“Curators’ Water” at the Künstlerhaus

My installation “Curators’ Water” has made it into the Künstlerhaus, in Vienna. Hand-bottled water stands neatly in rows. The (numbered) labels pretend that this might be an edition, and that the bottles contain magic power for those who own, open, enjoy them. Effects may vary with personality – maybe it gives you wings, maybe not. This work is open to many possible interpretations. It plays with the liaison between the artist and the curator, for sure, and with the Christian promise of eternal life which – I’m citing the catalogue – finds its counterpart in admission to the art-historical canon. In the opening speech to his show “Du sollst dir ein Bild machen” (through 8 February), Günther Oberhollenzer, Künstlerhaus’s chief curator, offered this interpretation: “Lena Lapschina setzt sich – augenzwinkernd natürlich – mit dem heiligen Wasser auseinander, als kuratorisches Ritual. Ich finde das eine wunderbare Arbeit – weil Kuratoren manchmal wirklich wie Priester auftreten. Und dieses Augenzwinkern, das hat mir sehr, sehr gut gefallen.” / “Lena Lapschina explores – with a wink, of course – holy water as a curatorial ritual. I think it’s a wonderful work – because curators sometimes indeed do act like priests. And that wink – I really, really liked that!”

Harvest time at the open air studio

it was last fall
when nature crashed
into an artist’s studio-house
and ruined the whole
roof and left
it without a roof

and now the artist did
similar things
crashed into that very nature
with all her things

declared vineyards
to her studio place
where she would do
a field research titled
the quest
for the vinedresser ace

agri meets culture
bio is diversity
join the harvest
wear good shoes
and all the worries
will be gone
and this is the truth

vineyard is workoutyard
collecting is fun
winzerjause is tasty
berries can be yours

Enjoy a fruitful harvest time at the open air studio! Enrol today and earn your Certified Berrypicker Certificate from Lapschina Vineyards Universe!

For details, and to place a reservation, please use the form here. In the text field, write “Lesezeit” and what you can offer. See you soon!

This is not a gallery!

Lena Lapschina “This is not a gallery!” 2021 light object 130 by 160 cm [exhibition view] © Lena Lapschina / Verena Mayrhofer
Lena Lapschina “This is not a gallery!” 2021 light object 130 by 160 cm [exhibition view] © Lena Lapschina / Verena Mayrhofer
Lena Lapschina “This is not a gallery!” 2021 light object 130 by 160 cm [exhibition view] © Lena Lapschina / Verena Mayrhofer

With her hastily scrawled note “This is not a gallery!”, complete with exclamation marks and double underlines, Lena Lapschina sows confusion in the shop window. Passers-by find themselves engaging in self-dialogues. “This is not a gallery!” they murmur. “So what is it then? What’s happening here?” Through this work, Lena Lapschina highlights the decorative-aesthetic function of the glass case in urban space and the voids that emerge when the rhythm of stores and commerce is disrupted.

I’m citing here the catalogue for the schaudrei exhibit at ent, where my latest light object, “This is not a gallery!”, is on display.

The above-stated confusion, I have to admit, is produced by taking a means of advertising (the “neon” sign), letting it glow, and injecting the word “not”.

Shout-out: The beautiful photographs here were shot on location by Verena Mayrhofer.

Please tap or click on any photo for a full-screen experience.

“Hadrian” at the Industrial Art Biennial

Lena_Lapschina_Hadrian_Labin

The 4th Industrial Art Biennial, curated by Paolo Bianchi and Christoph Doswald, is up and running, and so is my piece, a media installation of four video streams with sound. It’s called “Hadrian”, and it’s a road movie, and it’s “not about what happens on this journey, but what Hadrian experiences in his head” (writes Paolo Bianchi in the catalogue).

The project resonates with the biennial’s theme, “Landscapes of Desire”, which confronts the viewer with longings, hopes and dreams and is a space for thought and playfulness and a workshop for the future.

Hadrian, the main character, is ready to explore the meaning of life. He does not lack earthly luxury – nevertheless, one day he sets out in search of a better life. He makes an attempt to escape the previous version of his life. This demands all his strength.

Join Hadrian on his journey: “Landscapes of Desire” – 4th Industrial Art Biennial, Labin, Istria: 13 May – 30 June 2023 extended to 29 July 2023. At the Pijacal.

Glyptophilia: the catalogue. Get it on Apple Books!

glyptophilia_applebooks

Glyptophilia, my sculpture in public space, has got a beautiful companion! It’s a multi-media catalogue, so you can listen to an essay, flip through pics, enjoy a flight past the vineyards, and read the English and (partly) German texts by the fireplace. iPhone or iPad.

How to get it: At the Apple book store, just type “Glyptophilia” and fetch the full version within seconds.

If you prefer a link: Just tap on the name of the country where you’ve registered your Apple device: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela.

Please give it a try. And if you like it: Rate it five stars! Thank you!

Glyptophilia – an installation in public space

“Glyptophilia” is the title of my latest installation in public space, amidst square kilometers of grands crus vineyards, at 48.48881 N / 15.66187 E. It’s a monument to knowledge and its preservation over millennia, but it’s also a place for contemplation in case you’re in the mood for reflection.

Despite its camo outfit – from far, the piece resembles a hut – the exposition of a series of baked clay tablets carrying elements of language – which become visible through horizontal slits as soon as you get close – gives a hint what might be going on here.

A thousand clay tablets, bound into weighty books, destined for eternity. Wait for new moon to see the librarian!

Note: There is a series of live events and zoom events planned to take place at the Glyptophilia site over the coming months and years. For current schedules and detailed programmes please come back to this page frequently.

The Châteauneuf intervention: A very special in situ piece

I’m totally passionate about developing a piece of art for a unique space. Sometimes this happens in early stages of a project, in intense dialogue with the architects. Sometimes the édifice is already among us for a while, has surrounded itself with an aura.

Thus it’s clear that I’m very happy when I’m invited to produce an intervention at an eighthundred year old structure like the Châteauneuf église. This romanesque church in the Brionnais – it’s huge, it’s pure, it’s magnifique!

There aren’t that many events scheduled at this sacred facility these days, what makes this place the ideal hideaway for contemplation. That’s why I decided to create a very subtle installation here – a piece which can support you when you are in need for this support, a piece which doesn’t disturb you when you didn’t ask for disruption.

Here and there appears a word, here and there a cryptic pictorial message, on a wall, on the floor, or interwoven with the holy decoration. Don’t worry. Begin a new life.