Mag.^a art. Anna Maria Stadler

Narratives of Indetermination, Ambiguity and Transition

A study of ephemeral art situations and processes

This research project will examine experimental and contemporary works of art and art projects, which feature a temporary, transitive character and are regarded as situation-specific, meaning they consider context as a starting point, disturbing element, obstacle and inspiration. Narratives and aesthetics of transition, indetermination and ambiguity will be examined to see whether they offer hybrid potentiality because of their testing and negotiating qualities. There will be a focus on art projects in public spaces and in niches, which can take on the form of temporary interventions and actions, performative projects, changed use of space, alternative ways of action and experimental art spaces. These could be international, temporary projects like Francis Alÿs’s work When Faith Moves Mountains, on the one hand, or local ephemeral projects in the framework of the biennial arts festival minus20degree in Flachau/Salzburg, temporary projects of the initiative white club or interim use like the kvatier in Salzburg’s “Rauchmühle” on the other. The theories of Claire Doherty, Suzanne Lacy, Michael Warner, Gayatri Spivak, Claire Bishop, Severine Marguin and Martina Löw will serve as a basis for this thesis.
One assumption is that along with the transitive, temporary and situation-specific character of the examined works and with the processes of prior indetermination and ambiguity comes a stronger uncertainty and irritation as well as precarious situations and crises that could possibly arise. But these projects can also carry a vital potentiality and flexibility, which more permanent and more clear-cut structures would not show and which offer a discourse of experimental debate. Furthermore, the assumption that narration works as an opportunity for documenting ephemeral art processes and situations – and can be used methodically – will be explored. Through conversations with artists, participants and recipients a narration about temporary, transitive moments and situations will be made possible, which documents but also adjusts to the uncertain form of the works and projects, through the potential of indetermination that is inherent to narration.

Short biography

Anna Stadler was born in 1992 in Oberndorf/Salzburg. She studied art (sculpting), German (language and literature studies), literary and cultural studies at the Mozarteum and at Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg. She has practiced several different occupations in the art, culture and education sectors (art education, art and curatorial projects, teaching, social work, participation in the art space fünfzigzwanzig, literary publications in mosaik, erostepost, zündeln itd.).