EISENBERGER

«He once said: "I want to consciously miss everything here for 40 days". It is the opposite position to the demand to live events and experiences, in which we are all caught up in and are driven by. He did not design this action as a religious act, but it automatically had great spiritual depth. He represents the many individuals who are always running around — but he chose instead to lock himself in the church.»

Hermann Glettler has been Bishop of Innsbruck since 2017. From 1997–2017, he was pastor in the parish of Graz St. Andrä. Behind his church, the young Eisenberger was able to use a shelter as an open-air studio. In 2007, Eisenberger fasted in silence for 40 days on the church gallery – it was an experience that deeply influenced him and that he later expanded upon with a performance symbolizing the resurrection at Art Cologne in 2009.

http://www.andrae-kunst.org/kunst.html

«Christian was always outside. In the brook, in the forest. He needs nature. He is a child of nature.»

Christian Eisenbergers parents Christine Eisenberger and Willi Eisenberger run a small farm in Semriach . In the past, Christine Eisenberger used to receive guests for holiday on the farm; Willi Eisenberger worked at the paper mill nearby, where Christian Eisenberger later completed a locksmith apprenticeship. In the meadows and forest belonging to the farm, Christian Eisenberger works on countless installations and performances out of public view.

http://www.semriach.at

«This split that most artists experience – on one side their work and on the other the art market - is actually terrible. Because it's about money, it's about worth, interesting collectors, and superficial investors. But we need to have the art trade and the retail side or you can't help the artist along.»

Ursula Krinzinger betreibt ihre Galerie an mehreren Standorten in Wien und unterhält Künstler-Residenzen im Ausland. Mit ihrem Team ist sie rund um den Globus auf allen relevanten Kunst-messen präsent. Sie vertritt Christian Eisenberger seit 2013 und koordiniert seine Ausstellungen überall, wo Christian Eisenberger ausstellt.  

http://www.galerie-krinzinger.at

«I think that people actually deal with art on a daily basis within their lives: Even cooking can be an artform. Art is intrinsically connected with life.»

Philipp Konzett is an art dealer and gallery owner in Vienna. He possesses a large collection of work from the Viennese Actionism movement as well as by Franz West. His gallery represented Christian Eisenberger from 2008–2014.  

http://www.artkonzett.com

«Art leads to a new boundary of perception. The more one deals with it, the farther one can see. That's exciting. There is no limit.»

Julian Riess is co-owner of the traditional cookware factory Riess. He is regularly inviting artists in order to design selected pieces from his product lines. In this task, Eisenberger visited the factory twice and was fascinated by the processes that are taboo for Riess’ employees: dents on pots, chip-ping in the glaze, fingerprints, hammer blows. His objects were finished by the Riess personnel with the usual level of quality implemented for standardized manufacturing – as if they were normal pots.  

http://www.riess.at

Hercli Bundi is the director and mostly works in the background. In certain situations, however, he steps into the spotlight. When in front of the camera, Eisenberger often addresses Bundi directly  and a dialogue between the observed and the observer ensues.  

Eisenberger: «So, do you know what art is? Can you tell me?»

Bundi: «Yes, of course. When you frame it, hang it on the wall and can sleep underneath it without continually waking up paralyzed with fear, then it's art. And if I think I'd like to do it by myself but I lack the confidence to do it, then it’s art too.»

Eisenberger: «Aha, interesting, great explanation!»

http://www.mirafilm.ch