The new body of work schwierigkeiten mit der größe is based on a series of well-known Hitler photographs by Heinrich Hoffmann. There is no sense in contemplating the potential and power of Hoffmann‘s photographs. In Stefan Fischer‘s images we fortunately cannot even recognize
them. The artist has thoroughly deconstructed the subject‘s implications and made a point to destroy its power. The brushstrokes seem to be tugging at the sweater, something usually put on over the head to cover a part of the body. We see it being dragged in all directions on a seemingly anonymous body. This act of adding another layer implies appropriation and disassociation – as painting over ridicules and unmasks the portrayed, it turns the original staged scenes into something absurd. The title schwierigkeiten mit der größe , which may literally translate to »problems with the size«, does not only refer to the obvious. It hints toward the artists struggle to find the right image format in relation to the subject as well as to the frames or the exhibition space. The work also employs an approach of trying on and trying out, thus revealing the working process through different colors and patterns, as well as the method in which paint is applied.
Tanja Milewsky
