature of dwelling is embodied in these sculptural forms.

erwin wurm ‘house 1’, 2011 bronze 20.47 x 42.91 x 35.43 inches 52 x 109 x 90 cm edition of 7, 2ap photo by german guevara for e11even productions courtesy the artist, bass museum of art and lehmann maupin gallery, new york

erwin wurm ‘mies van der rohe – melting’, 2005/2008 acrylic 43.31 x 28.74 x 36.22 inches 110 x 73 x 92 cm photo by german guevara for e11even productions courtesy of the artist, bass museum of art and lehmann maupin gallery, new york

‘mies van der rohe – melting’ is a skyscraper-like sculpture, flooding into the floor space from it’s base, ‘home – gulp’, consisting of a similar initial form, instead forms a rounded opening where the base of the tower extends from the primary form.

erwin wurm ‘home – gulp (i)’, 2011 acrylic, paint 39.37 x 16.54 x 29.53 inches 100 x 42 x 75 cm photo by german guevara for e11even productions courtesy of the artist, bass museum of art and lehmann maupin gallery, new york

erwin wurm ‘kuhfladen’, 2005 aluminum, paint 7.87 x 34.25 x 27.56 inches 20 x 87 x 70 cm edition of 8 photo by german guevara for e11even productions courtesy the artist, bass museum of art and lehmann maupin gallery, new york