Wittgensteinhaus: Die Halle, 2000

Basel 2018
Wittgensteinhaus: Die Halle

Georg Kargl Fine Arts

Photography
Diptych, photographs on paper
97.0 x 97.0 (厘米)
38.2 x 38.2 (吋)
Bernhard Leitner (born 1938 Feldkirch, Austria) is considered a pioneer of the art form generally referred to as “sound installation.” He introduced sound to the installation space, allowing the installation space to emerge through the sound. Leitner, who actually studied architecture, has been a visionary ever since the very start of his artistic career. In the 1970s he was also responsible to save the Wittgenstein Hause from demolition. In 1926 philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein designed and built a house in Vienna for his sister. The only building designed by Wittgenstein, it crystallized his philosophy of architecture--notable for its clarity, precision, and austerity--and served as a foil for his written work. This detailed investigation of the house is based on 30 years of extensive research. It examines the formal properties of the structure, including Wittgenstein's attention to proportion, detail, and color. It is also the story of one man's relationship to this extraordinary building: in 1971, author Bernhard Leitner was instrumental in saving the Wittgenstein House from destruction and having it declared a national landmark. In the years since, he has continuously refined his ideas about the house and its architect. The beautifully printed photographs allow a true appreciation of this icon of modern design.