Philipp Gufler: Dis/Identification
Philipp Gufler (b. Augsburg, 1989; lives and works in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Munich) blends art with activism and history education. His research-based artistic work centers on the study of queer life and the aesthetic practices of LGBTQIA+ movements. To investigate them, the artist harnesses pop-cultural and literary references and translates knowledge gleaned from mass media and historical archives into videos, silkscreen prints, installations, and performances. Besides documentary evidence from the media, the materials out of which he makes his works include interviews with contemporary witnesses, artists, activists, and theorists. Gufler’s critical studies draw connections between historic attitudes toward queer identity and their relevance to current debates as well as institutional critique.
Released in conjunction with the artist’s first institutional solo show, the publication Dis/Identification gathers all strands in the artist’s work over the past more than ten years. With writings by Yasmin Naderi Afschar, Karolina Kühn, Sandro Weilenmann, and a conversation between Louwrien Wijers and the artist.