Karin Reichmuth, Listen to the Stone

It is not easy to find artists who work in stone, know the technique of stone sculpture and are also part of the global art crowd. When I find them, I still have to convince them to teach a group of students directly in the quarry for four weeks in summer. Therefore I’m extremely happy that Karin Reichmuth will listen to the stone with maximum 12 students starting on 29 July this summer. I think she fulfils the criteria perfectly. Learning the technique and discussing current and burning artistic questions will be in a good balance I’m convinced.

I have always been interested in conceptual and political art and I think Karin is going into this direction. Although artists, who work with stone, seem to face very specific challenges: The really heavy material stone and the very close connection to nature in the quarry, which characterises the work. It’s beautiful and stimulating but also demanding. Especially when it’s hot, rainy or windy. But when it comes to the quality of art, to the question why do we produce art? What does it mean? For whom do we make it? Then the artwork transcends far beyond its physical and technical production.

And imagine one wrong stroke can damage the whole piece, after many days working on the same stone. But I promise you, it won’t happen to you in the perfect atmosphere in the quarry next summer.

https://www.summeracademy.at/en/kurse/listen-to-the-stone/

photo: Karin Reichmuth, Work in progress, plastik bag, 2016