Der symbolische Auftraggeber / The Symbolic Commissioner

The expression “Der symbolische Auftraggeber/The Symbolic Commissioner” refers to the utopia of the New Man, which various avant-gardes from art, dance, and architecture proclaimed both the client and the aim of their artistic production at the beginning of the 20th century. This client is a symbolic one, because his actual identity remains ambivalent. Houses and carpets, wallpapers and suits, new cities and chairs were designed for him. Yet the figure has remained a utopian one, flaring-up only for brief moments and as a fragmentary manifestation from the productions of the artists.

A thematic book including a.o. numerous color views of the exhibitions “Idealismusstudio” and “Die Blaue Blume” (the latter counted among the “Best themed Shows 2007” in frieze magazine, 2008). Both projects took place at the Grazer Kunstverein.

Co-published with Grazer Kunstverein

Contributors
Anni Albers, Vojin Bakić, Martin Beck, Christoph Bruckner, Saim Demircan, Luca Frei, Lasse Schmidt Hansen, Heidrun Holzfeind, Marine Hugonnier, David Jourdan, Jacob Dahl Jürgensen, Paul Klee, Katarzyna Kobro, Hilary Lloyd, Marika Lõoke & Jüri Okas, Camilla Løw, Kenneth Martin, Ulrike Meinhof, George Nelson, Silke Otto-Knapp, Vaclav Pozarek, Florian Roithmayr, Giles Round, Nora Schultz, Sean Snyder, Juliane Solmsdorf, Pernille Kapper Williams.