Hans Ulrich Obrist and Matthew Barney

Published in 2013 by Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, this volume serves as a sustained dialogue between the celebrated curator Hans Ulrich Obrist and the multidisciplinary artist Matthew Barney. The book captures a series of extensive conversations that delve into the rigorous conceptual framework behind Barney's monumental projects, particularly the Cremaster Cycle and River of Fundament. It was produced to document the evolving intersection of performance, sculpture, and cinematic narrative that defines Barney's practice, offering readers a glimpse into his highly specific, mythopoeic internal logic.

The design of the publication reflects the understated, academic aesthetic common to the Walther König catalogue, prioritizing accessibility to the dense, often opaque discourse typical of contemporary art theory. By framing the discussion as a dialogue rather than a conventional monograph, the book seeks to humanize Barney's often detached, hyper-constructed visual language. Upon its release, it was received as a essential resource for scholars and followers of contemporary art, noted for its ability to bridge the gap between Barney's cryptic artistic output and the intellectual structures that sustain it.