Albert Weis
salon
30. März – 20. Mai 2012

Lichthaus Arnsberg presents the solo exhibition "salon" by Albert Weis.

Light, architecture and history are three of the focal points of Lichthaus Arnsberg, which are reflected in the sculpture salon by Albert Weis. Although Weis conceived the sculpture in 2009 for another exhibition without reference to the Lichthaus, contact with Arnsberg was an important prerequisite for the realization of the sculpture, as it was produced with the support of an Arnsberg company at the time.

Albert Weis makes social structures visible by directing our attention to situations, processes and changes in public space. His interest in architecture and history leads to sculptures, installations and collages that often refer to the ideals and principles of modernism. Using artistic means such as folding, superimposition and reflection, Weis succeeds in visualizing his own language, which graphically and spatially records new models of perception of the urban landscape. In the spectrum between construction and abstraction, Weis achieves an aesthetic that is both clear and open and yet remains enigmatic.

The sculpture salon originally refers to the architecture of a post-war modernist building in Berlin. Weis scaled down the former department store, which was built in the 1960s, to a scale of 1:4.3 and selectively integrated the dimensions of Le Corbusier's Modulor in order to transform them into a free sculptural form.

In the Lichthaus Arnsberg, salon forms its own room within a room. And despite the four walls, the installation remains visible and accessible thanks to all the openings and breaks. Inside, the visitor experiences how the architecture of the monastery and the surrounding nature are reflected. 

The vertical modules of the sculpture overlap with the horizontal strips of the Lichthaus façade, creating a spatial grid. The walls of the installation enclose a room, but their mirrored surface dissolves into the reflections and empty spaces of the structure. The result is a pictorial space that reinforces the optical illusion of a floating structure and opens up an imaginary space.

Albert Weis was born in Passau in 1969. After studying at the Munich Art Academy, he currently lives in Berlin. In 2009 he was a fellow at the Villa Aurora in Los Angeles. His most recent solo exhibitions include the Museum für Konkrete Kunst, Ingolstadt (2011), Centre d'Art Nei Licht Dudelnde, Luxembourg (2010), Kunstverein Tiergarten, Berlin (2009), Schauspiel, Frankfurt (2008).