Discover the secrets of historical graffiti in Bruck Castle!

Discover the secrets of historical graffiti in Bruck Castle!

On April 12, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. an exciting book presentation will take place in the Knights' Hall at Bruck Castle in Lienz. The title of the work is “Writing, Image and Memory – Graffiti in the Context of a Semiotics of the Gothic Frescoes in the Chapel at Bruck Castle”. The editors Rudolf Ingruber and Harald Stadler expect a lively discussion on a topic that affects not only art history, but also society in general.

The presentation does not use a traditional reading format; Instead, participants can expect a conversation with the authors. The important contributors include the art historian and Dolomite City author Rudolf Ingruber as well as representatives of the Federal Monuments Office and the University of Innsbruck. In addition, the master's thesis of Anna Petutschnig, who worked intensively on graffiti that was discovered in the chapel, is highlighted.

Research on historical graffiti

During their systematic investigation in the winter of 2017/2018, two students from the University of Graz discovered a total of 780 graffiti that were carved into stone, plaster or wood and dated back several centuries. These graphic messages represent not only personal concerns, but also a historical phenomenon that goes far back into cultural history. How graffitiforschung.de As emphasized, graffiti reflects social norms and is often an expression of resistance to established systems.

The book also includes discussions from an international colloquium that took place in October 2021 and shows graffiti research as a young but increasingly important field. The codes of graffiti and their authors, including the well-known artist Franz von Defregger, are also discussed. Particularly interesting are the questions about the timing of the design of the chapel by Simon von Taisten, which are dealt with in the book.

Cultural relevance of graffiti

Graffiti is not only a simple art phenomenon, but it also sheds light on the social structures of a society. They have established themselves as anarchic, self-centered messages that are often polarizing and receive both support and opposition. Historically, there have been numerous attempts by authorities to combat graffiti, which often resulted in defiance and resistance among graffiti perpetrators. In the meantime, some authorities have changed their tactics and are relying on approaches and state support for graffiti.

The book provides insights into these complex relationships and shows that there are many questions that are still open in the context of graffiti research. Admission to the book presentation is free and offers anyone interested the opportunity to find out more about this interesting topic. However, Gorizia, the current European Capital of Culture, will not be represented in this presentation, which makes the discussion about the cultural significance of graffiti all the more interesting.