Franz west artist biography

Franz West

Franz West, who died in 2012, combined an irreverent and playful approach to sculpture, furniture and collage with an interest in philosophy, literature and music. He was fascinated by the work of other artists and collaborated with them in various ways.

In the mid-70s, West developed small sculptures (the Passstücke or Adaptives) which people could play with. These were some of the first interactive sculptures in twentieth-century art. By the mid-80s, he was showing ‘Legitimate Sculptures’ on pedestals. He began producing furniture, which he also saw as sculptures. In his work he often used materials associated with the kindergarten like papier mâché, incorporating empty alcohol bottles, and slathering on paint while on the telephone to friends.

West lived in Vienna and was very connected to its culture. The work of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein and Viennese experimental literature attracted him. So did the leisurely atmosphere of coffee houses and the legacy of psychoanalysis as conceived by Sigmund Freud, including the idea of reclin