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Max Ernst Retrospective Exhibition – Albertina Vienna

January 23, 2013 in Artist, Austria, Exhibition, Friends, Galleries Museums, Vienna

"Temptation of St. Anthony" Max Ernst

“Temptation of St. Anthony” Max Ernst

It’s a Tuesday night in Vienna. What to do? Go to the premier opening of the Max Ernst retrospective exhibition in the Albertina, of course. Thanks goes to Celene and Jutta Venosa for making this possible. Otto Rapp and Timea Tallian were  also there to gaze, point. Pick the artists! The five of us kept the security on their toes, nervously hovering in close vicinity, as we peered and scrutinized, with our noses barely centimetres from the paintings.

I’ve long been a fan of Ernst’s decalcomania period, but Otto had a grin from ear to ear and a sparkle in his eye. The Albertina exhibited 180 paintings, collages, and sculptures spanning Max’s  artistic career. I think all of us were less than enthusiastic about his earlier works. But as we progressed through the exhibition, arriving at his frottage, decalcomania and later paintings our interest spiked along with animated discussions. So much so were we engaged in the artworks and discussions, I think we came to hardly notice throng of other visitors milling around us and the artworks. To some extent, I think we ended up owning the exhibition.

I have seen a limited number of Ernst’s actual works before, and so with this expansive exhibition, it was a wonderful saturation. Curiously what I noted, was that in his earlier periods, his colours were muted, or more rather a lack there of. Black and brown was everywhere to be seen. And then, he started to discover colour. Perhaps he started come to understand the full vehicle of expression that painting could be, as by the last few rooms of the exhibition, his works were positively luminous.

Ernst could apply the full range of his experimentation and techniques to produce some outstanding works. Many of these I have never seen printed in any book or catalogue. At the opening speech by the Albertina director, he made it apparent, why this was so. Because Max never consistently stayed with any period of painting for any length of time and was constantly exploring new artistic territory, it makes it hard for museums or curators to box him in. So, the majority of Ernst’s work still to this day remains in private collections.

It was a fabulous evening, with exhibition definitely one of the highlights of this current adventure in Vienna. If you happen to be in Vienna while the exhibition hangs, go and see it!

Max Ernst Retrospective Exhibition
Albertina Vienna
Austria
23 January – 5 May 2013

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Journey to Vienna – The Irresistible Flow of Time

October 4, 2010 in Artist, Artwork, Austria, Exhibition, Friends, Galleries Museums, Travel, Vienna

The exhibiting artists

The exhibiting artists

Seeing a brilliant opportunity, at very short notice, Amanda Sage organised an exhibition of Fantastic Visionary artists at Galerie 10. She and Laurence Caruana, along with Andrew Gonzalez had been giving a painting seminar in the Summer. A number of artists had travelled to attend their course in Italy. Thus she came to the idea of organising a show while everybody was in Europe.

After a late night skype session between Amanda, Dennis Konstantin and myself, Dennis made himself busy with the flyer and Amanda busy organising the other artists, which is often compared to herding cats.

Dennis drove down from Hamburg in his spacious blue VW van. A vehicle well kitted out for adventures, so it fitted our needs very well. After stopping over for the night in Berlin, we loaded my artwork into the van and began our long road trip to Vienna.

René and Lisa graciously housed us in their living room for our stay in Vienna. So I must thank them again for their hospitality.

On Tuesday we made trip out to one of Dennis’ collectors, who endless numbers of Fuchs prints and sculptures and now had a growing collection of Dennis’ artwork.

After too many coffees and a light lunch, we trooped over to Amanda’s studio to catch up David Heskin and Aloria Weaver who were staying with Amanda. It is a pleasure to meet the real face behind an internet presence, and more so with David and Aloria. Both had been on Amanda and Laurence Caruana’s painting seminar idyllically located in a medieval village in the Italian hills. They were now making the most of Amanda’s studio in Vienna to finish of some works for our group exhibition “The Irresistible Flow of Time” at Galerie 10.

Wednesday brought Emma Watkinson to Vienna and us to Galerie 10 to hang our artwork. Not all of the exhibiting artists were present and there was much to do. Although we started early in the afternoon, we worked into the night to complete the hanging of 69 artworks in total, making at a very large show. And by the time the hanging was completed, it looked amazing. It was such a wonderful collection of high quality artwork.

Our work was done, so we adjourned to Amanda’s studio again, taking Galerie 10 owner, Michael Scheer along with us. It was again a long night as artists are wont to do, however, we could sleep in for our big day, the opening of the exhibition.

When I arrived, the gallery was wall to wall with people. The opening also brought all of the local Fantastic Painters, and then others from far away elsewhere who just happened to be in town.  Many of these faces I met for the first time outside of the internet. Its reassuring to get to know the real people of these ever present internet avatars.

Two of the other exhibiting artists managed to make time from their busy schedules back home and fly into Vienna for the exhibition, Daniel Mirante and Basia Wiacek.

De Es Schwertberger did all of us younger artists the honour of exhibiting with us and bridging the worlds of the established Fantastic Realists to that of the emerging, oft referred to as, Visionary artists. However, the term Visionary is still up for debate.

We the exhibiting artists were of course very busy the whole evening talking to various people about our art, and of course catching up with and meeting the other artists. Not surprisingly, it ended up being a very late night.

And similarly unsurprising, was a few of the taught faces present the very next morning for breakfast at De Es‘ studio. In De Es‘ expansive inner city studio, we took advantage of the far more relaxed atmosphere and conversed at leisurely pace. Sadly however, this gathering of new and old friends had to eventually part ways, as flights were waiting to whisk people off to new adventures.

As for Dennis and myself, our next adventure was to commence the following day when we returned North to Germany and headed to the Bavarian Forest to visit the opening of  the 1st Biennial of Fantastic Art in the Town of Viechtach. But this is the next news entry.

Following are all of the wonderful artists that I exhibited with.

De Es Schwertberger (A), Amanda Sage (USA), Dennis Konstantin (D), Leo Plaw (D), David Heskin (USA), Aloria Weaver (USA), Adam Scott Miller (USA), Gregory Pettit (USA), Autumn Sky Morrison (USA), Daniel Mirante (GB), Basia Wiacek (GB), Emma Watkinson (GB)

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Art in Hamburg with Dennis Konstantin

July 24, 2010 in Artist, Artwork, Friends, Germany, Painting, Prints, Travel, Work in Progress

Last week I made my way to Hamburg to have a number of my paintings scanned and spend some time with friend and colleague in artistic crimes, Dennis Konstantin. Dennis uses a company called Scan Discounter to have his paintings scanned at full size in 300 DPI. The same company also does excellent paper and canvas prints from these scans.

Earlier that week I managed to persuade Norman Dziegel, the proud owner of my Gelbe Spiral painting to loan it to me, so I could take it to Hamburg for scanning. I packaged it up for the journey along with two other paintings. Meeting up with Dennis we drove out to Scan Discounter. Hidden on the ground floor of a house in the suburbs is the largest scanner I’ve ever seen. They tell me that they can scan up to 2 and half meters in length at 300 DPI. That makes for very large files, and you’d better have enough RAM on your computer to open and modify them. (drooling while dreaming…)

With the scans done in no time, we were off to Dennis’ apartment in the Caroline Quarter of Hamburg, the not so famous sister of the Schanzen Quater. Both are like a mini versions of Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg and Neukölln in Berlin. But it wasn’t the distractions of Hamburg street life that interested us. There was painting to be done!

Dennis and I have on a number of occasions have had joint painting sessions, over the internet. While it is interesting to have a bit of virtual company, to share the same space is far more productive. I am always curious to look over other’s shoulders and to see how they work. Its a great chance to trade tips on technique and talk paint.

Along with my paintings that I’d brought to Hamburg to scan, were two small collaboration pieces that we had started on, last January when Dennis was in Berlin for our Fantastic Visions exhibition. We set about finishing the two off. However, Dennis is much quicker than I and finished his, while I have not yet. I’ve included some photos below.

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Creative in Berlin on a Friday Night

July 10, 2010 in Artist, Artwork, Friends, Germany, Painting

Sinneswandeln - black light mini-golf

Sinneswandeln - black light mini-golf

On a very hot Friday evening I made my way over to the Görlitzer Park in Kreuzberg. There in the only remaining buildings from the former railway station was the new cafe Isa Mitz opening. In the basement for the past three months a collection of UV artists from the Sinneswandeln project have been busy building a black light mini-golf course.

Ellen Harting headed up the project to organise painters and sculptors create 5 unique themed rooms. Ellen herself also provide a number of sculptures and installations, some also being internally lit with changing colours. One of the artists she brought in to the project was my friend Micha Colory Krebs.

I was called in on the opening night to make a photo documentation of their hard work. I had visited the worksite a number of times before, but on the opening night with all of the tools and materials cleared away and the UV lights turned on it looked very impressive. It looks like they might already have another project waiting for them.

After departing with Anja Brinkmann and stopping off for a cooling icecream, we paid a visit to Strychnin Gallery‘s latest exhibition opening “FutureScapes” featuring the artists, Michael Page, Sri Whipple, Jason Wheatley and Damon Soule. After a run of shows that didn’t interest me, Strychnin finally had some great paintings to satisfy my eye with great technique and attention to detail. Of most interest to me were the organic like collaboration pieces. While there Yasha Young had a chat to me about the many things she and the gallery are involved in. I don’t know if she ever takes a rest.

We also caught up with Wolfgang Reimers at “FutureScapes” and then later rediscovered we all our favourite vegi-burger shop in Berlin to round the evening out.

But that wasn’t to be the end of my evening, I then went on to meet up with digital artist Héctor Pineda from Mexico. But I’ll tell you more about him in my next article.

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CoSM Journal of Visionary Culture – Volume 6

May 11, 2010 in Friends, Publications

CoSM Journal 6

I just received my copy of the latest CoSM Journal today, courtesy of Delvin Solkinson.  I’ve known Delvin for some time now, initially from the Tribe 13 project to his ongoing Galactic Trading Card (GTC) set. Through the course of building his GTC project, he’s come to know and meet many artists the world over. One such artist of note is Alex Grey.

Alex and his wife Allyson, have for many years now put much time and effort into their Chapel of Sacred Mirrors project which was initially based in inner city New York. As of last year CoSM relocated to the countryside just outside of New York. Now that things are finally taking shape on the new property, there is the time and energy to turn back other things that have lain fallow for the interim.

And so with new vigour they have released volume 6 of the CoSM journal. Part of that new energy comes from Delvin, who now works as the managing editor of the journal.

The CoSM journal is a gorgeous A5 sized full colour publication, illustrating the planetary culture of visionary art and showing how this reflects the human relationship to nature, the new Journal includes artists from all five continents of our world including Mark Ryden, Pablo Amaringo, Alex Grey, Allyson Grey, Brigid Marlin, Isabela Maria Hartz, Steven Kenny, Andy Thomas, Akiko Endo, Mitsuru Nagashima, and Anne Mwiti. It also features some major visionary arts organizations including Beinat.org.

Creative Director and Designer: Marisa Scirocco
Managing Editor: Delvin Solkinson
Chief Editors:  Alex Grey and Allyson Grey

You can go to www.cosm.org for more details.

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