08/30/2024

Pawel Althamer: The Neighbors at New Museum in the Bowery, NY

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Polish sculptor and multimedia artist Pawel Althamer – a sensation at this year’s Venice Biennale – has his first American solo museum exhibition later this month at the New Museum, including a new version of Draftsmen’s Congress (above & below).

pawel-2-congress-berlin

The Congress is a paint-the-walls segment launched at  Berlin in 2012 that invites visitors and invited participants to fill the provided white space with paintings and drawings.  But the main event is the U.S. debut of “Venetians,” Althamer’s huge sculptural installation from the 2013 Venice Biennale.  I posted a bit about it earlier last year.

pawel-mymodernmetThe hands and faces of these surreal, life-size works were cast in plastic from local Venetians, with bodies formed of plastic ribbons. (Credit: My Modern Met)

pawel1A plastics firm owned by Althamer’s father helped in the production of the works,  with faces cast from real people set onto elongated bodies – a style he is renowned for.  (For photo credits, click through the image to see the original)

See more about the exhibition at New Museum in New York, here.


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13 thoughts on “Pawel Althamer: The Neighbors at New Museum in the Bowery, NY

  1. It’s so funny to see him called “a sensation” like it’s new. He’s been considered one of the most important Polish modern artists in Poland for quite a few years 🙂 Ah, the relativity of fame… 🙂 The next Draftsmen Congress will be in Beijing in May, I’ve just learned today 🙂

    1. Oolung: That is such an astute comment, about the relativity of fame. Important modern artist in Poland for so many years, and yet “sensational” at Venice. I have a Canadian art blog – where the British and even Hollywood’s Steve Martin are onto our country’s revered Group of Seven – who’ve been famous to Canadians since the first part of the last century http://canadianartjunkie.com/2013/12/12/steve-martin-searches-out-the-group-of-seven/

      Really great issues you raise with your comment. Thank you.

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