Georg Haberler | Endlessly Captivating

EXPLORE THE WORLD WHICH THE AUSTRIAN ARTIST GEORG HABERLER CREATES WITH HIS SEWING MACHINE

Georg Haberler, caught our attention when we discovered his work at the exhibition at the fAn, Wien titled Kannst Du mir die Welt erklären? Bitte. (Could you explain the world to me please?)

Haberler exhibited since at the  MISA #3, by Johann König presently at the Radvila Palace Museum of Art, Vilnius, APEIRON - titled Why Austrians Now? - Austrian Expedition 2021, and curated by Lina Albrikiene.

-> Vilnius

Coming up at the Neue Galerie at Universal Museum Joanneum, Graz, from the 12th of DECEMBER 2021 titled A Playground Guide to Getting Lost, a good reason to visit Graz when the lockdown is over.

WHO IS GEORG HABERLER?

Georg Haberler is in Austrian contemporary artist who lives and works in Vienna, He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, Austria. 

The artist also attended semesters abroad at FBAUP, Porto, Portugal and HFBK, Hamburg, Germany.

In his work, he exchanges the brush for a sewing machine and enchants his audience and art collectors with drawings made of ink and thread on canvas.

Georg Haberler is also the winner of Promotion Prize of the Province of Styria for Contemporary fine arts 2021, Austria (Förderpreis des Landes Steiermark für Bildende Künste).

Exhibitions

Museum Joanneum

They award the prize yearly to a contemporary Styrian artist, as a recognition of excellent overall artistic work in fine arts.

MUNCHIES ART CLUB MAGAZINE ASKS GEORG HABERLER A FEW QUESTIONS‍

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WHERE YOU COME FROM. WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE AN ARTIST, AND WAS YOUR FAMILY AND SURROUNDING SUPPORTIVE?

I come from Graz and grew up in a rather conservative environment.

We didn't have a TV, which I think was one of the reasons that we went to the theater and the circus more often. Which I thought was great.

I came into contact with the fine arts much later. At the age of 23 I was in NYC at MOMA, from there I have my first lasting memory of a work of art. That changed a lot in me, even if I didn't understand why, but I wanted to understand it. Realized that I am an artist only recently.

Yes, I would say that my environment was supportive of me as much as they could. Especially my sister.

WHAT STORIES DO YOUR ARTWORKS TELL?

It is not my goal to tell a story but of course I draw from my life, I try to keep the pictures so wide open that the viewer can find his or her own story in them.

WHAT INFLUENCES ARE IMPORTANT FOR YOUR WORK?

Since I studied art and am very curious, I was, of course, influenced by a lot of artists, but I do not consider it important or unimportant now.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO SEW?

It was an instinctive decision that, relies on many things. On the one hand, I wanted to change the canvas’s whiteness differently than “just” applying paint. I also always had a problem with “masculinity” and sewing seems appropriate to me.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE TECHNICAL PERFECTION FOR YOU?

I would say that I care too much and that it is hard work for me not to care so much.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON YOU HAVE LEARNED DURING YOUR CAREER AS AN ARTIST?

That I am enough and good the way I am.

IS THERE AN ARTWORK YOU WOULD LIKE TO OWN?

I am not a collector type and ownership feels rather stressful to me, but I love “beautiful” things, so it is good that I make art and do not collect it.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU LEARNED IN ART SCHOOL?

That there is no right and wrong are just many different opinions.

I’m alone in the studio, which is pretty important to me. I usually come to the studio around 8 a.m. and stay until around 6 p.m.

I spend 50% of the time thinking, reading, drinking coffee, cooking or watching documentaries, and work for the rest of the time.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, ARE YOU PLANNING TO STAY IN VIENNA OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE? AND WHERE WOULD THAT BE?

I definitely feel at home in Vienna, but I regularly have wanderlust and homesickness when I’m away.

So somehow it seems right for me to live in multiple places.

HOW IMPORTANT A ROLE HAS INSTAGRAM PLAYED IN YOUR SUCCESS?

It was important for me to present my work independently of the rather conservative and hierarchically organized “art market” in Austria.

I can’t really say how important it is for success.

WE HEARD YOU ARE A DOG LOVER AND THAT THERE IS ONE SPECIAL DOG YOU LOVE. AS WE ARE ALSO DOG LOVERS CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THIS DOG? AN ANECDOTE OR WHAT MAKES HIM SO SPECIAL? A PICTURE WOULD BE GREAT TOO.

Fito is Lisa’s dog, my ex-girlfriend and luckily we are still friends and therefore Fito is still part of my life. Fito never drinkswhen we are out.

But one day, when I came home from the studio and went for a walk with him, we came upon a water fountain, and he drank the whole bowl and then emptied the next one.

I started worrying that something is wrong. At the next fountain he drinks again, and then later he also drinks at the dog playground, in between he pees again and again.

At this point I am really worried, that he suddenly developed diabetes or something haha :) Anyway, I was totally confused. What was going on?

When we got home, I saw he had pushed a whole jar of Alici (anchovies) off the kitchen table and had eaten them. HAHA, that night he had to go to the toilet all the time, and he didnt stop drinking.

I was so thankful  that he didn’t hurt himself on the broken glass.

Follow Georg Haberler on Instagram for more in depth informations, new projects and upcoming exhibitions.

Georg Haberler

Georg Haberler (b. 1985, Graz, Austria; lives and works in Vienna) creates mixed-media paintings full of abstract and representational elements.

Georg Haberler