'The face of the world are faces of all the world.’ The face in a reduced artistic form
and with strong colors as a central theme of the works by Monika Hartl
tells many stories. Faces are among the earliest pictorial techniques, they keep
memories of loved ones alive. More than twenty different „faces“, faces shaped in
clay, are presented as ceramic heads in an installation concept. Each of the heads
bears a name, specifically chosen by the artist, and tells its own story. The reduced
design language and the often expressionless eyes evoke memories of Amedeo
Modigliani. Modigliani also dealt with reduction and switched from painting to
sculpture, where he was assisted by Constantin Brâncuși.5 The reduction to the
essentials invites the viewer to take a second look at the works of Monika Hartl.
Each sculpture is unique, shaped and glazed by Monika Hartl in numerous,
individual, successive steps. The 10-30 cm large heads, mounted on small marble
or acrylic base, appear almost at eye level in a very centrally positioned overall
installation on a table. A sacred moment when the visitor enters the OneArtistRoom
of the Berchtoldvilla in Salzburg. The gallery light is specifically positioned from
above on the heads. Due to the large mirror surfaces under the sculptures, the light
multiplies and thus develops another artistic level. The monochrome heads are
doubled by the reflection and allow the viewer an extended view
