Educated people would not emphasize one hundred percent that a picture is worth a thousand words. Perhaps it would be an all too unconditional surrender to the subcomplex. But one thing is clear: A cleverly chosen illustration often conveys complicated facts better (or at least faster) to the viewer than a long explanatory text could. Neither words nor pictures are completely committed to truth in and of themselves, especially in today’s digital age, but art is not primarily about truth, at most about higher forms of truth, in which illusions and beautiful appearances are not excluded.
Sascha Lehmann, who calls himself Saxa as an artist, is a word painter. By visualizing his portraits of prominent personalities letter by letter with an ink pen, quasi “writing” them by hand, he combines both spheres – literature and fine arts – in his very own way. Some of his works (overpaintings on canvas) are currently on view in the Kersten Gallery in Brunnthal. Joseph Beuys, Audrey Hepburn or Bruce Springsteen can be recognized there, their faces creatively combined with quotes or song texts and, as it were, bathing in them. Originally, Holger and Barbara Weinstock, the owners of the gallery, wanted to dedicate a solo exhibition including a vernissage to the Cologne artist and poet Saxa – the (Catalan) x is pronounced like sch – but due to the pandemic situation they changed their mind and decided to do a group exhibition designed. “Artful Advent” is the name of this and, in addition to a few works by Saxa that made it to Brunnthal, it combines some current works by contemporary, mostly German artists, but also pictures, unique pieces, rarities, graphics by national and international celebrities.
Gallery owner Holger Weinstock poses in front of an original screen print graphic by the street artist Banksy.
(Photo: Sebastian Gabriel)
And it actually has it nominally: Works by Banksy, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Robert Bailey and Janosch can be seen in Brunnthal. Banksy’s (“Police Kids”) work is priced a few levels above the others – but who would doubt the wisdom of the art market? Next to it hangs a large, pop-colorful street art work by Mr. Brainwash, which again cites motifs by Banksy and Keith Haring, among others. The French artist Thierry Guetta, who plays a leading role in Banksy’s ironic documentary “Exit Through The Gift Shop” and is therefore considered by some to be a fictional character of the British street artist, trades under the name of Mr. Brainwash.
The few works by Janosch, which are also hanging in the large, bright room of the gallery on the first floor, are ironic and humorous in a different way. Alone the couple in “My wife looks confidently into the future” with strong red-green color elements and typical figuration and playful details attracts the eye. “I like his naive, wild art, beyond the tiger duck,” says Holger Weinstock about the 90-year-old artist who lives in Tenerife and who has already come to Brunnthal for exhibitions twice.
Weinstock was also enthusiastic about Rupprecht Geiger. His three graphics from 1970 are absolute eye-catchers: A simple geometric shape (circle), bright colors and intense contrasts, produce almost hypnotic effects. “Those are crazy colors,” says Weinstock. In addition, two Keith Haring works adorn the wall that were created two decades later: “Pop Shop VI” and “Fight Aids Worldwide”.
Well-rounded story: At Rupprecht Geiger, the colors shine.
(Photo: Sebastian Gabriel)
Intensive, strong colors dominate the exhibition anyway, in addition to Pop Art there is also concrete art by Ralph Kerstner and Klaus Joas, but also delicate photo-realistic watercolors by Petra Levis. There are also floating figural sculptures by Antonie de Andrés-Gayón or new pencil drawings with Star Wars motifs by Robert Bailey, whose admirers include George Lucas and Harrison Ford.
On the ground floor, which is relatively full and actually has something Christmas market-like, special lovers will still find works by Katja Then that are not quite as colorful. The artist, who implements her experimental ideas with a wide variety of materials, shows gray fluff shirts: she collected them from dryer fluff and brought them back into shape.
Otherwise, however, the words of Oscar Wilde, which the gallery prefixed its work show as the motto: “One should equate with the joy, the beauty, the colors of life. The less one speaks about the wounds of existence, the better.”
The exhibition in the Kersten Gallery in Brunnthal, Otterloher Straße 6, lasts until January 15. As in retail, 2-G rules apply.