GOLDEN HOUR HANDSHAKE

„Wir wünschen dem Berg weiterhin alles Gute“ (Beschränkungen die erlaubten ganz zufällig Bach zu hören) 2023

Part of the show „Golden Hour Handshakes“ at Kunstraum Konrad in Puchberg (AT), curated by Nanna Kaiser and Hannah Besenhard.

This work is the result of our engagement with the Puchberg community and it’s immersion in the region’s narrative.
The installment includes video, sound and several found objects, creating an associative net between them.

A recurring reference during the process was a local tale called „the mower from the Bodenwiese“. The Bodenwiese ist the area’s largest meadow. In the tale, a poor farmer is challenged by a rich landowner to mow the whole meadow only in one day. If he succeeds, the meadow will be his.

The german term for „to own“ (besitzen) stems from the german term for „to sit“ (sitzen).

The centerpiece in the installation is a deconstructed bench. A type of bench which is commonly used to offer space for rest along hiking trails in the area. Also, they often mark spots which are supposed to have a picturesque view. We therefore understood these benches as tools to frame landscape, direct attention and, by that, add value to a place.

Crucially, the installation encapsulates various perspectives and stylistic approaches, captured through different camera lenses. It juxtaposes the everyday aesthetics of tourist consumerism with mystical, fantastical elements, and contrasts these with the high-class, glossy appeal of Red Bull-style tourism advertising. This blend of styles invites viewers to experience Puchberg am Schneeberg through multiple lenses, from the mundane to the magical and the luxurious.

2023
Paint, Bench, Balloon, Teabags, Snail shells, Screen, Videoloop (25 min.)

Video, Sitzbank, Schneckenhäuser, Heliumbalon, Maße variabel