Show in St. Pölten

Popular children’s game as a tool of art

New show "Paper, Stone, Scissors" attracts the next generation to the children's art laboratory in St. Pölten.

(Bild: Imre Antal)

New exhibition in the children's art laboratory in St. Pölten shows "Paper, stone, scissors". From now on, children can follow in the footsteps of the "materials and tools of art". There is, for example, the oldest pair of scissors from the region to discover.

The children's art laboratory in St. Pölten is entering its second round - at least as far as the exhibitions are concerned. After the success of "dream.lab" with 25,000 predominantly young visitors, the new show "Paper, Stone, Scissors" has now opened. Inspired by the popular children's game, youngsters can now follow in the footsteps of the "materials and tools of art". In addition to works by Phyllida Barlow, Jimmie Durham, Sylvie Fleury, Hans Kupelwieser, Lois Weinberger and the film "Stimuli" by Kay Walkowiak, you can also marvel at the oldest pair of scissors in St. Pölten (2400 years old) made of iron.

Mona Jas (left) with Kay Walkowiak and curator Gabriela Garlatyova.

(Bild: Imre Antal)

The oldest scissors of a craftsman from a Celtic grave near Pottenbrunn.

(Bild: Imre Antal)

"The social dimension and ambivalence of materials should become just as tangible as their artistic potential," says Mona Jas, artistic director of the Children's Art Lab. And with works that make the interrelationships between biography, history and artistic work tangible.

Seeing and feeling works of art
Like the works of sculptor Maria Bartuszova, which "appear to be abstract bronze or aluminum sculptures. However, they are tools for gathering haptic and formal experiences," explains curator Gabriela Garlatyova. Her sculptures were primarily intended for blind children, as touching the works sensitizes their tactile perception.