Sommer & Kohl

Beni Bischof
Euphorie kann man nicht essen

exhibition 18 September – 30 October 2010
Wednesday – Saturday 11 am – 6 pm and by appointment
extended opening times during art forum berlin 7 – 9 October 2010, 11 am – 8 pm

Sommer & Kohl are pleased to present the first solo exhibition of new works by Beni Bischof (*1976, CH) in Germany.

In the past years, Beni Bischof has become known for his striking, funny works. With much humour and an obvious disposition for chaos he uses painting, drawing, collage, sculpture and photo-manipulation. Despite a strong interest in current affairs, pop and underground, Bischof’s work cannot be reduced to one particular theme.

The artist’s intuitive approach is be driven by curiosity and a keen urge to produce. Often inspired by images from his own archive or purposefully collected materials, he develops unique, strangely distant realizations, which impress by their uncompromising subjectivity. Clichés are opened out, the familiar is transformed into something strange. In the process times get mixed up. Momentarily we are reminded of medieval, mystical illustrations, at another point we race through the present as if possessed. At one time the paintings defy a reading and let us dwell in surreal worlds, another time he tells everyday tales irritating in their banality, yet another time his works are highly political commentaries on our society. Fragments from his idiosyncratic universe appear in constantly new formations, impact upon seemingly insignificant public imagery and in this way catapult us through time and space. The messages are oddly familiar and at the same time hermetic, impenetrable and absurd. In any case they create a mentally and emotionally charged atmosphere, which develops a magical pull.

Without sketches and drafts the work develops fluently and in series. Coincidences happen, mistakes are actively provoked and integrated into the imagery. The artist is interested in anti-aesthetics, manipulation of extraneous material, deconstruction, absurdity, destroyed beauty. This is paralleled by his expressive use of materials: thick, disrespectful applying of oil paint (e.g. on fashion magazines); smudging, pixelling and erasing in photoshop; fast sketchy drawing.

Beni Bischof’s solo exhibition at Kunsthalle St. Gallen (CH) is currently on view until 31 October. In spring 2011 he will have a solo exhibition at o.T. Raum für aktuelle Kunst, Luzern (CH). This year, he received a Swiss Art Award in the context of the Eidgenössischer Wettbewerb für Kunst 2010, Basel (CH).

For further information and/or images please contact Sommer & Kohl.

Beni Bischof’s exhibition is kindly supported by the Swiss Embassy in Berlin.