In line with its long-term development strategy, the Museum of Fine Arts Liberec will present one of the most prominent contemporary artists from Central Europe, the Austrian sculptor and conceptual artist Erwin Wurm.

His work has been exhibited, among others, at the Albertina in Vienna, the Lenbachhaus in Munich, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac in Paris, and KÖNIG GALERIE in Berlin. His artworks are included in the collections of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Walker Art Center, the Museum Ludwig, the Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, the Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon, the Museum Brandhorst, the Centre Pompidou, among others. However, this will mark the very first presentation of his inspiring work in the Czech Republic. In doing so, the Liberec museum continues its programme of exhibitions that have already introduced other major contemporary figures to Czech audiences—such as Neo Rauch, Rosa Loy, Zsófia Keresztes, and Koji Kakinuma.

Erwin Wurm is renowned for his inexhaustible sense of humour and finely honed sarcasm, reflected throughout his work, whether in the unnaturally swollen cars of the Fat Cars series, the claustrophobic Narrow House, or the ghost-like figures of the Substitutes. In his works, he delivers a highly sophisticated critique of the false ideals of contemporary society—its utilitarianism, formalism, and fondness for kitsch—while prompting viewers to reflect on the stereotypical conventions we so often accept without question.

The artist conveys his ideas with a playful, almost fairy-tale-like tone that often brings us back to the world of childhood imagination and fantasy. In this way, his work stands apart from that of other contemporary artists. At the Museum of Fine Arts Liberec, Wurm’s work will be presented through a selection of pieces, including the iconic Substitutes, Skins, Bags, and others, offering an overview of the most significant stages of the artist’s career, with a particular focus on the past decade.