Thomas Stricker—Skulpturale Fragen
Exhibition and Book Presentation
In conjunction with the publication Skulpturale Fragen (Sculptural Questions), a monographic presentation of Thomas Stricker's artistic work, the Sitterwerk is showing an exhibition by the artist, who lives in Düsseldorf and has roots in St.Gallen, in the Art Library.
The basic idea behind the exhibition concept consists of the presentation of the monograph as a book through which it is possible to walk, that fills the entire library. The book is the exhibition – the exhibition is the book: a loop made up of the printed sheets of the unbound Stricker monograph is laid out on the floor and thus lead one through the entire space of the Art Library and Material Archive.
In the case of individual projects documented in the book, the frieze is supplemented with original material – deepened by means of haptic prototypes and samples. For this, Thomas Stricker uses various materials: editions, collages, models, videos, photos, concept booklets, books, samples of materials, etc.
Sculptural Questions
Where does art begin and where does the world end? What is life? How important and where are the boundaries between nature, culture, and sculpture? Are there socially engaged sculptures and/or can a sculpture be employed socially? When is art art? What is humanity? Locations, landscape, meteorites, continents, sky … why boundaries? Everything is possible. Sculptures that strive to be more than art. Art alone no longer suffices.
It is such questions and others that Thomas Stricker addresses in his work and also in this book. He transcends boundaries, bursts open frameworks, changes perspectives, fights for a better world, dreams of landscapes and constructs islands and thunderbolts. He quests and searches for sculptures that justify their existence.
An extremely vital work with a questing, questioning, experimentation-embracing concept of sculpture, which this book attempts to apprehend and present on the most varied of levels, and simultaneously further question once again.