Josef Danner :
Feuer/Erde

Josef Danner is highly professional in his treatment of the poster as a medium. Originally a proponent of the 'abstract' line of the Neue Wilde, the work of Josef Danner as a painter, producer of text and graphic designer, as well as a designer of posters in public space has developed in an increasingly conceptual direction. Text elements continually flow into his visual work. Socially produced myths and their representation in word and image are the point of departure for his reflections. For his work Feuer/Erde (Fire/Earth) he deliberately adopted the modular construction of official advertising posters and developed six individual modules that function both independently as well as a complete 24-piece poster. In terms of content, Danner began with the archaic aspects of the advertising campaign for the Mostviertel region (the imposing blacksmith before the anvil, the portly cider-maker in apron, smiling people under trees in full bloom etc.), broke them up and extended the field of associations to the elements of fire and earth by analytical as well as threatening and erotic aspects. The intense colouring in seductive red and gold was intended to be eye-catching. However instead of suggestive instructions to purchase, as normally conveyed by advertisements, the artist placed a visual puzzle in the public space that uses a combination of text and image to evoke numerous associations in the viewer.
(Katrina Petter)