Opening: September 6, 6–8 pm
Galerie Max Hetzler is pleased to announce an exhibition of André Butzer, featuring new oil paintings, at Oudenarder Straße 16-20 in Wedding from September 6 until October 12, 2013.
A continuous principle of Butzer's work is an intensive exploration of the limits and possibilities of the medium painting. The artist initially created pictures of intense chromaticity in the style of his "Science Fiction Expressionism" that were partly characterized by a grotesque formal vocabulary and occasionally interspersed with figurative elements. Subsequently, an increasing abstraction prevailed, resulting in angled and at the same time moving lines and formations, usually painted in bright colors on a monochrome and flat gray surface.
The exhibition focuses on recently created, so-called "N-Bilder" (N-images) which concentrate the energetic force of earlier compositions in alleged black and white surface ornamentation.
Furthermore, all paintings are aligned to an imponderable measure 'N', which derives from the term "NASAHEIM" (NASA Home), neologism by the artist. For Butzer, "NASAHEIM" is an utopian, unattainable place, comparable to a threshold area where all colors are preserved. The painting as such consistently decays but at the same time renews itself in the sense of a permanent recreation.
The brilliant canvas, rich in contrasts and potentially flooded with colour, becomes the base of ornamental structures spreading out upon the surface. The actual motive is the picture in its entirety, combined with its perception by the viewer. On closer examination, delicate, imaginary color shades emerge from the pictorial ground: reddish, bluish, yellowish and violet tones cause a bright colour flicker, giving the image a special optical acuity. As a consequence, the new paintings constitute a compelling development of Butzer's oeuvre as already defined by the formal structures created in his earlier works.
The "N-Bilder" (N-Images) furthermore refer to the basic rules of artistic composition, the sheer proportions of the painting, setting them into slight motion at the same time. As in Cézanne's works, the opposites of life (upright) and death (horizontal) confront each other. Concerning the vivid as well as dark elements of the color panoply, Butzer considers his pictures as being the true artistic creators, while he as the author can only take second place. For the eye of the beholder he thus opens up new angles of vision on some of the most elementary topics of mankind.
This is the fifth solo exhibition by André Butzer at Galerie Max Hetzler.
André Butzer, born in 1973, lives and works in Rangsdorf near Berlin. His work was presented in several solo shows, such as in the Kestnergesellschaft, Hanover (2011); Kunsthistorisches Museum - CAC Contemporary Art Club at Theseustempel, Vienna (2011); Kunsthalle Nuremberg (2009) and Kunstverein Heilbronn (2004). He has furthermore participated in numerous important international group exhibitions including Kunsthalle Emden and MoCA - Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2013); Museum für Konkrete Kunst, Ingolstadt/Kunstraum Munich (2012); Kunstmuseum St.Gallen (2011); Oldenburger Kunstverein; mumok, Vienna; ZKM - Museum für Kunst- und Medientechnologie, Karlsruhe; Kestnergesellschaft, Hanover (all in 2008); Rubell Family Collection, Miami (2007); Collection Goetz, Munich (2006); Museum der Moderne Salzburg; Carré d’art – Musée d’art contemporain de Nîmes; Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund; Kunstverein Ulm (all in 2005); Kunsthalle Hamburg; Kunstverein Graz; Kunstverein Frankfurt (all in 2003) and Kunsthalle Baden-Baden (2002).
Upcoming exhibitions and art fair participations:
7 September – 19 October 2013, Albert Oehlen – Interieurs, Bleibtreustraße 45, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Opening: 07 September, 6–8 pm
7 September – 19 October 2013, Albert Oehlen, Markus Oehlen, Joyce Pensato, Matthias Schaufler, John Sparagana, Rebecca Warren, Goethestraße 2/3, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Opening: 07 September, 6-8 pm
8 November 2013, 6-8 pm, Tarek Atoui (Sound Performance), Goethestraße 2/3, Berlin-Charlottenburg
10 November – 18 January 2014, Joan Mitchell, Bleibtreustraße 45, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Opening: 10 November, 11 am–5 pm
10 November – 21 December 2013, REMEMBER EVERYTHING : 40 Years Galerie Max Hetzler, Oudenarder Straße 16-20, Berlin-Wedding, Opening: 10 November, 11 am–5 pm
23 November – 18 January 2014, Christoph Niemann, Goethestraße 2/3, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Opening: 23 November, 6–8 pm
FRIEZE ART FAIR, LONDON
17 – 20 October 2013, Preview 16 October
FIAC, PARIS
24 – 27 October 2013, Preview 23 October
ART BASEL, MIAMI BEACH
5 – 8 December 2013, Preview 4 December
