Nr 2 2020

Editor: So, this is "Nr 2" by Armin Andreas Pangerl, made in 2020. It looks like a mixed-media drawing on paper, a real patchwork of images and text. It gives off a diary-like feel, almost stream of consciousness, and my initial impression is that the visual elements have a graphic quality similar to comic strip sketches, although I notice several other design elements like geometry and hand lettering. What strikes you most about it? Curator: What immediately grabs my attention is its complex layering. It presents itself as a kind of visual manifesto – a coded diary entry as you pointed out. We might consider how Pangerl uses the page, filling nearly every space with text and image, to possibly convey a sense of anxiety, or perhaps even resistance to empty space within restrictive systems. Is the drawing simply a personal record, or is there something else? How does the visual interplay between German text and drawing change our understanding of the piece? Editor: I didn't initially consider the "emptiness" angle. The full composition could imply that, metaphorically speaking, he avoids being "idle". Does that relate to activist motivations? Curator: Exactly! Consider this: In what ways can we read Pangerl’s act of relentless creation as a subversive act? Perhaps, like many artists, Pangerl finds liberation through constant creation, actively resisting dominant cultural narratives that prioritize a very minimal or sparse design sensibility. Editor: So it’s less about what is depicted and more about the act of creation itself, challenging norms through artistic density. Thanks, I will be reflecting on that further. Curator: It also offers ways to question dominant norms of what is beautiful or desirable in our lives and cultural values, challenging the status quo and pushing for more inclusive and progressive future thinking.