Maximilian Prüfer. INWELT

10.06.2021 - 17.07.2021

Galerie Kandlhofer, Wien / Österreich

Galerie Kandlhofer is pleased to present Inwelt an exhibition of new works by Maximilian Prüfer. Prüfer's practice predominantly involves the exploration of natural processes and their transference to the visual image. Within this, Prüfer examines a range of existential, philosophical and political subjects in relation to evolution, humanity's manipulation of and ultimate interdependence with the natural ecosystem, contravening the human cultural paradigm of separation from natural phenomena. Inwelt focuses directly on the behavioural patterns of ants, their forms of collective intelligence and the relationship with society and human instinct....

The overall concept in the exhibition lies in Prüfer's interest in collective intelligence and his explorations of the crossover between the behaviour of the ants and that of humans. For Prüfer humans already operate with similar hive intelligence with regards to our social and political patterns for instance. In many biological respects, we are similar in that much of the ants' behaviour is dictated through hormonal smell as is the case with humans. However, human behaviour extends this to psychology where we as a species maintain a both inherited knowledge and belief systems which ultimately forms what we consider to be truths. Especially within current contemporary polarising political climates it is also clear to see that our attachment to collective thinking and the connection to truths can often be misleading. Through his work Prüfer aims to draw attention to this reality and to encourage both self-awareness of our collective intelligence and as a result foster dialogue concerning societal developments can fracture and intensify this phenomenon.

[Quelle: https://www.kandlhofer.com/ ]