Privatlampe des Künstlers I, 1989

Inspired by the Viennese Actionism movement, Franz West was an artist who was acclaimed for his interactive works that encompassed sculpture and installation among other practices. His earliest works employed unorthodox materials combined with everyday objects to create such pieces as a coke bottle wrapped in gauze or large-scale aluminium sculptures, welded to resemble sausage-like forms. Among his most notable works is his Adaptives series, a number of plaster objects designed to be worn across the face or around the waist; despite recalling theatrical props and masks, most of these objects are ambiguous. West was also celebrated for his collages that consisted of over-painted media, including advertisements and newspaper clippings, as well as his work with materials such as papier-mache and foam to create sculptures bearing the influence of Expressionism.