Press

MODERN & CONTEMPORARY ART
Autumn 2025

September 15th to October 31st, 2025

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ALFRED HABERPOINTNER

AM ANFANG WAR DAS HOLZ

September 19th to October 11th, 2025

Galerie Kovacek & Zetter Plankengasse is pleased to invite you to the exhibition “Am Anfang war das Holz” by Alfred Haberpointner. Following the successful solo exhibition in 2021, the gallery is presenting a comprehensive show of the artist's work for the second time – over 50 current works in wood and bronze will be on display.

Working with the natural material wood has characterised Haberpointner's artistic work for many years. In his wall-objects and head-sculptures, the artist chops, shreds, cuts, presses and splits the material with great physical effort. This feat of strength is half manic-obsessive, half meditative-concentrated. The tension-filled energy and dynamism of the works arises precisely from this balance between reduced sensitivity and consistent vigour. Exposed to the weather and the artist's hand, the wooden pieces are transformed into works of art in which nature has a say.

The often-coloured stain, which is sprayed on or applied with a brush, intensifies the surface effect of the works. The crevices and elevations of the wall-objects become darker and denser and the controlled chaos of the incised lines unfolds its full depth in the centre. Colour and the entanglement of space also play an important role in the head-works, whose form is only a representation of the human being. Drying cracks, which occur naturally in the wood, are just as formative as the horizontal, vertical and cross-shaped incisions made by the artist.

With the bronze objects – the ‘Gewichtungen’ – Alfred Haberpointner reflects one of the central themes of sculpture: the relationship and exploration of space and object. The polished or patinated, almost round bronze forms have dents and bulges. They are each supported by three filigree legs, which have to balance out their asymmetrical weight distribution by standing sturdily. The resulting ingenious compositions allow the proportions of the bronze objects to hover masterfully between metallic heaviness and airy lightness.

Nature is always at the centre of Alfred Haberpointner's work. Through the interplay of human creation and natural growth, the artist makes it possible to experience a new, sensual understanding of nature through his artworks. The result is a co-operative, sculptural formal language that unites the processes of creation and transformation with authentic clarity.

An extensive, scientifically researched catalogue will be published to accompany the exhibition.

PDF Catalogue