A few days ago, the 21st International Comic Salon in Erlangen came to an end. With more than 30,000 visitors, it was said to be the most visited so far. As always, the program included the Awarding of the Max and Moritz Prizesthree of which went to Switzerland. There were also numerous exhibitions as usual. Some of them are still on display. One of these is dedicated to the French illustrator Joann Sfar and runs until September Exhibition at the Erlangen City MuseumThe exhibition “Katzenjammer Kids – The oldest comic in the world“. And in the action and showroom of the Comic Museum Erlangen there is a Overview of German-language manga.
But to see all of this, you have to leave Munich. So this would be an idea for a worthwhile day trip. And while you’re out and about: In the H2 in the Glaspalast in Augsburg, a Exhibition of works by André Butzer. The Stuttgart native is not a comic artist, but calls himself a “science fiction expressionist”. But the cute giant heads with their big, eyelash-less eyes in his pictures are inspired by Walt Disney, among others. The fact that he also considers himself the reincarnation of Edward Munch is another, strange thing. His highly regarded pictures are always fun to look at. Butzer created a cycle of 27 paper works especially for the exhibition.
If you like paper and comics, you can actually have them in Munich. At the Instituto Cervantes, which is housed under the title “Excuse me, I’m talking” from June 12th, will be showing autobiographical comics by more than 30 Spanish women. These include pages from books, fanzines and magazines. The topics include health, work, LGBTIQ identities, family and historical trauma. Some stories are fictionalized, others semi-autobiographical or journalistic. Making one’s own feelings or thoughts visible is what all of these artists are concerned with. And they use comics as a medium for distribution, just as printmaking was for Hendrick Goltzius and Peter Paul Rubens around 1600.
:After the film is before the film
In June, cinemas have a lot to offer, including works about ball artists, brewmasters and Berlin activists.
With their prints, the two Flemish Baroque artists delivered “top achievements in graphics and self-promotion”, as stated in the announcement text for the exhibition “Careers By Design – Hendrick Goltzius & Peter Paul Rubens”. It will be on display from June 13th in the State Graphic Collection of the Pinakothek der Moderne. It presents a selection of 140 prints from the museum’s own rich holdings. At the same time, “Case Studies on Rubens” by the contemporary illustrator Slawomir Elsner will be shown. Elsner’s virtuoso ability to deal with works by “old masters” was demonstrated a few months ago in the Rüdiger Schöttle Gallery.
“All images are abstract, separated from the world.” So once again a Quote by André ButzerWhich brings us to the next big topic in the Pinakothek der Moderne. From June 14th, six different paths to abstraction will be shown in six rooms under the title “Walk The Line”. The works for this come from, among others, the Collection van de Loothe Goetz Collection as well as its own collection. And works by the Japanese artist group Gutai and the Munich artist groups Spur and ZEN 49 are presented, among others.
If you want to know what Munich artists are doing today: From 21 to 23 June the Domagk Studio Days with open studios, exhibitions, guided tours, discussions, activities and music.
Also in Art Pavilion in the Old Botanical Garden is exhibiting a whole collective with Alligator Gozaimasu under the title “Interval & Coincidence” from June 21st. An international, interdisciplinary cosmos has formed around the Munich core team around Klaus Erika Dietl and Stephanie Müller. Inspired by the DIY idea and with the courage to trash, concerts, Albums and performances. The exhibition will now be about how to keep cooperation alive in the face of many crises.
Is Banksy actually a whole street art collective? The myth of “Banksy” is alive and well. Current example: “House of Banksy“ in the former Galeria Kaufhof at Stachus. An “unauthorized exhibition” that was held in a similar form in 2021 in the Forum at the Deutsches Museum. All sorts of celebrities have announced their attendance at the opening on June 13, including Simone Ballack and Harold Faltermayer. Although there are only “true-to-original reproductions” of works there. But no matter, prints and comics also live from reproduction. And as far as this top performance in marketing is concerned: Goltzius and Rubens would certainly be jealous of Banksy.