Jörg Otto Gaier

Background

Jörg Otto Gaier

• childhood and school time in Austria and Bavaria
• Gewerbeschule für Kunsthandwerker (industrial school for artists), Munich (1960)
• graduated course with top national prize for wood sculpture (1963)
• Akademie der bildenden Künste (academy of fine arts) in Munich, student of Professor Josef Henselmann (1964)
• master scholar of Professor Hans Ladner (1969)
• diploma in free sculpture (1970)
• participation in art exhibitions
  • Haus der Kunst (art house) Munich (1970)
  • Biennale, Bordeaux (1971)
  • Prien artist’s association, annual exhibitions
  • group exhibition Pasinger Fabrik (1990)
• participation in art competitions
• commissions and free artistic work and involvement in social and ecological group initiatives, district council for Bündnis 90 Die Grünen (Alliance 90 Green Party) (1990-1996)
• since 1987 artist’s workshop and nature-orientated project in Höhenberg near Frasdorf
• working with Richter Spielgeräte since 1980

key areas of work:
concept, design and drafting of play objects,
design of trade fair booths, model building
responsibility for own designs,
2010 water play installation at the Landesgartenschauen (state garden shows) in Rosenheim and Hemer

Inspiration

An important component of my artistic work is sculptural integral structures that can be moved and transformed. In the process, the material and power is captured, possibilities are conceived and your own body becomes a part of the unfolding event. The overall effect should always take precedent over the material and the form.
In my playground designs, this relationship to the element of water, which by nature is the medium which can be most fully explored by the senses, led me to using water as the central design element. The strictly geometric objects are a direct contrast to this changeability and diversity of effect and thus contribute to the water design. When carrying out my work my intention is to always adhere to timeless design quality.