In her work “hide and seek”, Angela Stauber captures the forms, perspectives and movements of Lenbachplatz and abstracts what she perceives into a block-like aesthetic of coloured surfaces. The artist sees the billboard as a concentrate, as the focal point of the entire square, and her work makes direct reference to the special nature of the surroundings.
With the “hide and seek” motif, she creates an optical illusion by mirroring the building to the right of the billboard. The architectural forms of the historic façade are simplified using the technique of woodcut. Alienated in this way, and enlarged to the imposing size of the billboard, the print has a direct impact on the everyday experience of urban construction.
The artist deliberately provokes an irritating moment of optical illusion by playing with perspective and the given urban forms. She invites the viewer to pause, look and question. In keeping with the title “hide and seek”, the viewer can search for similarities and differences between the forms of the poster and the façade. What’s more, the meaning and realisation usually elude you; you have to actively seek them out.
Angela Stauber, born in 1977 in Munich, lives and works in Munich.
