PRESS RELEASE
ROMAN
SIGNER
30/9/99
-30/10/99
Opening
the 30th of September, 7-10 pm
6th
International Month of photography, Athens
Roman
Signer, born in 1938 in Appenzell (Switzerland) and representing Switzerland at
the Venice Biennale 1999, is defining himself as a sculptor.
He
recently had exhibitions at the gallery Hauser & Wirth (Zürich), at
the Wiener Secession (Wien) and at the gallery Art: Concept (Paris).
The
exhibition Roman Signer at the Unlimited gallery for the 6th Month of
Photography is his first presentation in Greece.
He
will present “Trace” (1980) a serie of 5 film stills from the super-8films made
between 1975 and 1989 as well as “Zelt Zuoz” (1996), a serie of 8 cibachromes.
A
video-document will accompany the works, presenting the setting of the swiss
pavillon, the sculptures and actions (“Cabin” 1999, “Bicycle” 1982-99, “Fontana
di Piaggio” 1995, “Simultaneous” 1999, “Blue barrel” 1999) and the serie of
videos (“red ball”, “helicopter on board”, “barrel with camera”, volcano”, “ice
and lamp”, “sand”, “bricks”) from the Venice Biennale 1999.
Since
the seventies, Roman Signer concieves events (actions) during which some
ordinary objects (umbrella, table, ball...) are confronted to natural elements
(water, wind, snow, sand...) and subject to forces (tension, compression,
explosion...).
He
uses photographs and super-8 films to record the moment preceding the action as
well as its development, in order to “fix” his ephemeral sculptures. This
technics form an autonomous part of his oeuvre.
Signer’s
work is centered on time and space: he structures time, divides it in fragments
through different states of movement (“temporal sculptur”) and uncovers to the
viewer the empty spaces surrounding bodies and masses.
Without
spectacular, Signer establishs a kind of
“cycle” which refers to our mere physical reality, questionning the idea
of knowledge and progress.
