Timo Behn & Eva Von Platen
19 Feb - 02 Apr 2011
TIMO BEHN + EVA VON PLATEN
19 February - 2 April, 2011
We are proud to announce our upcoming exhibition with works by Timo Behn (*1973, Germany) and Eva von Platen (*1965, Germany). This will be the first Swiss exhibition for both artists. Timo Behn will show new abstract paintings and drawings, which belong to the workseries "Rheingold". This series is dominated by a mysterious rectangular shape. In contrast, Eva von Platen will create a large installation from her collages, sketches, found objects, and dadaistic notes onto a self-made wallpaper. Her works, arranged in associative patterns, fill the gallery space with another kind of seriality.
"The black rectangular form in TIMO BEHN’s (*1973, Germany) paintings evokes associations with representational objects: a mirror, a coffin, or maybe even a doorway into another world. ... Single elements in strong, glowing colors seem to fight for dominance and generate a perspective the onlooker cannot be sure of; all components are in a constant state of flux. Modern architecture such as in Fritz Lang’s epic film “Metropolis” serve as inspiration for Timo Behn. The artist is enthralled by the multitude of intersecting and overlapping lines. He transfers this concept into his art and continually paints over one canvas again and again. ... Chance and coincidence play an important part in Timo Behn’s creative process. The artist searches for possibilities to outsmart his own will and intention, for instance when applying acrylic onto car paint. He thereby invokes cracks and fissures he cannot foretell. Behn’s deep black also evolves in an unpredictable fashion. For this color the artist has discovered bitumen, an industrial material usually used for sealing and waterproofing. Sometimes this substance dries with a glossy shining surface and at other times it has a matt finish. Fundamental for Timo Behn’s oeuvre is the serial: he always works on several paintings at the same time. Elements that came into being by chance in one painting are intentionally transferred into another to then evolve into ever-new forms."
- Excerpt from text by Silke Krohn, translated from German
EVA VON PLATEN (*1965, Germany) creates drawings, collages, photographs, and video works. She has also been active as an author for theater and TV. Currently, Eva von Platen is professor at Nürnberg's art academy ("Akademie der Bildenden Künste Nürnberg"). Eva von Platen's works on paper seem to be an agglomeration of quickly jotted down notes and sketches. She often integrates found objects such as magazine ads, paper bags, or random flyers into her oeuvre; either reworked as collages, as a background for drawings, or as pure objets trouvés. Eva von Platen sets these pieces of entertainment trash into surprisingly new contexts to expose the hollow banalities we are surrounded with each and every day. Sometimes reminiscent of comics or photo-stories, the artist’s installations of many works on paper convey a sense of playfulness and (black) humor. Instead of being superficial, though, Eva von Platen's collages and drawings point to questions of philosophy, psychology and art history - without taking themselves all too seriously.
19 February - 2 April, 2011
We are proud to announce our upcoming exhibition with works by Timo Behn (*1973, Germany) and Eva von Platen (*1965, Germany). This will be the first Swiss exhibition for both artists. Timo Behn will show new abstract paintings and drawings, which belong to the workseries "Rheingold". This series is dominated by a mysterious rectangular shape. In contrast, Eva von Platen will create a large installation from her collages, sketches, found objects, and dadaistic notes onto a self-made wallpaper. Her works, arranged in associative patterns, fill the gallery space with another kind of seriality.
"The black rectangular form in TIMO BEHN’s (*1973, Germany) paintings evokes associations with representational objects: a mirror, a coffin, or maybe even a doorway into another world. ... Single elements in strong, glowing colors seem to fight for dominance and generate a perspective the onlooker cannot be sure of; all components are in a constant state of flux. Modern architecture such as in Fritz Lang’s epic film “Metropolis” serve as inspiration for Timo Behn. The artist is enthralled by the multitude of intersecting and overlapping lines. He transfers this concept into his art and continually paints over one canvas again and again. ... Chance and coincidence play an important part in Timo Behn’s creative process. The artist searches for possibilities to outsmart his own will and intention, for instance when applying acrylic onto car paint. He thereby invokes cracks and fissures he cannot foretell. Behn’s deep black also evolves in an unpredictable fashion. For this color the artist has discovered bitumen, an industrial material usually used for sealing and waterproofing. Sometimes this substance dries with a glossy shining surface and at other times it has a matt finish. Fundamental for Timo Behn’s oeuvre is the serial: he always works on several paintings at the same time. Elements that came into being by chance in one painting are intentionally transferred into another to then evolve into ever-new forms."
- Excerpt from text by Silke Krohn, translated from German
EVA VON PLATEN (*1965, Germany) creates drawings, collages, photographs, and video works. She has also been active as an author for theater and TV. Currently, Eva von Platen is professor at Nürnberg's art academy ("Akademie der Bildenden Künste Nürnberg"). Eva von Platen's works on paper seem to be an agglomeration of quickly jotted down notes and sketches. She often integrates found objects such as magazine ads, paper bags, or random flyers into her oeuvre; either reworked as collages, as a background for drawings, or as pure objets trouvés. Eva von Platen sets these pieces of entertainment trash into surprisingly new contexts to expose the hollow banalities we are surrounded with each and every day. Sometimes reminiscent of comics or photo-stories, the artist’s installations of many works on paper convey a sense of playfulness and (black) humor. Instead of being superficial, though, Eva von Platen's collages and drawings point to questions of philosophy, psychology and art history - without taking themselves all too seriously.