derbaupolier
An art project by Peter Beck, Graz
derbaupolier is a project Beck has been realizing for over ten years, first in his head, in his imagination, and then in ever-more concrete actions. The identity as derbaupolier (the construction foreman) erases the boundaries between his own life, sexual fantasies, risky actions, and art, connecting these areas together in various media—from photography and video, to installation.
At night, derbaupolier roams the city in search of construction sites, for containers and makeshift breakrooms for workers. Alone and in work gear, he looks for a way into the construction site, for any unlocked rooms he can enter. Accessing and spending time in rooms recently occupied by working men, where traces of them still remain—used clothing, tools, beer bottles—and where the smell of sweat, dust, dirt, and steel still hangs in the air, inspires his imagination. This includes the thrill of constantly being on the lookout for someone on the construction site who might discover derbaupolier.
derbaupolier records the intrusions on video, the wandering around and exploring of the construction site and everything that happens inside the container, while providing commentary. Individual details and settings are also photographed.
When he then tries on the used gear, the derbaupolier becomes part of the working men in fantasy and reality. This and the smells and dark imaginings of what has likely already taken place here heighten his sexual fantasies, which he lives out on site with a few erotic aids, to the point of ecstasy.
Photographs from his image archive offer valuable insights into the world of derbaupolier, stimulate our imagination, offering a glimpse into the world of the construction site, and show derbaupolier in various situations. Some also allude to his sexual fantasies, but leave ample room for one’s own. The photographs are part of the long-term project, but are also regarded as individual works.
derbaupolier is a remarkably compelling fetish and art project given its consistency, continuity, and radical individuality: to be continued …
Andreas Hoffer, curator