“.”

Review

“Interchangeability, interrelationship, and utilization are also characteristic of the work of Armalys and Müller, who not only erected the ‘NAGEL’ façade with neon lettering in the castle park for Mr. Daxer but also wanted to place the lettering (‘NAGEL’) at the ‘Kunstraum.’ This was rejected by the building department on the grounds that ‘the installation of advertisements and directional signs is…not permitted.’ In their more politically conceptual work, questions such as ‘Who determines what can be seen?’ are raised. Who is allowed to see what? ‘In what environment can what be seen?’ raises questions about the credibility of conscious or unconscious perception phenomena, as well as ownership and power relations.

Thus, the ‘guestbook’ by Armaly/Müller, resting on a Biedermeier table in the ‘Kunstraum’ at the beginning, is accompanied by an unrealized ideal plan from the second half of the 18th century by François Cuvilliés, featuring a central axis and romantically relaxed pleasure groves, which expose the supposed naturalness as a misunderstood freedom. On the left side, there follows a Polaroid photo of the ‘Nagel Façade,’ taken from the castle terrace, moving ever closer to it, while on the opposite side, the history of façade design is summarized in the form of an illustration up to the present day. ‘What appearance is chosen for which audience?’ and ‘Which is the ideal location?’ are questioned just as much as the importance of special character pages or the design of an ‘ideal’ public of mass consumers, whose gaze is reduced to billboards.

In the accompanying text of the invitation card, which emphasizes the ironic reflection on the exhibition location, the ‘consumers’ are assigned their place and are kindly requested to sign the guestbook featuring the Haimhausen coat of arms.”

(Excerpt)