CHRISTOPH RAITMAYR

“christoph raitmayr studied under bruno gironcoli and is thus a sculptor by training. as such, he creates minimalist sculptures in which the superficially applied model-like quality and the associated trivialisation ultimately condense into a far-reaching network of associations and references. the artist takes the models for his architectural models from relevant publications. the range of models extends from american colonial architecture to designs for the werkbundsiedlung in vienna in 1932 or the famous dutch architect and designer gerrit rietveld. arranged individually on cardboard pedestals or in groups on coloured wooden bases, raitmayr relates them to photographs taken from the internet of clouds, waves, trees, coasts and seascapes, reproductions of works of art or representational accessories. raitmayr thus deprives the houses of their exemplariness and singularity and transforms them, as it were, into portraits of personal and collective designs. this portrait-like quality is also underlined by the fact that the artist often only adds architectural details, such as windows, doors or balconies, to the side of the models facing the viewer. he thus gives the architectures faces, so to speak, which invite the viewer to connect the contents of the accessories provided with the interior life of the individual houses or with the entire settlement.” – günther dankl

“as if everything were so clear”, writes prof. dr. markus neuwirth, art historian at the university of innsbruck about christoph raitmayr: “there an artist creates small model houses and combines them with memory pieces and gaps, at first they seem like mini mundus. or not. at second glance you are irritated and start looking for support. …”