in focus:
dóra maurer—displacements and quasi-image

the artist portfolio "raumbemalung – displacements und quasibild 1972-1982" (1984) was published by edition hoffmann in collaboration with dóra maurer following her site specific intervention at schloss buchberg (austria). maurer initiated the idea to use the castle's vacant rooms for permanent art installations: which became known as kunstraum buchberg run by gertraud and dieter bogner. the portfolio "raumbemalung...” compiles two screen prints, a photograph, a collage as well as a short video work by maurer on vhs-c tape. especially the photographing and recording during the preparation and realization of the painting on site fed back into its execution process. the five parts of the portfolio provide insights on the artistic tools and methods as part of the durational, process-heavy and rule-based “displacement”-series of paintings and drawings––itself clippings from motion or shifts in the work process.

view of installation: dóra maurer, "quasi-bild" (1982-83), 400 x 320 x 370 cm — view of installation: dóra maurer, "quasi-bild" (1982-83), 400 × 320 × 370 cm

photo: jörg burger

the basis of this project is the 'displacement'-series, which [dóra maurer] developed since the early 1970s: the systematic shifting of eight diagonally striped color rectangles over a basic grid (four warm and four cold shades) results in a variety of interlocking colors. maurer calls subjectively selected excerpts from individual steps in this process 'quasi-pictures'.

dieter bogner, 1983

in the area between the logical concept and the emotional experience lies that inexplicable difference that the artistic act aims at. it is the surreal moment in the methodical number game and the methodical moment in surreal design that fascinates dóra maurer and that she uses as a means to convey her insights into the relationships and behaviors that define us.

as part of the buchberger raumkonzepte, maurer created a room painting in 1982 in the romanesque keep of schloss buchberg on the river kamp (austria), which includes the walls, vaults and floor. this portfolio was created from that project. the basis of this project is the 'displacement' series, which has been developed since the early 1970s: the systematic shifting of eight diagonally striped color rectangles over a basic grid (four warm and four cold shades) results in a variety of interlocking colors. maurer calls subjectively selected excerpts from individual steps in this process 'quasi-pictures'. in the sense of the “shaped canvas”, they can have irregular outlines, with their shape and color structure remaining open on all sides. the buchberg room is also such a 'quasi-picture', but in this case it is designed as a found, spatial combination of differently shaped surfaces:

[...] on the seventieth step of the 'displacement series' (sheet i), maurer laid the room boundaries flat so that the diagonal of the floor coincided with that of the basic grid (sheet ii). the resulting distribution of the colored stripes on the boundary surfaces of the room was transferred to the wall and vaulted areas and to the floor without any further intervention (sheet iii photo): the spatial arrangement of the sub-areas breaks up the interrelationship of the forms that is still visible in the surface projection. the simple, large-scale order of the groin-vaulted room enters into a tense relationship with the small-scale order of the colored stripes. the result is a sphere, the character of which is determined by the interference of the color system, the form system and the spatial system. the resulting absurd spatial situation grabs the viewer with its aggressive effect; it fascinates him with an abundance of different color and shape constellations through optical stimulation and through the illusion of perspective. space moves, expands, contracts, vibrates.

dieter bogner, 1983 (excerpt, translation from the original german by robert b. roger, 2021)