11/5 – 2/6 2019
Galerie Blaugelbezwettl | Zwettl | Österreich
The exhibition presents a focused view of Barbara Höller’s recent work, centered on the systematic overlaying of graphic structures generated through the multiplication of the line. The works develop from a process-based logic in which repetition, accumulation, and interference become the primary tools for constructing the image.
Through the superimposition of linear systems, the individual layers gradually merge into a unified visual field. What initially appears as a flat surface evolves into a dense and complex texture, where structure and rhythm take precedence over singular form. The line, multiplied and displaced, loses its descriptive function and becomes a generative element capable of producing depth, vibration, and movement.
The coupling of these structured fields within the pictorial surface opens up spatial effects that challenge conventional distinctions between plane and volume. Foreground and background continuously shift, creating an unstable visual hierarchy in which perception is activated rather than resolved. The viewer’s gaze oscillates between layers, drawn into optical phenomena that emerge from the internal logic of the composition.
Höller’s practice engages with abstraction as a field of investigation rather than representation. Her work operates at the threshold between drawing and painting, surface and space, control and visual complexity. The exhibition highlights a methodical yet open-ended approach, where the rigor of the system gives rise to perceptual ambiguity and a dynamic experience of space.