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Blog: ANZENBERGER GALLERY : An Invitation to the Exhibitions ‘GERHARD MAURER: WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR’ and ‘FLORENCE DI BENEDETTO: LA FESTA È FINITA’

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The pandemic, the lockdowns, and social distancing for months on end have shaped how we live together as a society over the past years. During this unusual time, Gerhard Maurer has created a multilayered document using quiet photographs with a condensed aesthetic.

‘What are we waiting for’ is a book about loneliness and the loss of certainty in urban and rural spaces. “It is his very personal world into which the photographer invites us in order to reflect on a phenomenon which has taken hold of society as a whole. This is a grand and generous gesture which can only be offered by someone who is emotionally close to us to a point where deep understanding touches the individual human soul; the place where the silence of loneliness and the fragility of one’s own existence have their origin.” Anja Bohnhof.)

The book ‘What are we waiting for’ is available in the AnzenbergerGallery bookshop.

‘La festa è finita’ is a large Salento luminaria. A reflection on the times in which we are living, this work deals with the concepts of polarity, ambiguity and contrast that have been intensified through the pandemic. The piece plays with the stark contrast between the joyful, lighted wooden structures used for traditional festivals in southern Italy, where Italian photographer Florence di Benedetto grew up – she was born in Bari and spent part of her youth in Palermo – and an extremely raw message that reflects the present state of things. It is the story of a time when celebrating, crowding the streets, being together in a colorful parade, shoulder to shoulder, have become impossible. Over the past few years, I have seen all my childhood memories fade even further.

The twinkling of lights that attracts the attention of viewers confronts them with a different perspective, swaying between the signified and signifier: What we see is a magical atmosphere that is rich in references to collective popular and family rituals but also transports us to a dimension of loneliness and sadness through a lapidary phrase. At the end of a party, there is nothing left but a reality that is far from the glitz of fun and leaves no room for imagination and creativity.

This project inspired a series of photographs that were shot during the first lockdown. The protagonist is the sculpture. The search for different locations to shoot, the silent drive through Italy on empty highways, with a COVID self-declaration form in her pocket, the fear of being stopped by police, having to explain that she was working, and the risk of being misunderstood have enriched the photographer and her process more than she could have ever expected.

The book ‘La Festa è finita’ is available in the AnzenbergerGallery bookshop.

ANZENBERGER GALLERY : An Invitation to the Exhibitions ‘GERHARD MAURER: WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR’ and ‘FLORENCE DI BENEDETTO: LA FESTA È FINITA

Opening : Long Friday, 7 October, 2022, from 12-8pm – both artists will be attending!
 
Duration of the exhibition : 12 October through 11 November, 2022. Opening hours : Wed-Fri 12-6pm or by arrangement. Brotfabrik Vienna. Absberggasse 27. 1100 Vienna, Austria. Tel. 43-1-587 82 51. anzenbergergallery.com
IMAGE // ANZENBERGER GALLERY : Einladung zu den Ausstellungen GERHARD MAURER: WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR und FLORENCE DIE BENEDETTO: LA FESTA È FINITA
 
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