Judith P. Fischer and Uwe Hauenfels: Across Time. Form and Space.

The Austrian Cultural Forum New York (ACFNY) proudly presents the exhibition “Judith P. Fischer and Uwe Hauenfels: Across Time. Form and Space.” which features sculptures and site-specific installations by Austrian multi-media artist Judith P. Fischer (b. 1963) and the late Austrian sculptor Uwe Hauenfels (1967-2016). The exhibition highlights ACFNY’s commitment to regularly present a dialogue between two powerful artistic perspectives that bridges different approaches and interpretations within the same medium or genre. Within this context, it becomes evident that the works of Uwe Hauenfels and Judith P. Fischer harmonize particularly well in their mutual focus on nature and material.

Based in Vienna, Judith P. Fischer focuses on dynamic processes of change and transformation by intricately exploring how line, shape, and texture can define our perception of space. Her oeuvre spans sculpture, drawing, site-specific installation, photography, and performance. This persistent interplay between two-dimensional and three-dimensional expressions reflects Fischer’s detailed engagement with her overarching subject: the relationship between nature and art within the cycle of life.

At the ACFNY, Fischer will present a selection of small and large-scale sculptural works made from various materials, including rubber, steel, and acrylic glass. For instance, a site-specific installation made of elastomeric thread and spanning two floors of gallery space will traverse the divide between sculpture and drawing. Wall-mounted and coiling wire sculptures will speak to the inherent tension embodied in a curved line, while a group of meticulous pencil drawings of pillowcases reveal how volume is rendered through the eternal interplay of light and shade.

Rooted in naturalistic forms that relate to the human body, all of Fischer’s works are imbued with an overt sense of organic fluidity and depth. Indeed, the human body serves as a central theme in all of Fischer’s works, seldom as an outright subject, but rather as our main point of reference. Every piece of information that our senses gather—be it visual, oral, tactile, via smell, or taste—is experienced, filtered, and assessed through our body and understood in relation to it. It is our individual physical makeup that determines whether we deem something small, large, cold, sour, beautiful, or soft, and Fischer‘s work manifests as a multi-faceted meditation on body consciousness.

Meanwhile, in the largest gallery space at ACFNY, a selection of medium-sized metal sculptures by Uwe Hauenfels offers a contemplative exploration of the artist’s extensive body of work. Alongside sculptures crafted from metal and wood, Hauenfels’s portfolio includes notable contributions to light installations. Featured prominently are pieces from his acclaimed series “Spatial Drawings” (“Raumzeichnungen”), initiated in 2001 and continued until his passing in 2016. Having grown up in a region with a strong tradition of metalwork, Hauenfels returned to his birthplace of Waidhofen/Ybbs (Lower Austria) in 1993 after a creatively productive stay in the United States the previous year, where he had spent time in Missoula, Montana, and Seattle, Washington. The impact of this experience is evident in his 1993-1995 series, “Color Visions,” which he had produced in New York as prints on vinyl.

Each sculpture within the “Spatial Drawings” series is rendered in a distinct hue, sometimes echoed in the work’s title, such as “Radish Color.” Drawing loose inspiration from calligraphic forms, the sculptures range in appearance from geometric to biomorphic. Through meticulous manipulation of wire of varying thicknesses, Hauenfels achieves compositions that convey a sense of dynamic movement and organic energy.

The sculptures’ presence is subtly animated by carefully considered lighting, which enhances their visual impact. Illumination casts delicate shadows that interact with both the sculptures’ forms and the space surrounding them, creating an atmosphere that encourages contemplation and engagement.

“Judith P. Fischer and Uwe Hauenfels: Across Time. Form and Space.” invites viewers to immerse themselves in the artists’ distinctive exploration of materiality and form, showcasing their ability to transform materials into expressive conduits of shape and space. Contrary to the fast-paced hustle and bustle of today’s world, characterized by its perpetual exhilaration, this exhibition offers a serene alternative: a space conducive to introspection and deep appreciation for the subtleties of expression and perception.