Christian Falsnaes

Falsnaes studied philosophy in Copenhagen from 2001 to 2003. After a short stay in Zurich, he went to Vienna and studied from 2005 to 2011 at the Academy of Fine Arts under Daniel Richter, Peter Kogler and Constanze Ruhm.

Before his art studies, Falsnaes made performances and interactions in the public space using his background as a graffiti painter. Since 2009, he has developed performances based on a pre-written script. In the beginning, he played a central role in motivating the public to actively participate in the action. "Through the active involvement, the viewer should cross personal boundaries, overcome them and feel the moment of liberation and change. [1] Falsnaes said in an interview [2]: "When I involve the viewer in the process of art production, it is also about sharing all of this, instead of showing the result of my private artistic process."

The study of authority, hierarchies, social and, above all, pop-cultural rituals is an integral part of his art.

"Working with the structure of power, or with group dynamics, is in itself political. It is not so much about people following or responding in a certain way, but about making the audience aware of how certain rituals affect them. "Christian Falsnaes [3]

In his more recent work Falsnaes withdrew physically from the actions. The instructions to the audience are now provided by means of headphones, loudspeakers, or by employed "instructors". [4] Often, his performances are performed as "female versions", in which the earlier role of Falsnaes is taken over by a female performer. He often mixes himself among the audience and participates as a spectator. Through this withdrawal an additional authority transfer takes place, involving the public even more in his art. [5] Many performances are documented in video recordings and the main part of these recordings have been well planned out in advance and live on as independent video works. There are, however, also works of art arising from the actions, such as canvases painted by the audience according to the artist's instructions. [6] This includes "surface memory" where a freshly painted canvas is smeared onto the walls in a public space leaving behind an abstract wall work as well as an altered canvas.

1. Stella Plapp, "Kunst und Körper", Bachelorarbeit, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, 2014
2. Hochspringen↑ Kunstforum International 2016
3. Hochspringen↑ Annika Reith, "Ohne dich gibt es kein Werk", Spex 11/2015
4. Hochspringen↑ Marcus Woeller, "Kontrollierte Gruppendynamik", Die Welt, 9/2015
5. Hochspringen↑ Raimar Stange, "Das direkte Verhältnis von Kunst und Publikum", Kunstforum International # 240, 2016
6. Hochspringen↑ Eva Scharrer, "Sie verlassen jetzt die Komfortzone!", artmagazine, 10/2014

Notes

• Christian Falsnaes website
• PSM Gallery website