In Wollgast’s figures, fragments of disembodied limbs and detached objects appear to be reproductions of well-known sculptures by Brancusi and Boccioni, Bruce Nauman and Paul McCarthy.

In reality, he makes the images as contact proofs from handmade negatives, constructed from transparent foil, graphite and spray colour. Removing the camera from the photographic process, and hand-colouring in particular compositions or areas afterwards, Wollgast’s work addresses the importance of the reproduced image in the dissemination of otherwise singular art objects. Simultaneously second-hand copies and one-off creations, they disturb the aura of uniqueness that is often attached to the original artwork.

In his postcards Wollgast takes his practice one step further. By re-incorporating mass media formats of of publication and distribution, this tactic of appropriation is acknowledged only through the artist’s name on the revers side of the card. Language: German