Peter Bainbridge
Jun 4, 2021
Artist: Philipp Timischl
Exhibition title: Connaisseur du conflit / Connoisseur of conflict
Venue: LAYR, Vienna, Austria
Date: May 4 – June 15, 2021
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and LAYR, Vienna
The art exhibition is a social arena of which the vernissage is the climax. Stumbling voices, harsh judgments, the medical light of the gallery sparing no misstep. As usual with Timischl, this social ritual where one laughs at the top of one‘s lungs to signify one‘s be-longing is staged at the threshold of a space whose outer membrane is as invisible as it is repulsive. Try not to laugh (Dog fails) and Try not to laugh (Humans fail / Stupidity at its best) are the Cerberus of this game that underlines the cruel part of laughter. Embellished with two sly-eyed beasts, these two works overlook the abyss of highly viral fail videos – Some felines are happy to see others fall.