Studio Vienna / Peter Garmusch

I wanted to create symbols of resilience – vigorous, sculptural images. The etymology of the ancient greek word symbol / sumbállō was revealing to me:“I throw together, dash together, compare, correspond, tally, come to a conclusion”
In this period of extreme uncertainty we have to digest and process a lot. Our physical and emotional resilience during lockdown is tested. How can we speak out? What is to say now? We hear worst-case scenarios, rumors and half-truths on social media…
All this seems to be a complex picture puzzle not easy to rumble.
A slowly defrosting tongue numb in front of my camera, a deeply frozen stomach not able to digest emotions, ice-cold ears formed to a final arrangement.
Numerous notions of form and content raised my mind, while surfing on the threshold between disgust and beauty, good and evil or awareness and denial.


Peter Garmusch (b. 1974, Graz, Austria) grew up with the urge for freedom in the very south of Austria, and left home to study art history at the university in Graz. A degree in photography and media at the Graphische in Vienna finalized his educational path. After gathering photographic experience in the field of fashion he decided to fully commit himself to his art career in 2006. Based in Vienna he travels extensively and exhibits his findings in solo and group shows. For 6 years now, he engages himself in Studio Projects. A format he created where he encounters, examines and interchanges with foreign places by installing a work space of creative output. So far, I did Studio Projects in Kampala/Uganda, Cairo/Egypt and Dakar/Senegal. His first book Studio Cairo was supposed to be published in early 2020, which needed another month of work in Cairo. He currently lives and works in Vienna.

Peter Garmusch, “STUDIO VIENNA # 1”, from “ STUDIO VIENNA” series, analog C print, edition of 5 + AP, 230 x 180 cm, 2020
Peter Garmusch, “STUDIO VIENNA # 2”, from “ STUDIO VIENNA” series, analog C print, edition of 5 + AP, 230 x 180 cm, 2020
Peter Garmusch, “STUDIO VIENNA # 3”, from “ STUDIO VIENNA” series, analog C print, edition of 5 + AP, 230 x 180 cm, 2020
Peter Garmusch, “STUDIO VIENNA # 4”, from “ STUDIO VIENNA” series, analog C print, edition of 5 + AP, 230 x 180 cm, 2020