SMOKE, BIRDS, PUN, CRISIS

Magdalena Kreinecker & Simon Nagy

Presentation ⎢August 27 - 29, 2026
Vernissage ⎢ Thurs. August 27, 18 - 21 hr
Book presentation with live-listening session at 19 hr
Writing Workshop ⎢Sat. August 29, 14 - 17 hr

einBuch.haus / Lindenstr. 91, 10969 Berlin 

Smoke, Birds, Pun, Crisis is an artist book in the form of a dialogic glossary, revolving around Magdalena Kreinecker’s artistic practice. In this book, there are 62 terms packed into a suitcase in a not-at-all accidental order. Blueprint, Heart, Container: within this frame, in a dialogue between M. and Simon Nagy and lots of images, as well as through the invitation of several guests, a wide variety of text types, all revolving around M.’s work, can be found. 

Many of them describe the technical processes of production. Some start off from individual artworks in order to secretly weave in other references; others take a certain pleasure in telling totally different stories from the get-go. Through many attempts, in a centrifugal logic of reference, they (the stories, the terms) attempt to capture what often seems unwieldy, complicated, incomprehensible, mysterious: artistic practice. 

At einBuch.haus, the book will be presented in various formats: through a multi-medial reading featuring a listening piece and videos (Thu, Aug 27, 19:00); a writing workshop on M. & S.‘s method of surface translation (Sat, Aug 29, 14:00, in German); and a presentation of the latest edition of prints by Magdalena Kreinecker as well as a wearable edition combining text and textile by kreineckers featuring Simon Nagy.

Writing Workshop on Artistic Surface Translation

In this workshop, we’ll explore various relationships between language and the visual arts through short writing exercises. The focus is on the experimental format of “surface translation,” which seeks less to delve into meaning and more to experiment with the interplay of text-to-text, text-to-image, or text-to-world.

The starting point for this method is the artist’s book Smoke, Birds, Pun, Crisis by Magdalena Kreinecker and Simon Nagy. In the book, 62 terms are packed into a suitcase. Blueprint, heart, container: Writing and reading in the workshop will unfold in associative loops similar to those found within this suitcase.

No prior knowledge of art or text production is required; we’ll decide together which formats for sharing and listening feel comfortable for us. The workshop will be conducted in German.

Schreibworkshop zu künstlerischer Oberflächenübersetzung

In diesem Workshop ertasten wir mittels kurzer Schreibübungen verschiedene Beziehungsweisen zwischen Sprache und bildender Kunst. Im Mittelpunkt steht dabei das experimentelle Format der „Oberflächenübersetzung“, das weniger nach Bedeutung gräbt als vielmehr Versuche des Anschmiegens von Text-an-Text, Text-an-Bild oder Text-an-Welt vornimmt. 

Ausgangspunkt für diese Methode ist das Künstler:innenbuch »Smoke, Birds, Pun, Crisis« von Magdalena Kreinecker und Simon Nagy. In dem Buch sind 62 Begriffe in einen Koffer gepackt. Blaupause, Herz, Behälter: In ähnlichen Assoziationsschleifen wie jenen, die sich in diesem Koffer tummeln, wird sich das Schreiben und Lesen im Workshop abspielen. 

Es sind keinerlei Vorkenntnisse in Kunst- oder Textproduktion vonnöten; wir beschließen gemeinsam, welche Formate des Teilens und Zuhörens uns angenehm sind. Der Workshop findet in deutscher Sprache statt.

Registration / Anmeldung -> email to info@einbuch.haus 

Magdalena Kreinecker & Simon Nagy

Magdalena Kreinecker is an artist and printmaker and lives and works in Vienna. She is teaching printmaking techniques at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Together with Anna Kreinecker—as kreineckers—she is producing wear-able limited artist editions.

Simon Nagy works in the context of various collectives in the fields of art, literature, and critical knowledge production in Vienna. His book „Zeit abschaffen“ (Abolishing Time, 2024) was published by Unrast Verlag.