In its fall exhibition “structurized”, the gallery gugging presents three extraordinary, creative worlds that are united in their love of structure despite different artistic approaches. Together our three masters of structuring – Manuel Griebler, Lejo & Günther Schützenhöfer – form a unique magic that immediately captivates the viewer.
When it comes to exciting, structurally strong works, we find a multitude of gifted talents among the Gugging Artists and their colleagues. Curator Nina Katschnig and exhibition manager Irina Katnik were thus able to literally draw from the full range in their selection and decided to position the Gugging newcomer Manuel Griebler, the photo collage artist Lejo and the well-known Gugging drawer Günther Schützenhöfer in the focus of the upcoming fall exhibition “structurized” at the gallery gugging. About the selection Irina Katnik says: “The three exciting artists take on this pictorial composition in stimulating and complementary ways, using a variety of techniques and media to lend structure to their works.” Katnik continues: “Manuel Griebler, Lejo and Günther Schützenhöfer are united by their striving for abstraction and the overlaying of the pictorial surface. This results in fanciful, abstract, partly humorous and dense compositions, which are shown in this constellation for the first time in the gallery gugging.”
In the following, we would like to introduce you to the three masters of structuring in more detail: Manuel Griebler immediately casts a magical spell over the viewer with his bold, colourful worlds. Initially, the newcomer, who has been living in the House of Artists since 2016, brought sheet-filling faces with pencil and oil pastels on paper. Soon, however, he switched to using coloured pencils exclusively. Usually centered in the picture, he first places a larger figure and gives the work a frame at the beginning of the work process. The next step continues with the elaboration of the entire pictorial space with ornamental and recurring elements such as spirals, arches, figures, circles or jags; since 2020, heads have been dominant in his works. This innovative pictorial design has already found many lovers and fans. Manuel Griebler’s works are presented for the first time in the course of an exhibition at the gallery gugging.
Johannes Lechner, who has been known by the nickname Lejo since his school days, has been buying and collecting individual photos or entire albums from abandoned estates since the 1990s, from which he draws artistic inspiration to this day. In 2007, he proceeds to cut, tear and combine these souvenirs and to make collages from the fragments. Through the demonstrative juxtaposition of the photographic content, a great whole and a new artistic harmony arise from the previously separated parts. The contents evoke memories of one’s own history, pushing personal imagination to its limits. Since 1993, the innovative artist has been working with closed blinds, loud jazz music and bright lights in his workroom in Vienna’s 18th district.
The third member of the group is Günther Schützenhöfer, who is well-known beyond the borders of our country. He deals artistically mainly with everyday objects, which he stylises and to which he gives his own perspective, so that they take on almost abstract forms, becoming three-dimensional entities. He mostly uses pencil for his drawings, to which he gives a skillful light-dark contrast with strong pressure. In addition, parallel and structuring strokes that run in multiple directions and intersect, and the planar use of the pen create tensions that bring his works to life.
Immerse yourself in the world of structuring and discover the many different facets of Manuel Griebler, Lejo and Günther Schützenhöfer in our exhibition “structurized” in the gallery gugging!
