Alf Poier: Art campaign Self-cancellation” is causing a stir in Vienna!

Alf Poier: Art campaign Self-cancellation” is causing a stir in Vienna!

Alf Poier causes a stir! At yesterday's book presentation and vernissage of his exhibition "Colourfully Blacked Picture Books" in the Kaiblinger Gallery, the well-known Austrian artist launched a radical art campaign: he "cancelled" himself with black paint. With this action, which he describes as “self-cancellation before external cancellation”, Poier is sending a strong signal against the so-called cancel culture and political correctness. “Political correctness must not become the climate glue of art,” explained the artist.

This unique performance, based on Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus", signals the start of his new art movement "Arte ingrata". In his works, Poier criticizes the one-sided presentation of topics in the art scene and demands that all social questions be allowed to be discussed in an unvarnished way. “Art doesn’t have to have any guidelines,” says Poier, who has never applied for funding himself and sees himself as a free spirit. He sees art as a medium capable of shedding light on social tensions in a humorous and satirical way exxpress.at reported.

The exhibition and its provocative works

His current exhibition shows works that not only include his “Cancel Culture” images, but also an overall view of his artistic career spanning over 20 years. This will take place from March 7th to 28th, 2025 at the Kaiblinger Gallery in Vienna. The exhibition's prototype image shows a rainbow or "Pace" flag doused in black paint, making a provocative statement on the current political discussion on LGBTQ issues. Poier “pre-cancelled” the paintings himself before anyone else did, thereby revealing the explosive nature of his criticism of political correctness.

In another picture, Poier addresses how to deal with contemporary conflicts and their ideological excesses. He shows the hands of time on hot topics such as the environment, war and society with a sharp, often ironic look in order to refresh the discourse in art. “It is not the job of art to be politically correct,” emphasizes Poier, who firmly believes that artistic freedom is a fundamental right protected by the Constitution. “Time has its art, art has its freedom,” he explains, and calls on the art scene not to let political influences distract them from their path ots.at reported.