From the 1960s onward Pichler's work spanned areas between sculpture and architecture. In 1960 he stayed in Paris for a period of time and in 1963 to New York and Mexico. Pichler exhibited his work at the
Museum of Modern Art in New York City in 1967, at the
Biennale de Paris, and in
Documenta 4 in 1968 in Kassel with three of his
Prototypen pieces including
Fusion von Kugeln. His work was also included in
Documenta 6 in 1977. In 1972 Pichler bought an old farm in
Sankt Martin an der Raab in southern
Burgenland where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. He spent more time there than in his Vienna studio and he created his ideal environment for his sculptures. These sculptures were primarily not for sale and he built each its own space. Thus, in addition to the residential building in Sankt Martin, there was, among others, the
Haus für den Rumpf und Schädeldecken (House for the Torso and the Skullcaps), the
Haus für die Wagen (house for the car), the
Haus für das große Kreuz (House for the Big Cross) and the
Haus für die zwei Tröge (house for the two troughs). Pichler believed Sankt Martin was the ideal place for his work and reluctantly sent them to exhibitions. Pichler worked extremely slowly, sometimes it took decades to complete a sculpture as he first made many sketches, scale drawings and plans, and then build models. Time was an important material for him, on equal footing with materials like plastic, clay, wood and various metals such as lead, tin and zinc. Pichler placed great importance on quality craftsmanship and accuracy, repeatedly putting together materials that are difficult to combine. Pichler earned his living partially by selling sketches, plans and drawings and partially by designing books. He designed books for the publishing house Residenz Verlag, and then for Jung und Jung. He refused teaching at universities and most state grants. Exceptions to this rule was his acceptance of the Tyrolean State Prize, the
Grand Austrian State Prize in 1985, an annual award given to an Austrian artist for exceptional work. == Personal life ==