multi
Artistic positions from the Kunsthaus Wiesbaden

March 5 - April 1, 2010

Participating artists:

Nicole Ahland
Jens Andres
Hans-Bernhard Becker
Andrea Esswein
Nicole Fehling
Kirsten Herold
Karin Hoerler

Opening: Friday, March 5 at 8 pm

The artists of the Kunsthaus Wiesbaden - while displaying a broad range of different work practices - have a common denominator nevertheless: Unity in face of diversity.




Nicole Ahland, born 1970 in Trier



The photographic oeuvre of Nicole Ahland counter sketches documentary, reality-mediating photography. Light and space are at the center of Ahland's large formate, pictorial photographies: In the views that tend to an abstract two-dimensionality light as an immaterial entity is playing a major role as it is manifesting itself in the presented spaces thereby actually creating them.



Jens Andres, born 1967 in Mainz


image: „Was ich fuerchte ist die Gedankenlosigkeit“, 2009, oil and acrylic on beaverboard, 80 x 225 cm

Jens Andres´ works challenge the observer. His painting is conceptual and content accentuated. In his ironical-profound manner he is questioning everyday situations as well as the great existential subjects thereby displaying their oddities and absurd aspects. A variety of disparate possibilities of figuration is being assembled to create a cross-over painting. Realistic figuration sitting next to comic creatures, gestural paint brush strokes correponding to graphic ornamentation and pictographical elements.



Hans-Bernhard Becker, born 1952 in Wiesbaden


image: "The Alibi",  2008,  water colour on clay, 58 pieces

In a programmatic change of media and materials Hans-Bernhard Becker is employing painting as a conceptual tool to explore painting itself. Starting from different positions and perspectives and involving fictious artistic characters that ironically comment on the question of the so-called artistic hand he analyses the possibilities of pictoral forms of expression.



Andrea Esswein, born 1969 in Germersheim


image: „Nelke“, copygraphy on wood, UV varnish, 40 x 40, 2009

Andrea Esswein is working with the techiques of photography and copygraphy. Her works conceptually arise from inner feelings and internal states, the subjects always dealing with her proximate surroundings. In her copygraphies Andrea Esswein creates stamps of objects and bodies that are directly put onto a copying machine and composes new images from these fragments



Nicole Fehling, born 1969 in Marburg


image: O.T., 2007, white photo card board, 2.600 folded paper objects, room filling

At first sight Nicole Fehling's paper objects are strictly formally aligned boxes playing with light, shadow and three-dimensionality. They induce the impression of a massiveness that can not be relied to upon a second view. Boxes that are inviting the observer to reflect: Are they symbolizing packaging of our goods-focused world? Are they trying to tell that nowadays the package has become more important than the content? If art is packaging and packaging is art the function of art becomes perceptible. One notices: Art has become a product that has to be well placed on the market.
Nicole Fehling's works are not to be considered in an isolated way: As the documentation of the creation process becomes part of the exhibition she allows for another, enthralling view - behind the packaging.



Kirsten Herold, born 1968 in Berlin



At the focus of my artistic work as a sculptor is the human being. It is the "short moment", the "slight movement" that is of interest to me. To stage what is hardly visible anymore - or can almost be anticipated already - in a timeless and isolated manner is my intent. I therefore mostly utilize a realistic representation with a closed surface. In the realization I am looking for vocabulary with general validity, for a language that can be understood independent of time and the original situation.



Karin Hoerler, born 1952 in Frankfurt


image: from the series „Ich muss jetzt mal ein Machtwort sprechen“, „Eisern, staehlern und hart im Gesicht, wir wollen ein maennlich Gericht“, pastel on canvas, 190 x 410 cm, 2009

The basis for Hoerler's work is formed by private photographs and films of mostly biographical origin. In her latest works of large-format pastels she is dealing with her parents' memories of the Nazi regime. Contrary to these are autobiographical ink drawings based upon photographes from Karin Hoerler's childhood and youth in the 1950s and 60s. The fuzzyness and openness of these drawings leave it to the observer to discern his/her own story in the images.


images website ©: the artists
Organizers for the Kuenstlerhaus: Patrick Borchers, Anett Frontzek, Elly Valk-Verheijen
images opening ©:  Hannes Woidich
kindly supported by: Sparkasse Dortmund, Cultural Department of the City of Dortmund