Ben Willikens
25 Jul - 04 Oct 2009
BEN WIILIKENS
"Light and Darkness"
25 July - 4 October 2009
For three years duration, Ben Willikens studied Leonardo da Vinci’s »Last Supper« in the former Dominican Monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. In 1979 he completed this artistic dialogue, which was documented in numerous conceptual drawings and a monumental panel painting. After a period of almost 30 years, the panel painting will be exhibited in Stuttgart for the very first time. Discarding the Apostles and the figure of Christ or further narrative elements, the artist has reduced the biblical scene to the essential architectural distribution of light and space; the art-historical model has been compressed in order to unveil its relevance for contemporary times. Furthermore, the Kunstmuseum will present the complete series »ORTE« in the exhibition. In these works Willikens addresses existing architectural monuments built in the 1930s, including buildings in Nuremberg, Berlin, and Munich, to symbolize the omnipotence of the NS dictatorship. However, devoid of all insignia of power, they reveal their fatal countenance: Darkness dominates the work, and behind it death and destruction inevitably lurk. The series was executed between 1996 and 1999, including ten canvases and fifteen gouaches. It was purchased by the »Daimler Art Collection« for the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart.
"Light and Darkness"
25 July - 4 October 2009
For three years duration, Ben Willikens studied Leonardo da Vinci’s »Last Supper« in the former Dominican Monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. In 1979 he completed this artistic dialogue, which was documented in numerous conceptual drawings and a monumental panel painting. After a period of almost 30 years, the panel painting will be exhibited in Stuttgart for the very first time. Discarding the Apostles and the figure of Christ or further narrative elements, the artist has reduced the biblical scene to the essential architectural distribution of light and space; the art-historical model has been compressed in order to unveil its relevance for contemporary times. Furthermore, the Kunstmuseum will present the complete series »ORTE« in the exhibition. In these works Willikens addresses existing architectural monuments built in the 1930s, including buildings in Nuremberg, Berlin, and Munich, to symbolize the omnipotence of the NS dictatorship. However, devoid of all insignia of power, they reveal their fatal countenance: Darkness dominates the work, and behind it death and destruction inevitably lurk. The series was executed between 1996 and 1999, including ten canvases and fifteen gouaches. It was purchased by the »Daimler Art Collection« for the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart.