Wurm, this participant of the weird houses, approaches everyday objects with the methodical sensitivity of the essayist, using sarcastic hyperboles and insidious paradoxes to invite reflection, neutralizing with a (bitter) smile the anthropological and political background of his works. «In my opinion, the game has great strength, a true subversive power,» says Wurm. «Humor and game allow many questions to ask, transmit many contents without being offensive or doctrinal.» And humor and playful are also key ingredients in another work by the artist born in Bruck an der Mur in 1953, the famous Narrow house, The narrowest house in the world (7x13x16 meters!). There are other models of this typical suburban house of the 60s, but the only one that is permanently exposed to the outdoor is within the ideal framework of the Claude ige Érignac Plaza de Le Havre, in Normandy.
Narrow House / courtesy of Studio Erwin Wurm.
An uninhabitable house
Narrow Housewith its unmistakable silhouette, it could well have appeared in the fun and entertaining photograms of Seven opportunities (1925), a Buster Keaton movie with comic appearance but with much deeper meanings. Wurm's «uninhabitable» installation, surrounded by a wooded garden, is in turn a revised and incorrect reinterpretation of the original house of the artist's parents. Walking inside is undoubtedly a disorienting experience: objects and furniture are crushed, brushing unreality. As the visit progresses, the rooms follow each other until they finally prevent access, in a space resource that accentuates the sensation of claustrophobia and pushes the visitor to seek relief towards the exit door. Glued on the walls, a series of photographs give us some clues about their true inhabitants.
Narrow House, courtesy of Studio Erwin Wurm.