In addition to the artist talk, we'll be celebrating the book launch of Maximilian Prüfer's two new publications.

Maximilian Prüfer (b.1986 in Weilheim Obb, Germany) Prüfer studied Design and Communication Strategy at The Augsburg University of Applied Sciences and Fine Arts at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna, Italy.

In Maximilian Prüfer’s world, the image is never entirely settled or fixed. It indexes movement drawn out over time. Interested in registers that lie beyond sight, the artist will mention interesting facts such as the percentage of insects that have diminished over the past decade (70%) or how his interest in the science of dust clouds in the atmosphere - their gravitational pull and sources of vapor - connects to both the formation of rain and stars.

These are linked both conceptually and visually in his nine constellation-like works on display for Prüfer’s new solo show at Galerie Kandlhofer ‚First Alphabet‘ , showing imprints that were made with, and by, raindrops. Visitors are invited to a blacked-out exhibition space to scrutinize the impact of rainfall on Naturantypie, the specially coated paper Prüfer has developed. On one level, the paper marks absence; the shift that occurs within the surface’s coating results from the effect of falling water. On the other, it captures an impression of constant flux in subtle ripples of this precise movement. Cosmic white dots and circles emanate and glow from a background the colour of the night sky. The deeper the white-on-black, the greater the volume of rain.

Words by Nadine Khalil

About the artist:Maximilian Prüfer (b.1986 in Weilheim Obb, Germany) Prüfer studied Design and Communication Strategy at The Augsburg University of Applied Sciences and Fine Arts at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna, Italy.

Prüfer´s recent solo exhibitions include: ‘Fruits of Labour’, Weltmuseum Wien, Vienna, 2023 (upcoming), ’First Alphabet’, Galerie Kandlhofer, Vienna, 2023; ‘Inwelt’, Galerie Kandlhofer, Vienna, 2021; ‘WIR’, Kugelmühle, Mühlbach, 2020; 'Tier', Galerie Kandlhofer, Vienna, 2019; 'Vieh', Museum Villa Rot, Burgrieden, 2018; 'Nest', Sotheby’s Artist Quarterly, Sotheby’s Munich, 2018. His work has been included in recent group shows: ‘...alle Jahre wieder... Jahresgaben 2019’, Kunstverein Arnsberg, 2020; ‘Flügelschlag’, Museum Sinclair Haus, Bad Homburg, 2020; 'Flügelschlag', Museum Sinclair Haus, Bad Homburg, 2019; 'Egon Schiele, Reloaded', Leopold Museum, Vienna, 2018/19, 'I Followed You To The Sun’, Galerie Kandlhofer, 2018; H2 Zentrum für Gegenwartskunst, Augsburg, DE, 2017; Neue Galerie im Höhmannshaus, Augsburg, DE, 2016. Maximilian Prüfer is a recipient of the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation EHF Artist Grant 2018. He was also awarded with the Bavarian Kunstförderpreis 2021.