Daniel Knorr repositions the aesthetic object as both an intellectual process and a critical tool in his art. By subverting the ordinariness of a phenomenon or object, he transforms the mundane into an act of empowerment, self-reflection, and heightened awareness. This approach becomes evident through the wide array of materials he employs in his works: performance, text, archival materials, and installations. For instance, in his piece The Naked Corner, Knorr adopts a radical method by inscribing corporately trademarked commercial slogans onto the naked human body, thereby exposing the role and exploitation of language within economic systems. Such works illustrate how elements like economy, biopolitics, and cultural critique are intricately interwoven in Knorr’s artistic practice.
A core strategy in Knorr’s creations is the production of polysemy, as his works are imbued with contradictory and unstable meanings. This not only challenges the artwork itself but also interrogates its broader context. Knorr employs irony and absurdity as methods that disrupt reality and provoke a reevaluation of societal perceptions. However, this approach extends beyond critique, offering viewers an alternative interpretive framework. His work spans both traditional art spaces and public arenas, defying conventional perceptions in each context. By altering the social and political dynamics of space, Knorr demands both physical and intellectual engagement from his audience.
Knorr’s artistic practice functions not merely as a form of expression but also as a site of intervention. For example, in his work Smoking in the Museum, he conceptualizes smoke as the embodiment of an ideology and connects it to global biopolitical discourses. Such projects examine the power dynamics between individuals and the state while demonstrating how art can thrive on a theoretical foundation. Knorr’s oeuvre consistently pushes the boundaries of traditional art, creating a domain where conceptual rigor and critical thought converge, continuously expanding and redefining the limits of artistic production.
Born in 1968 in Bucharest, Romania, Knorr emigrated to Germany with his family at the age of 14. He studied under Daniel Spoerri at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. In the 1990s, Knorr relocated to Berlin and represented Romania at the 2005 Venice Biennale with his work European Influenza. In 2017, his multifaceted piece Expiration Movement was exhibited at documenta 14 in both Kassel and Athens. Today, his works are part of prominent collections, including the Migros Museum in Zurich, the Stasi Museum in Leipzig, and the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich.
Daniel Knorr lives and works in Berlin, Germany.