Markus Kiebel at Arch402 – Inside Complexity

February 8, 2011 Pierrick Senelaer

The first London solo exhibition by German artist Markus Keibel sees a continuation of his interactive site-specific installations, as featured in PORTIZMIR 2 (2010), the triennial of contemporary art held in Izmir, Turkey. Exploring semantic roots and the poetry of materials, Keibel’s work brings to surface enigmatic, abstract forms.

Markus Kiebel

Since 2005, the Berlin-based artist has not only developed conceptual site-specific installations, but also an abstract idiom using different forms of human traces. The perception of viewers is the issue addressed by Keibel, whose current work investigates how colour interacts with viewers. His sculptures, paintings and works on paper draw their elements from simple materials, often using pigmented glass and acrylic colours to modify their mode of operation.

Created on-site especially for the Arch 402 Gallery, Inside Complexity will reveal a large-scale floor sculpture, designed for viewers to walk over and leave traces as they move. Characterized as an ever-changing form, the four concentrated circles—created using different coloured pigment powders—shift and disperse throughout the exhibition venue, causing the colours to lose their intensity. As part of the exhibition, the transformation of Keibel’s ever-changing floor sculpture will be captured both in a time-lapsed video and on canvas.

In order to create these final works, the gallery space will be closed the day following the Private View (11th Feb) when Keibel will use the transformed pigment areas to create big canvases (170 x 280 cm), revealing the transcribed traces of human movement.

Keibel’s interactive installations are less focused on how interaction with the work evokes feelings in the public, but rather, with how these feelings act on given materials, as the pigments ultimately seem to reveal a sentimental beauty. Rendering the pigments in his own specific mode of representation, Keibel not only prefigures subjectivity in the abstract but also his own subjectivity, from a viewpoint that questions the prescriptive experience.

Words from Necmi Sonmez

Where – ARCH 402 GALLERY | Cremer Street, E2 8HD | Tue-Fri 11-6
When – 12 February – 18 March 2011 / Private View 10 February 6-9pm

BLOG, LATEST

Star wars as greek statues

May 5, 2016 Pierrick Senelaer

Greek sculpture | Art-Pie — Classical Greek sculpture

We all went to a museum one day (well I hope you did, if not you guys are missing out!) which has a Classical art collection often consisting of a series of nude hunks sculptures.

In the Classical period there was a revolution in Greek statuary, usually associated with the introduction of democracy and the end of the aristocratic culture associated with the kouroi. The Classical period saw changes in the style and function of sculpture. Poses became more naturalistic (see the Charioteer of Delphi for an example of the transition to more naturalistic sculpture), and the technical skill of Greek sculptors in depicting the human form in a variety of poses greatly increased.

Star Wars Greek Sculptures by Travis Durden | Art-Pie — Click to enlarge

But enough of Greek sculptures in their “Classical” sense, let’s look at the series of digital manipulations by French artist Travis Durden adds a Star Wars dimension to it.

Star Wars, for those who don’t know it (…) is an American epic space opera franchise, centered on a film series created by George Lucas.

I do not know for you guys but the chap is pretty gifted at sculpture right? Well it may be but these works will not prove it because these are a series of images manipulated using Photoshop, the popular image editing software.

Durden reimagines Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Yoda, General Grevious and a Storm Trooper as “Darth Resurrection,” “Gladiator Boba,” Angel Yodea,” “General Niobides” and “Storm Reader.”

About the artist

Travis Durden is a pseudonym, as the Parisian artist behind the project would prefer his art be the center of attention, not himself. Fascinated by the construction of myths & idols, he interrogates how we, as humans, determine what will be raised to popular culture or elevated to divine cult, and how history has influenced us in making this choice.

CONTEMPORARY ART

Thalassa – a Swoon installation

August 15, 2011 Pierrick Senelaer

Tthe New Orleans Museum of Art currently has the chance to host the large scale installation from the artist Swoon and that is called “Thalassa”.

The artwork reigns in the museum’s great hall and feels very powerful. Swoon here wants to voice her reaction to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and she only used found objects.

The display runs until the 25/09/2011.

FEATURE

3D sand art

August 29, 2015 Pierrick Senelaer

3D art using sand.

Not much to say apart from why not having a go at it this summer when you are on your favourite beach instead of lying around?

And burying your best mate in the sand is also fun but not that creative.

Simply awesome don’t you think?

STREET ART

ROA in Chicago

May 26, 2011 Pierrick Senelaer

ROA has once again hit the walls, this time is Chicago and as always the pieces are awesome

Location: Chicago (The large wall is on the Hedrich Blessing architectural photography studio)

Pictures by Brock Brake via unurth

BLOG

‘Big Bang’ show at Westbank gallery

January 6, 2016 Pierrick Senelaer

Westbank is back to present its new group show: THE BIG BANG!

This new show will be held in their new space (see below for details) so get yourselves down for the Private View on Thursday 14th January 2016.

You need to RSVP at guestlist@londonwestbank.com with your name and surname.

BLOG, PREVIEW

Moniker Projects does Batman: Arkham Knight

June 13, 2015 Pierrick Senelaer

Something pretty cool and original is coming our way. Indeed Moniker Projects Frankie Shea & Lindsay Edmunds are curating The Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl Exhibition

What is all about?
WB Games UK has teamed up with Moniker Projects to bring you twenty contemporary artists and celebrities to celebrate the launch of Batman: Arkham Knight with a new exhibition reimagining the Caped Crusader’s iconic Cape and Cowl headpiece.

Using life-sized replicas of Batman’s famous costume as a blank canvas, each artist and celebrity will produce their own unique interpretation of the Dark Knight’s attire.

Those taking part include high profile artists such as Nancy Fouts, Lauren Baker, Hayden Kays, Inkie, Pam Glew, INSA, The Connor Brothers, Zeus, Matt Small, CASE, Jon Burgerman, CRASH, Cyclops, Kid Acne, Pure Evil and Logan Hicks along side 4 celebrity created Capes & Cowls from Jonathan Ross, Jodie Kidd, Eliza Doolittle and Noel Clarke.

What about the venue?
We are also looking forward to discover the venue consisting of two charming railway arches. The original double arched ticket hall of the now defunct Shoreditch station constructed by Victorian architects in 1860 unused for 25 years.

WHAT – The Batman: Arkham Knight Cape & Cowl Exhibition
WHERE – Kachette, 347 Old St., Shoreditch, London, EC1V 9LP (nearest stations Liverpool Street, Old Street & Shoreditch High Street)
WHEN – Tuesday 23 to Saturday 27 June – 11am to 9pm and Sunday 28 June – 11am to 5pm
Curated and produced by M.

CONTEMPORARY ART, PREVIEW

‘History’ – portraits from Adam Neate at Elms Lesters Painting Rooms

November 11, 2013 Pierrick Senelaer

As I am reading the press release of History – Adam Neate. Portraits from 2006 -2013, I remember that last time I got that excited by a show about portraits was when I went to see Joram Roukes at Signal gallery.

Adam Neate (as much as Joram Roukes) is the sort of artists that will challenge whatever perception of portraiture in art you might have by giving you something radically different to look at. Do not look for resemblance in Adam’s work, his portraits are more expressions of characters in their social environments but what makes his work unique is the mediums he uses – Perspex, metal, fabrics, lenticulars and film.

“Neate’s subject matter is in the strong British tradition of social realism, yet the materials he uses to make his brush strokes challenge tradition. In his iconic portraits, as well as in his portrayals of domestic life, the self-taught artist continues to push boundaries and challenge himself. Neate wrestles with new ideas in painting while working through the powerful emotions that are ever present in his overtly personal work.” Elms Lesters Painting Rooms.

What – ‘HISTORY’ ADAM NEATE . PORTRAITS FROM 2006 – 2013
Where – Elms Lesters Painting Rooms, London
When – 16Nov 2013 – 14Dec 2013 | Tuesday – Friday 12 noon – 7pm Saturdays 11am – 5pm

REVIEWS

Ron English and Risk at Black Rat Projects

July 17, 2012 Pierrick Senelaer

We managed to get a look at the latest show at Black Rat Projects called “Letters From America” where works from Ron English, TrustoCorp, Risk and Saber are on display. Pictures of the artworks below.

As soon as you step into the gallery, you are greeted by the “Big Boy”,an original 7 foot or so statue customized by the Los Angeles graffiti writer RISK Big Boy is a brand of meal kits for kids which infamously got in turnmoil when some of their products were tested positive for Listeria contamination back in 2009, but instead of a burger Big Boy holds a spray paint can which will remind visitors that they are about to see artworks from street artists.

Very quickly, another piece from RISK acts as a magnet for your eyes and illuminates the whole room. A graffiti made of neons. Sublime. What a piece to be made when you know how difficult neon making can be. Looking on the ‘Big Boy’ quietly from the back of the room, are pop surrealist painter Ron English’s colourful pigs that will make smile even the hardcore vegetarian out there. Just above them, a series of photographs by the same artist all very loyal to the artist’s style – pop surrealism. The “Telegrinnies” series have to be our favorites one, you will have figured out that Ron English’s work here is base on the “Teletubbies”.

Slightly hidden in a corner of the gallery, we enjoyed reading and laughing at TrustoCorp small scale signs

This show runs until the 18th June 2012 and is linked to another project that launched on June 30 at the London Pleasure Gardens where outdoor installations can be seen by the same artist until december 2013. Read the article about it on Arrested Motion website.

Big Boy by RISK (left) | Pigs by Ron English(right)