This book has been conceived by the artist as a cross-referencing of his process-related and "styleless" work through the arrangement of more than 400 images: reproductions of works, installation views, studio shots, and special features. Using all possible ordinary materials, Fischer creates non-hierarchical collages of objects and thoughts, high and low aesthetics, mundane and artistic memories, and personal and political interrogation.
"When encountering the strange objects (sculptures, drawings, installations) made by Urs Fischer, a waterfall of quickly triggered words, memories, comparisons, reproduced knowledge, and understanding is combined with speechlessness. It is as if an Internet search engine had generated a massive number of hits leading to technical and mental breakdown, confronting the user with a simultaneity of information, styles, facts, and possibilities that are at first unmanageable."
Beatrix Ruf
With contributions by New Museum Director of Special Exhibitions Massimiliano Gioni, Tate Curator Jessica Morgan, and others.
Trained as a photographer, Urs Fischer (*1973, Zurich) works primarily in the classic media of drawing, sculpture, and painting. Using all possible ordinary materials, Fischer creates non-hierarchical collages of objects and thoughts, high and low aesthetics, mundane and artistic memories, and personal and political interrogation.
He has held solo shows at the ICA in London (2000), the Stedeljik Bureau in Amsterdam (2000), the Kunsthas Glarus (2000), and the Santa Monica Museum of Art (2003). He exhibits regularly at Galerie Presenhuber in Zurich, Sadie Coles HQ in London, and Gavin Brown's Enterprise in New York. In 2004 he had a solo exhibition at the Centre George Pompidou in Paris. The catalog
Good smell / Make-up tree was published on this occasion.