Wurst Serie: In den Bergen (Sausage Series: In the Mountains) 1979

Curator: Before us, we have Fischli & Weiss’s "Wurst Serie: In den Bergen" – "Sausage Series: In the Mountains" from 1979, a photographic mixed media work. Editor: My first thought is how deceptively gentle it appears. The soft blues and whites, the implied depth created by the draping fabrics, and the tiny details that require close attention evoke a certain peacefulness. Curator: It's interesting you say that, because within the broader context of their "Sausage Series," this idyllic scene subverts romantic notions of the natural world. Created during a time when conceptual photography was gaining momentum, Fischli & Weiss cleverly dismantle our expectations about artistic representation. Editor: How so? It almost looks like an elaborate miniature diorama. I’m noticing the sharp contrast between the crisp focus on the foreground elements, namely the sausage characters, and the soft haziness of the background. This pulls me into the scene, demanding scrutiny. Curator: Exactly. They are commenting on a larger shift occurring in art as a challenge against traditional painting. This photograph features sausages posing as characters recreating historical landscapes, pointing out how the perception of history is altered and distorted through popular media. Editor: Yes! It’s the playful absurdity of the figures rendered in sausages, performing almost a theatrical staging that draws you in further and disrupts this serene first impression. I’m struck by the deliberate placement, these humble foodstuffs recreating iconic mountain scenes and referencing art history but in this humorous way. Curator: Fischli and Weiss used humble, perishable materials against this highly staged composition. Their use of sausages points to the commercialization of culture and even questions the authenticity of imagery, and their work can be seen as being deeply cynical. It reminds the viewer that landscapes as much as narratives are often mediated and are social constructions rather than simple realities. Editor: Well, despite the initial sense of tranquility and peace it offers at a distance, there is something compelling in its absurdity that really resonates when we focus in. The artists are subverting and challenging traditional values around art and their construction of imagery with each component. Curator: Absolutely, and thinking about the landscape genre, it brings a unique and important perspective to consider regarding consumerism, cultural meaning, and authenticity within artwork and the world as a whole.