Greta Schödl
Donation to Albertina, Vienna
Austrian artist Greta Schödl (born 1929) is an important figure within the Poesie Visiva (‘Visual Poetry’) movement. Her work focuses on writing as a visual element, overlaid on natural materials, textiles, and everyday objects. It emphasizes script's rhythm and appearance over its content, exploring the connection between language and image.
The work Four Levels (2020) consists of four images. In the first image, fine lines in blue ink are lined up one after the other. These lines spill over onto the second page and are followed by the handwritten name ‘Greta Schödl’, which is repeated several times and interrupted by golden dots. In the third image, the handwritten name ‘Greta Schödl’ continues and fills the whole page. In the fourth drawing, only the golden dots remain and puncture the page.
In 2024, Phileas supported the presentation of Greta Schödl's work at the 60th Venice Biennale, curated by Adriano Pedrosa. The work Four Levels was part of her exhibition Street Poetry at Phileas, which marked her first solo exhibition in Austria in over 40 years. Following Schödl’s exhibition in Vienna, the work Four Levels has been donated by the artist to the Albertina in Vienna. Four Levels will be included in the upcoming exhibition The Fascination of Paper – New perspectives on the collection (11 December 2025 – 8 March 2026) at the Albertina and will revolve around the theme of paper, covering multiple eras from the 15th century to the present.
DONATED ARTWORK
Four Levels, 2020
Ink and gold leaf on paper
