Daniel Spoerri

The first snare-picture, Kichka's Breakfast, transformed leftover meal components into a permanent assemblage by securing plates, silverware, and food debris to a table before mounting it vertically. This gesture defined Daniel Spoerri's career, marking a transition where horizontal realities were captured as static displays of chance, bridging his involvement in both Nouveau réalisme and Fluxus movements.

Early Career and Dance

Born Daniel Isaac Feinstein in 1930 in Galați, Romania, he later adopted the surname Spoerri after moving to Switzerland in 1942. His early professional life focused on movement and theatre, serving as the lead dancer at the State Opera of Bern by 1954. During this period, he staged experimental plays including Ionesco's The Bald Soprano and worked alongside artists like Jean Tinguely and Marcel Duchamp.

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Multiples and Editions MAT

In 1959, he established Editions MAT, a platform designed to produce and distribute three-dimensional art objects. By creating reproductions of works by figures such as Victor Vasarely and Man Ray, he helped coin the term multiples to describe these constructed art editions. This venture shifted his focus toward object-based work, moving away from his earlier emphasis on dance.

Topography of Chance

While residing in Paris at the Hotel Carcassonne in 1961, he mapped the 80 objects present on his table at a specific moment in time. This became the basis for Topographie Anécdotée* du Hasard, a literary work that provided narrative context for everyday items. The book evolved through multiple editions, eventually incorporating sketches by Roland Topor and annotations from collaborators such as Dieter Roth.

Eat Art and Legacy

His exploration of consumption, termed Eat Art, included performance pieces like the 1963 Restaurant de la Galerie J, where he cooked meals served by critics. Throughout his career, he held positions as a university teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. He remained active until his death in Vienna in 2024, receiving recognition such as the Lovis Corinth Prize in 2016.