in memory of Martin Strauß
A temporary art intervention
in Melk Abbey church
open daily
May 15th to November 6th, 2011
9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(May to September until 5:30 Uhr)
with a ticket for a visit to the abbey (last admission at 4:00 p.m. / May to September 5:00 p.m.)
Once again, Melk Abbey church will serve as a place of encounter bringing together modern art and historical art. For several years Melk Abbey – a monastery well known beyond Austria's borders and of cultural historical significance - has been hosting exhibitions of modern art. Since last year the Abbey's church has also been used for this purpose. In 2010 large-size photos of liturgical objects by the Russian artist Gor Chahal were placed before the frontals of the nine baroque church altars. Displayed in this way, the photos had an icon-like effect on the church's atmosphere. From May 15, 2011, the modern flower designs by Martin and Stefan Strauss will create a contrast to the baroque design of the Abbey church. Stefan Strauss continued the work of his deceased brother Martin and created electronically designed flower decorations for the frontals of the individual altars in the church. He let himself be inspired by the altars' floral iconography and the legends of the saints to whom the altars are dedicated.
During liturgical feasts, these frontals are decorated or covered with beautifully embroidered textiles. Following this tradition, Strauss has decorated these parts of the altars with oversized buds of various flower types bearing different symbolic meanings. The baroque style with its mystic light effects was characterized by exaggerated contrasts between light and dark. Whereas these effects were created through the use of gold leaf on manually hewn surfaces thereby producing very pronounced reliefs, the designs which are currently displayed in the Abbey church have a similar effect, but here the contrast is created with the help of electronic means.
The individual buds were digitally processed and brought onto canvas, but they do not simply represent a self-repeating pattern. Instead, the individual flowers are as unique as each hand-made detail of the church's baroque interior, which bears the marks of the individual artists who created it. Thus, the dimensions of the individual altars and altar tables also differ slightly from each other, even though the Melk Abbey church is a particularly outstanding example of integrated baroque design. Strauss had to adapt his modern frontals to the irregular dimensions of the altars. Between 9 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. daily until November 6, visitors in the church will have the opportunity to experience the effects created by contrasting works of art made in different periods of time - with a time span of 300 years – and created with different means.
Short biographies:
Born in Wasserburg/Inn in 1957, Martin Strauss studied philosophy and sociology in Munich as well as art in Nuernberg and Berlin. From 1988 onwards he lived and worked in Vienna as artist, curator and author, where he died in 2010. Strauss worked in Austria and abroad with a special focus on public art/art and the mass media. He has led selected projects: „abstract painting“ - giant posters in Vienna in 2010, a textile intervention for the Festival of Regions in Linz in 2009, artistic interventions for the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna in 2004. In 2009 he published a book together with K.H. Stroehle on sanctions taken by the European Union against Austria in the year 2000.
Born in Wasserburg/Inn in 1957, Stefan Strauss studied philosophy in Munich and Berlin as well as art in Linz and Amsterdam. He has been living and working in Amsterdam since 1984 as an artist and curator – especially in the field of public art and architecture. He has led selected projects in Austria and abroad: a bridge design in Hoorn (NL) in 2010, a bridge design in Olst/Wijhe (NL) in 2009, „JAZZ“ - giant posters in Vienna in 2009 (together with Martin Strauss), curator of various exhibitions: GELUK in the „basis buro“ in Amsterdam in 2010, „Zomerdijkstraat“ in Amsterdam in 2010, „Atelier Malkovich“ (architectural design competition and exhibition) in Amsterdam in 2008/2009.
One central aspect of the photos on display is that different types of flowers are attributed to the individual altars. Thereby, the cycle consciously follows the Christian tradition of connecting specific symbolic meanings to plants and flowers. In accordance with the saint's legend, the most prominent flower on the frontal of the altar dedicated to St. Coloman is the elderflower (sambuccus nigra). The epiphany altar is decorated with milk thistle (galactites tomentosa). Mary, the baby Jesus and Joseph were on their way to Egypt, fleeing from Herodes, when Mary nursed the baby under the milk thistles. Above St. Benedict's altar, a banner refers to the lily (lilium bulbiferum): „Justus florebit sicut lilium“. St. John's wort was chosen for St. John's altar because of its name. It usually opens its bright yellow buds around the day of the summer solstice (feast day of St. John: June 24).
Flowers on the frontal: Red roses
The red roses refer to a
detail in the fresco of the presbytery: a woman (the church in arms bearing the
cross and suffering, but victorious in the end) – depicted with a scarlet cloak
and a crown of thorns.
%20web.jpg)
Flowers on the frontal: elderflowers (sambucus nigra)
According to the saint's legend, Coloman was murdered and hanged on a dead elderberry tree. After his death the tree miraculously started to bloom.
%20web.jpg)
Flowers on the frontal: lilies (lilium bulbiferum)
The lilies refer to the banner above the altar: „Justus florebit sicut lilium“. (The just shall flourish like a lily.)
%20web.jpg)
Flowers on the frontal: thistles (milk thistle, Saint Mary's thistle, galactites tomentosa)
This plant's name goes back to the following legend: The Virgin Mary, fleeing from Herodes, on the way to Egypt with the baby and Joseph, nursed the baby Jesus under or near thistles. Drops of her milk fell on the thistles and created white stripes on their buds. This was why this plant was named milk thistle in English.
%20web.jpg)
Flowers on the frontal: sunflowers (helianthus annuus)
On the ceiling fresco above this side altar, St. Leopold is shown in his celestial glory with Lower Austria's yellow flag with its five eagles. This flag is represented in the photographic installation by five large yellow sunflowers. Georg Wilfinger, the current abbot of the Abbey, has chosen the sunflower for his coat-of-arms as it is his favourite flower.
Flowers on the frontal: angel's trumpets (brugmansia)
This flower belongs to the genus brugmansia. Its common name explains why it was chosen for an altar dedicated to an angel.
%20web.jpg)
Flowers on the frontal: St. John's wort (hypericum perforatum)
The hypericum perforatum, a medical plant, probably got its name because it usually blooms around the feast day of St. John (June 24).
%20web.jpg)
Flowers on the frontal: three round golden buttercups (ranunculaceae)
Here again, the flower was chosen because of a legend: A poor man wanted to send his three daughters into prostitution as he had no money for proper dowries and could not marry them off. Nicholas learned about the man's plight and for three nights in a row each night he threw a lump of gold through the open window of the room where the three virgins slept. Based on this legend, St. Nicholas is very often depicted with three golden balls or apples. These balls or apples are symbolized by the three buttercups.
%20web.jpg)
Flowers on the frontal: passionflowers (Passiflora)
Originally, the buds were seen as symbols for the passion of Christ. As followers of Christ, a lot of saints had to suffer severely. Therefore, St. Sebastian's martyrdom is symbolized here by the passionflower.
%20web.jpg)
Translation: Mag. Elisabeth Pranger