Christian Kosmas Mayer

Christian Kosmas Mayer
Phileas – The Austrian Office for Contemporary Art

Remembering, Archiving, and Preserving

Christian Kosmas Mayer (b. Sigmaringen, Germany, 1976; lives and works in Vienna) has created a body of work that preserves and produces a constellation of narratives about historical residues and representations that are often on the verge of disappearance or have already been rendered imperceptible. His projects, which are the outcome of extensive artistic research and close collaborations with specialists across various disciplines, transform the minor, forgotten, and obsolescent into material artifacts, discursive objects, multi-media installations, and performances.

Richly illustrated, this publication presents the first comprehensive overview of Christian Kosmas Mayer's practice. His collaborative and multi-faceted approach is reflected in seven commissioned essays that focus on individual key works as well as the artist's oeuvre. The authors from different disciplines examine the connection between technology, memory and care in the artist’s practice in their own unique way. The book is rounded off by a glossary with a selection of important projects from the last ten years and essays by Noit Banai, Timo Feldhaus, Seph Rodney, Liv Nilsson Stutz, Sarah Wade, Stephen Zepke, and an interview between Mark Dion and the artist.