Bird House, #1, 2005 wood and selected bottled liquor, dimensions variable Leopold Kessler Transportable Works Lombard-Freid Projects is pleased to announce the opening of "Transportable Works", the debut solo exhibition of emerging Vienna-based artist Leopold Kessler. Known for his public interventions in various European cities, Kessler "believes" in public duty, although his guerrilla style actions are a far cry from the norms of acceptable behavior. Always unexpected and without pre-approved permission, Kessler makes his spontaneous appearances in different urban settings, dressed in the signature blue uniform of a public servant and carrying around a portable tool box. Kessler's interventions readjust the public infrastructure "to correct an urban problem, or to alter the social meaning of a particular situation." For his show at Lombard-Freid Projects, Kessler "sets the stage for a discreet revolution against public authority." The centerpiece of "Transportable Works" consists of a compilation of short videos that takes the viewer to the streets of Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam and London to witness the humorous urban acts the artist performs. "Birdhouses", a new project conceived for this exhibition, offsets the restrictive regulations prohibiting public consumption of alcohol on the streets of New York. Kessler's "alternative" birdhouses equipped with a load of alcohol can be discreetly utilized when activated by an informed passerby for personal gratification. What could be seen as the perfect example of a private initiative smoothly integrated within the public domain takes a subversive turn in Kessler's work. This playful, humorous project could be read as a subtle commentary on the discrepancy of rules and regulations in a system that allows carrying guns but forbids drinking alcohol on the street. Also on view is "Police Barriers", another exercise in subverting authority. Kessler appropriated a wooden police barricade from the streets of Vienna, cut it in half and re-ensembled it into two new, thinner ones. By altering this security device meant for protection and law enforcement, Kessler creates a precarious sculpture that probes the symbolic nature of barricades. Leopold Kessler's work was featured in 2005 at Basel Liste 05, Basel; Manifesta 5, San Sebastian, Spain; "OK/Okay"; Grey Art Gallery and the Swiss Institute, New York; and "Don't Interrupt Your Activities", Royal College, London. His work is also currently on view in "Lives & Works in Vienna" at Kunsthalle, Vienna. Exhibition: September 8 - October 15, 2005 Gallery hours: Tues-Fri 10 am - 6pm, Sat 11 am - 6 pm Lombard-Freid Projects 531 West 26th Street, 2nd floor USA-New York NY 10001 Telephone +1 212 967-8040 Fax +1 212 967-0669 Email info@lombard-freid.com www.lombard-freid.com |
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