Flugzeug (Airplane) is a large-scale wall installation with a wingspan that stretches across an entire wall, comprising a collage of thousands of photographs that encapsulate the dream of flying. Impressive in scope, Flugzeug (Airplane) alludes to the complex layers of connectivity that make up the fabric of our globalized world. At the time of its creation, the work dealt with the controversy surrounding the Frankfurt airport’s westward-facing landing strip and the noise pollution caused to its surroundings. Shortly afterwards in 1984, Flugzeug (Airplane) was included in Kaspar König’s pivotal survey of contemporary German art in Düsseldorf, von hier aus, at the Museum Ludwig in 2001 and again at Documenta in 2012. The blending of heterogeneous elements into Piranesi-esque visual patterns is central to Flugzeug (Airplane) and to Thomas Bayrle’s art since his early political paintings of the 1960s.
Thirty years after its initial creation, Flugzeug (Airplane) maintains its critical power and sophisticated commentary on a fast-paced and constantly evolving society.
