The installation Art Mining is dedicated to the investigation of deconstructive and reconstructive processes. The conceptual framework embraces the transformative power of this methodology and manifests itself in the disruption of established notions of artworks. In doing so, Mathias Leberbauer illuminates contemporary issues of the economic, ecological and social triangle.
Through the meticulous deconstruction of Leberbauer's 200 or so works, the original materials and raw materials were extracted, meticulously sorted and documented. This unknoting and archival act forms the basis for a categorical recording and analysis.
Traditional recovery methods, innovative industrial processes and self-built apparatus made it possible to reunite the grouped accumulations of materials into homogeneous raw materials. The raw materials obtained in the process are presented in a specially designed combination of laboratory and studio environment.
Concepts such as "urban mining", circular economy, recycling and value chains are topics that are essential for the continued existence of a society. The installation Art Mining is closely related to these methods. It also highlights questions about the scarcity of resources, the lack of space in urban areas and the life cycle of art itself.
The term "urban mining" refers to the reclamation of building materials in urban areas. The demolition of stock, buildings and infrastructure is no longer seen as mere construction waste, but is much more transformed into a valuable resource. The urban landscape is changing, but at the same time it is giving. This is a way of minimising dependencies, promoting circular economies and recycling and reusing resources in the spirit of sustainability. Art Mining adopts this concept and implements it in the artistic context. The material itself is elevated to the status of a work of art and functions as a linear model for the behaviour of production and consumption. A thought-provoking reinterpretation of resources, their extraction and waste management.
The result is a collection of raw materials that challenge our notions of art and its relationship to the materials from which it is made. By breaking down the boundaries between different media and combining them in new ways, Art Mining invites viewers to rethink the nature of creativity and innovation.