Josef Bauer
Assumption on a photo, 1956-1978, Letter, photograph, brick
Josef Bauer is an Austrian artist known for his self-defined “tactile poetry” where he explores the visual dimensions of language through conceptual art. His works include paintings, performance art, and sculpture. Bauer’s treatment of linguistics and its visual representation offer a tangible and unified relationship between the two. Words are reduced to letters, but in no way are they reduced to mere representatives of sounds or significance. Instead, Bauer’s work accentuates each letter, rendering them as artistic objects. By redefining linguistics through his play on scale and application of presenting two-dimensional figures as three-dimensional, Bauer is quite literally making poetry to touch.
Room of the Ironing Aid, 1970-1992, Various materials
The Language of Showing, 1976, 33 × 33 cm
A in the corner, 1968-1976, Wood, polyester, dispersian paint 71, 182 × 172 × 19 cm
Buchstabenläufer, 1970-1976, Silvergelatinprint on paper 15, 40 × 40 cm
Plakatabriss, 1983, Cardboard, fabric on hardboard 21, 53.7 × 41.9 cm
Zeit, 1981-2007, Lacquer on wood
Ramp, 1975-1983, Poster scarps, lacquer
Josef Bauer was born on January 12, 1934 and studied painting at the school of arts in Linz. He was awarded the cultural award of Linz in 1994 and the cultural award of Upper Artists for fine arts in 1995.
Courtesy of the Artist
Josef Bauer
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