Franz West

FRANZ WEST (Vienna, 1947-2012).
"Juana y Juanita", 2000.
Painting on poster for the artist's exhibition at the Juana de Aizpuru Gallery.
Signed and dated.
Measurements: 60 x 46 cm; 85 x 65 cm (frame).

The work "Juana y Juanita" (2000) by the influential Austrian artist Franz West is a paradigmatic example of his irreverent and conceptual style, which blurs the boundaries between painting, sculpture and the everyday object.

Created from a poster for his own exhibition at the prestigious Galería Juana de Aizpuru in Madrid, the work goes from being an advertisement to an autonomous work of art that synthesizes the main concerns of Franz West's artistic production.

On the black and white photograph of a person interacting with one of West's sculptures, the artist has applied thick and energetic brushstrokes of industrial paint. These layers of paint seek to dialogue with the underlying image, censoring and highlighting fragments of the original scene.

West often worked on printed materials such as magazines, advertisements or, as in this case, his own exhibition posters. This practice subverts the idea of creation from a blank canvas and questions the concepts of authorship and originality. By painting over his own promotional material, West transforms an object of mass communication into a unique and personal piece.

The brushstrokes are deliberately rough and gestural, showing the physicality of the act of painting. The use of industrial paint, far removed from the noble materials of traditional art, is a constant in his work. West was interested in texture, "dripping" and the material, everyday quality of his elements.

The photograph in the poster shows a leaning figure, possibly manipulating or leaning on one of West's famous sculptures known as "Adaptables." These were sculptures of plaster, papier-mâché and metal, designed to be held, carried or worn by the public, eliminating the distance between the work and the viewer. By including this image, the poster-painting becomes a meta-narrative about his own artistic practice, which focuses on social and bodily interaction.

The title, "Juana y Juanita," is an affectionate and playful nod to the gallery owner, Juana de Aizpuru, a key figure in the promotion of his work in Spain. Such titles, often colloquial or absurd, are characteristic of West and seek to strip art of its solemnity.

Franz West was an outstanding Austrian sculptor born and died in Vienna. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna under the tutelage of Bruno Gironcoli. He was married to the Georgian artist Tamuna Sirbiladze. West's career began in the 1960s, influenced by the Viennese "Actionism" movement. His work evolved from painting to collages, sculptures, and his famous portable pieces, which he called "Adaptives" or "Fitting Pieces". He also created environments and furniture, such as his distinctive welded metal armchairs and sofas.

His work has been characterized by the use of everyday materials such as plaster, plasterboard, wire, polyester and aluminum. Beginning in 1980, he began producing small plaster objects that could be worn on the body, which, despite their abstract nature, evoked the idea of masks or theatrical props. The philosophy of his art is summed up in his own quote, "It doesn't matter what the art looks like, but how it is used."

One of his most notable works was "The Ego and the Id" (2008), a 20-meter tall monumental sculpture consisting of two loops of ribbon, created specifically for the Baltimore Museum of Art. Franz West's work has been a constant presence on the international art scene, being exhibited in prestigious museums and galleries for more than three decades. He participated in important events such as Documenta (1992, 1997) and the Venice Biennale (1988, 1993, 1997, 2003). Throughout his career, he received several awards, among them: Otto Mauer-Preis (1986) Der Skulpturenpreis of the Generali Foundation (1993) Wolfgang-Hahn-Preis of the Ludwig Museum (1998). He exhibited in the following museums: 1997: Museum of Modern Art, New York. 2000: Renaissance Society, Chicago. 2002: Deichtorhallen, Hamburg. 2003: Whitechapel Art Gallery, London. 2004: Juana de Aizpuru Gallery, Madrid 2008: Museum für angewandte Kunst, Vienna. 2009: Fondation Beyeler, Basel. 2010: Museum Ludwig, Cologne. 2011: Kunsthaus Graz, Graz.