Michael Knauth

Michael Knauth is, according to himself, sort of a conceptual artist. He hardly relies on physical materiality. His preoccupation is the conception of art. The implementation of these concepts is only the technical procedural step. He simply supervises this step, rather than creating the object, since the creative process is completed at this moment. That is why you will not see any objects, but photographs of his objects. Nevertheless, he undressed the princes and princesses of Barbie’s realm. He uncovered the promotional appearance, had them a surgical operation, put them in a row, assigned them into groups or just anatomised them to transform these dolls into objects with a deeper meaning. Then he displayed these objects in photoboxes, where they appear larger and more puissant than they actually are. The result appears in a fascitic manner, because it seems to focus on breeding and standardisation to force them into line. The first story might be told by the sole naked dolls set into a row, as if they would suck up to the doll in front or as if the unsuspecting reader of the yellow press would be drown in brown semen. A first incentive of provocation. The oppressive impact rather results from the serial, excessive, perfect and naked doll character which reminds the audience of a macabre cadence and of the popularisation of the invidual. Michael Knauth is interested in the blank disguises and empty promises behind the sightly surface of advertisment and consumption that are called life and used as substitute. The meanings do not withstand on these photographs and on Michael Knauth’s acryl paintings, which first absorbed the physical sterility of advertisement to scrutinise them by means of an alienate combination of words and symbols.
Dr. Ina Gille, art historian, Leipzig 5/2005 (translation: PeterFischer)

Michael Knauth installation