Views of “The Amateur,” Felix Gaudlitz, Vienna, 2023

View of “The Amateur,” Felix Gaudlitz, Vienna, 2023

Nicole-Antonia Spagnola, The Amateur 1, 2023, MP4 (b/w, 7:56 mins. loop), table, tablecloth, dimensions variable

Nicole-Antonia Spagnola, The Amateur 2, 2023, MP4 (color, 8:43 mins. loop), table, tablecloth, dimensions variable

The main work here is a pair of wall-projected videos, one in color and one in grayscale, as well as three tables covered with crumpled black cloth, one of which is part of a sound piece; the others seemingly have no function. The looped audio, a guitar riff by Syd Barrett played lo-fi by Spagnola (*1991) – herself a member of the LA punk outfits P22 and Purity – is captivating, while the installation has something obscure about it. Who is the recurrent child figure? Are they ein Straßenkind (a street kid) or the artist’s son? And why pray tell is this girl dressed like a hippie in 2024?

Title: ★★★★★
Looks: ★★★★★
Curatorial concept: n/a
Press text: ★★★☆☆
Printed matter: n/a
Installation: ★★★★★
Lighting: ★★★★★
Color story: ★★★★★
Execution: ★★★★★
Relevance: ★★★☆☆
Boldness: ★★★★★
Discourse-friendliness: ★★★☆☆
Viewer-friendliness: ★★★★☆
Market-friendliness: ★☆☆☆☆
Pleasure factor: ★★★★☆
Surprisingness: ★★★★☆
Thought fodder: ★★★★☆
Hopefulness: ★★★☆☆

This show gets 4.1 out of 5 guitars 🎸

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“The Amateur”
Felix Gaudlitz, Vienna
10 Nov 23 – 3 Feb 24