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Exhibition: Face and Faceless
Artist: Christine Mayr
Period: 7 April – 12 May 2022

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Christine Mayr’s art is grounded in her training at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, where she studied sculpture under Wander Bertoni. As early as the 1980s, the artist began engaging with the multilayered nature of growing up, childhood, motherhood, and simply being human. Her drawings and sculptures are sensitive, empathetic, courageous, provocative, and direct all at once.

The figures are united by a particular sense of disharmony, both in their bodies and in their expressions. Physical proportions often do not align: a young body bears an experienced face, genders are not clearly identifiable—yet, according to Mayr, none of this needs to be clearly legible. The focus is not on precise attribution, but on universal human experiences and emotions.

At the center of the exhibition is the series Faceblind, in which the artist addresses the topic of face blindness. Mayr seeks to visualize this particular form of perception in her work and to give viewers an impression of how face-blind individuals perceive their surroundings. In this body of work, the artist primarily employs the medium of drawing.

The figures are shown from the crown of the head to the shoulders, and all share the fact that their faces are concealed or rendered unrecognizable. This occurs in various ways—through hands or objects held in front of the face, or through distorted faces lacking eyes, featuring multiple mouths, and more. As a result, each figure acquires a distinct character, creating a highly diverse image of concealment and anonymization. On one side are girls hiding behind a bouquet of flowers or a drink, giving a playful impression. On the other, there are figures without eyes, with wide-open mouths, many teeth, or bandaged eyes, which in turn appear vulnerable or even unsettling.

Mayr’s sculptural works are formed from ceramic and are partially painted or glazed. Despite the hard, rough surface, the figures appear deeply human, creating the impression that they are interacting directly with us and entering into contact. It seems as though the small girl (or boy) is crouching on the floor before us, arms raised over their head, or that the woman is, in this very moment, revealing her bleeding vulva to us with a steady gaze.

This can quickly evoke a feeling of discomfort in the viewer. One begins to ask: Do I want to engage with this being, this figure, and confront it more closely? The answer must be found individually; however, a careful look is worthwhile in any case—only then do the refined details and the extraordinary physical presence of the figures come to the fore.

Face and Faceless—the title of the exhibition already attunes us to the artist’s works. Visitors encounter women, men, girls, and boys; some of them have faces, many do not. Should we give them one? How this encounter unfolds is left to us—whether as a fleeting meeting or a deep engagement.

Text: Selin Stütz

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