HANNA BURKART TEMPORARY LIKE FOREVER

3 May - 10 June 2025 Galleria SARP

SARP is pleased to present Hanna Burkart Temporary like forever. Hanna Burkart (b. Vienna, Austria) is a multidisciplinary artist. She holds a Master's degree in Industrial Design and a Master's degree in Fine Arts from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Burkart’s research focuses on the interaction between space and the human being who inhabits it.
The exhibition TEMPORARY LIKE FOREVER is presented as a temporary home, yet marked by a longing for permanence. The exhibition encourages viewers to explore various dimensions that shape the concept of home: instead of separeting the space into distinct areas, Hanna Burkart offers a cohesive composition. The artist creates a visual journey through the history of human shelter, exploring how living spaces evolved from primitive caves to contemporary living spaces. Central to this exploration is the shared human pursuit of belonging and the sense of security derived from our environments and relationships.
While borders may promise safety, they can just as easily create distance. Can a structure made of spikes still evoke a sense of belonging? Can something defensive still feel like home? This paradox invites reflection on the role of external and internal boundaries of domestic spaces. The ones that provide safety can simultaneously impose separation. This tension invites reflection on the ambivalent nature of borders, not only those that mark the edge of architecture or territory, but also those we carry within. These liminal zones, where self meets other, fear meets protection, past meets future, frame the home structure.
Heidegger, in his essay Building Dwelling Thinking, asserts that to dwell is to care for one’s space, to be in a meaningful relationship with it, and to bridge the artificial gap between projecting (or designing), building, and finally, dwelling. It is not merely about inhabiting a structure, but about belonging—about living in harmony with the world around us.
To dwell is not a passive act. In Hanna Burkart’s work, the idea of space is challenged. It is not to simply occupy space, but to open oneself to the essence of space. The fragile and ephemeral cardboard sculptures of the roofs on the wall take visitors further into the question of shelter. The roof, a symbol of protection, now appears as a fragmented, immovable structure: it is no longer a space for dwelling but a remnant, an artifact that reminds us of the loss of true shelter. The cave photographs are transferred onto fabric. The airy, tactile softness of cloth stands in stark contrast to the permanence of stone, creating a dialogue between the transient and the timeless. In this context, textiles also serve as a symbol of a tiny intimate shelter, evoking the idea of the home in its simplest, most personal form.
The use of orange construction foils - signaling danger or transition in urban environments - takes on a new role. Reconfigured as architectural gestures, these foils delineate a temporary space within the space. These plastic interventions construct an ephemeral shelter that challenges notions of permanence, offering spaces that feel protective and precarious. By integrating waste materials that originate from everyday activities, she not only redefines their purpose but also questions the narratives we attach to them. These materials frequently evoke domestic rituals, which play a central role in her artistic practise. Through this lens, Burkart draws attention to the repetitive gestures and unspoken routines that shape our environments and identities. What may appear trivial on the surface becomes, in her art, a reflection of deeper emotional and cultural structures.
To conclude, Burkart’s work transcends material exploration, evoking a return to the primordial essence of dwelling. Her installations reveal that space is never neutral—it is shaped by movement, presence, and dialogue with the inner and outer world. In their quiet intensity, her works echo the memory of shelter and the elemental need to belong.

 Download list of works available here