Humor as an element of artistic strategy – Erwin Wurm and his work

Humor is in the very center of E. Wurm’s art strategy. He believes that ‘humor is a weapon’. It is the weapon that allows us to see the world and ourselves without pomposity and solemnity masking the real problems. Humor forms the distance to a variety of phenomena, myths and stereo-types which model modern life. Laughter always includes the form of self-distance (H.G. Gadamer). The text analyzes a series of sculpture-events entitled ‘One Minute Sculptures’ and other works by the Austrian artist produced in traditional carving techniques. They include such elements of humor as ludus and locus (G. Agamben). The text also analyzes the artist’s actions that undermine subjective – objective diagram inscribed in creation and art perception (W. Welsch). It is not without significance that Wurm’s humor and irony are not directed only toward his environment, but also toward himself (self-irony)