Josef Strau's Disposable Texts and Flea Market Lamps Critique Post-Fordist Economy

Josef Strau engages in automatic writing to produce ephemeral texts showcased on posters and canvases illuminated by flea market lamps. His 2008 solo show, '18 Iniquities,' at Greene Naftali in New York, presented cardboard tunnels adorned with lamps and posters that narrated both biblical tales and personal stories. Previously a critic for Texte zur Kunst, Strau discovered that his own ideas were more intriguing than traditional writings. His artistic approach parallels that of Bernadette Corporation, whose 2009 exhibition 'The Complete Poem' featured collaboratively written poetry. Strau critiques consumerism within a global market, as highlighted in a catalogue essay about Josephine Pryde. In a 2006 piece, he took aim at the Cologne art scene's social pretensions, contrasting it with Giorgio Agamben's concept of inoperativeness. Represented by Greene Naftali, he examines market dynamics and reinterprets lamps as financial assets.