Albert Oehlen
12 Mar - 16 Apr 2016
ALBERT OEHLEN
Works on Paper
12 March – 16 April 2016
Galerie Max Hetzler is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition Works on Paper by Albert Oehlen at Goethestrasse 2/3.
Albert Oehlen's graphic work forms a central part of his multifaceted oeuvre. Even though the affinity and interaction with his paintings is visible, Oehlen's works on paper distinguish themselves from his paintings and mark an independent category. The exhibition at Galerie Max Hetzler shows a series of small-sized drawings as well as larger works on paper and a wall drawing.
Restless dashes, drawn with ink, form complex arrangements on white paper. Black lines are crossing and overlaying each other, condensing into tortuous bundles before fleeing into the void. Upon small format Oehlen develops works that occupy and survey this particular space. Beside abstract elements also human forms – bodies or mere single limbs – can be perceived, spreading over the sheet and immediately dissolving into abstraction.
Much more reduced in his large-scaled drawings, Oehlen creates gestural marks with black charcoal on paper which underscore the intuitive moment that is intrinsic to the act of drawing. Well-defined lines are the traces of expansive bodily gestures and sudden changes in direction of the artist’s hand. Although the process happens both faster and more direct than in his painterly work and the result seems to be impulsive and spontaneous, it is in its entirety subtly constructed by Oehlen. He deliberately leaves blank spaces, doubles existing lines, smudges traces of charcoal and thus develops a plain, concentrated image structure.
For the first time at Galerie Max Hetzler Oehlen will present a work which will be drawn on site – directly on the white gallery wall – realised in a similar manner to his large drawings. Also created with black charcoal, the wall drawing spans the entire length of more than ten meters and continues the artist's approach of a gestural and swift graphic language.
At the same time, Galerie Max Hetzler presents an exhibition with paintings and works on paper by Jeff Elrod at Bleibtreustrasse 45. This is Elrod's first solo presentation in Germany.
Albert Oehlen, born in Krefeld in 1954, lives and works in Switzerland. Since 1981, he has been exhibiting regularly at Galerie Max Hetzler. Recent solo presentations of his work took place at New Museum, New York and Kunsthalle Zürich, Zurich (both 2015); Museum Wiesbaden (2014); mumok, Vienna (2013); Kunstmuseum Bonn (2012); Carré d'Art de Nîmes (2011); Musée d' Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (2009); Whitechapel Gallery, London (2006); MOCA, Miami; Kunsthalle Nürnberg, Nuremberg (both 2005); Musée Cantonal Des Beaux Arts, Lausanne; Domus Artium 2002, Salamanca and Secession, Vienna (all 2004) among others. In 2016, the following exhibitions will be opening Albert Oehlen: Woods Near Oehle at Cleveland Museum of Art, Georg Baselitz und Albert Oehlen at Kunstverein Reutlingen as well as Albert Oehlen: Recent Works at Guggenheim Bilbao.
Works on Paper
12 March – 16 April 2016
Galerie Max Hetzler is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition Works on Paper by Albert Oehlen at Goethestrasse 2/3.
Albert Oehlen's graphic work forms a central part of his multifaceted oeuvre. Even though the affinity and interaction with his paintings is visible, Oehlen's works on paper distinguish themselves from his paintings and mark an independent category. The exhibition at Galerie Max Hetzler shows a series of small-sized drawings as well as larger works on paper and a wall drawing.
Restless dashes, drawn with ink, form complex arrangements on white paper. Black lines are crossing and overlaying each other, condensing into tortuous bundles before fleeing into the void. Upon small format Oehlen develops works that occupy and survey this particular space. Beside abstract elements also human forms – bodies or mere single limbs – can be perceived, spreading over the sheet and immediately dissolving into abstraction.
Much more reduced in his large-scaled drawings, Oehlen creates gestural marks with black charcoal on paper which underscore the intuitive moment that is intrinsic to the act of drawing. Well-defined lines are the traces of expansive bodily gestures and sudden changes in direction of the artist’s hand. Although the process happens both faster and more direct than in his painterly work and the result seems to be impulsive and spontaneous, it is in its entirety subtly constructed by Oehlen. He deliberately leaves blank spaces, doubles existing lines, smudges traces of charcoal and thus develops a plain, concentrated image structure.
For the first time at Galerie Max Hetzler Oehlen will present a work which will be drawn on site – directly on the white gallery wall – realised in a similar manner to his large drawings. Also created with black charcoal, the wall drawing spans the entire length of more than ten meters and continues the artist's approach of a gestural and swift graphic language.
At the same time, Galerie Max Hetzler presents an exhibition with paintings and works on paper by Jeff Elrod at Bleibtreustrasse 45. This is Elrod's first solo presentation in Germany.
Albert Oehlen, born in Krefeld in 1954, lives and works in Switzerland. Since 1981, he has been exhibiting regularly at Galerie Max Hetzler. Recent solo presentations of his work took place at New Museum, New York and Kunsthalle Zürich, Zurich (both 2015); Museum Wiesbaden (2014); mumok, Vienna (2013); Kunstmuseum Bonn (2012); Carré d'Art de Nîmes (2011); Musée d' Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (2009); Whitechapel Gallery, London (2006); MOCA, Miami; Kunsthalle Nürnberg, Nuremberg (both 2005); Musée Cantonal Des Beaux Arts, Lausanne; Domus Artium 2002, Salamanca and Secession, Vienna (all 2004) among others. In 2016, the following exhibitions will be opening Albert Oehlen: Woods Near Oehle at Cleveland Museum of Art, Georg Baselitz und Albert Oehlen at Kunstverein Reutlingen as well as Albert Oehlen: Recent Works at Guggenheim Bilbao.