Over the summer we held an exhibition featuring works by Gerry Wedd and Karl Fritsch, titled Surf and Turf. For us in Germany, the coral reefs, sandy beaches, and laidback surf culture of Australia and New Zealand are but a far away dream. This is why we decided to curate this exhibition, bringing some easy sunshine vibes to our German countryside!

For a full list of works, check the link here for some details

Karl Fritsch, a titan in contemporary goldsmithery based in New Zealand, is a long time friend of the gallery, having been on the roster for some years. His last visit here was in 2020, when we presented Ruby Gold. Gerry Wedd, new to our program, is an Australian potter and surf champion. The two artists create a synergy of offbeat humour, an energy we tried to recreate in the exhibition environment with garish pink walls, display lazy Susans operating on skateboard wheels, loud patterned carpets. The idea is more is more! To hell with minimalism and the understated!

Fritsch also has a hobby of brewing beers in his home, and decided to collaborate with Wedd on a series of beer mugs. Wedd has a signature style of blue and white painted ceramic vessels, adorned with motifs of surfing, the sea, and his local culture. With this style he created the body of the beer mugs, and Fritsch was in charge of the elaborate lids. Intensively molded by hand, stacked in precious stones and metal, the combination creates a pairing that screams at you!

Seaweed Lamp, anyone?

Beyond the beer mugs (steins), we also included other pieces such as this beer bottle seaweed lamp fixture by Karl Fritsch below! It is made with up cycled ‚trash‘ – seaweed washed ashore and a leftover beer bottle. One man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure – truly!

Who Loves Stopmotion?

We had some fun in the gallery this summer, take a look at the footage below ✨

The exhibition goes until October 9th, and we hope all those that attended enjoyed it!

Contact us to find out more!

Art as an experience is something that underlines all of our work here in Galerie Zink. We create a complete experience and environment beyond just a white cube gallery space, with our guest apartment, artist residency, and most recently, a sculpture park in the making!

We didn’t begin with the intention to make a full sculpture park, but it developed organically as our artists get inspired by our space. The beautiful landscape, the notable history, the architecture of our buildings, are all sources of inspiration. Below we will cover a few pieces around our gallery, for you to discover

Michael Sailstorfer Mask series

One of the first pieces we installed was Michael Sailstorfer’s gold leaf covered mask on the facade of our gallery building. Inspired by the gold Madonna sculpture across from the entrance to our gallery, Sailstorfer created a piece in his signature abstract mask style to echo the shimmering precious metal. The location of the piece and the eye catching gold meant it was the first thing visitors saw, setting the tone for the rest of the journey through Galerie Zink. We hope the piece will spark our visitor’s curiosity, to find out more about our artists and our gallery!

Rudolf Bott bench

A recent addition to the sculptures is Rudolf Bott’s wooden bench, though not your average bench! Our gallery is located directly behind the village church, a major landmark in the village we are set in. But for such a major gathering point, there is no real community space. So Bott decided to create this oversized bench for people to meet. The idea was that people could meet before Sunday Service, or rest after their hike. Its almost absurd size allows it to also double as a table, and adds an air of whimsy. Even a very tall person would dangle their legs when sitting on it, as if they are Alice in Wonderland having eaten the shrinking cake. There is a childlike enjoyment on this bench. As it is intended to be activated, on your next visit please climb on it and take a seat!

Jo Schöpfer Abstract Sculpture

Jo Schöpfer’s piece has (in my opinion) the best spot in our whole garden. I recommend taking a look at it during sunset, as it forms a stunning backdrop, with the metal structure framing the trees and mountains. The sculpture is one of Schöpfer’s signature shapes, and stands in stark contrast to the nature surrounding it. The man-made metal frame doesn’t belong in the lush scenery, challenging and intriguing the viewer. Let us know what you think!

Dirk Zoete masks

Looking up to the right, are a few inconspicuous Dirk Zoete masks on the side of the building, peeking through the tree. The silver cast aluminium masks stand out against the dark wood facade of our gallery building, much like the gold mask of Sailstorfer. How do you think the works by Zoete and Sailstorfer differ? They appear fairly similar upon the first glance, but have wildly different energies. Would love to hear what our visitors think of them!

I wanted to refrain from imbuing too much of my own thoughts in my introduction as the purpose was to encourage a conversation from our visitors. It is always good to hear what you all think when you discover them by chance. We like to strike a balance between intentional and natural, to create a dialogue.

Get in touch to stay with us, or just come for a day visit!

The first show to kick off Galerie Zink’s 2022 program is a group show titled David & Goliath. David and Goliath is a biblical story about David, a young shepherd and harpist who gains fame by slaying the giant Goliath, a champion of the Philistines. In the story, David used a humble slingshot to hit Goliath in the head, then cut his head off to defeat him. David later went on to become the King. The phrase „David and Goliath“ has taken on a more popular meaning nowadays. It denotes an underdog situation, a contest wherein a smaller, weaker opponent faces a much bigger, stronger adversary. 

This story has become one of the most iconic tales that inspired countless paintings and sculptures over the centuries. It is the inspiration for artist legends from Caravaggio to Michelangelo to Degas.

The centerpiece of our exhibition is a masterpiece of the Neapolitan school in the 17th century. The painting was discovered by the Munich Old Master dealer Marco Pesarese in a small auction. The exact authorship of the painting has not yet been clarified. But the extraordinary quality of the composition and the painting have awakened the detective in Pesarese. It is part of his ambition to uncover unexplained attributions and thus to lift treasures of art history.

David & Goliath, Italy, 17th century
Oil on canvas
231 × 175 cm (91 × 68 ⅞ inches)

When Michael Zink saw the impressive painting in the restorer’s workshop, the idea was born to juxtapose contemporary positions with the masterpiece. The artists Gregory Forstner (F), Dan Schein (USA), Cristina Lama and Matias Sanchez (S) and the two Belgians Klaas Rommelaere and Manon Kündig have developed works especially for the exhibition.

New year, new artists, new shows, new projects.

We had a busy 2021, celebrating our 27th anniversary! We began with a joint exhibition of Karl Fritsch and Paul Kooiker along with an artist residency with Jana Gunstheimer. We then showed a solo exhibition of the longest standing artist in our program German Stegmaier. This was followed by a participation in Art Central Hong Kong, presenting Matías Sanchez! That was the perfect precursor to our iconic sold out solo show for him, In Ictu Oculi. We rounded off the year with a stunning show by Muntean/Rosenblum that we were sad to say goodbye to. Nonetheless, 2022 is upon us and we have lots happening!

First Rain, Brise-Soleil, Thao Nguyen Phan at Tate St Ives, Feb 5, 2022

Right off the bat, we are so excited to debut Thao Nguyen Phan’s newest video work at Tate St Ives. The exhibition will feature an overview of her previous videos, watercolours, installation and sculptures.

Thao Nguyen Phan, First Rain, Brise-Soleil video still 2021. Courtesy of the artist. Produced by Han Nefkens Foundation.

‚First rain, Brise-soleil‘ could be considered a continuation of Thao’s project “Becoming Alluvium” and “Mute Grain”, in which she deepens her interest in ecology and food security. The work includes a multi-channel video installation and paintings. Thao draws inspiration from a Vietnamese folktale which explores the romantic love between a Khmer woman and a Vietnamese man. To Thao, this tale is a metaphor for the invasion of the Viet ethnic group from the north of Vietnam, to the central and southern lands (Champa kingdom in the central; Chenla in the south) which was once called Kampuchea Krom, nowadays understood as the Vietnamese Mekong delta. The Mekong delta is Vietnam’s largest rice basket – a prosperous alluvium plain for agricultural and industrial development. It is facing alarming issues dues to climate change and human intervention of the Mekong river, such as dam construction and excessive rice cultivation. ‚First rain, Brise-soleil‘ seeks to reveal the violence and the destruction that occurs in this region – historically and today. The work proposes a gentler kind of modernity. An embrace of progress that shows a respect to the poetry and lyricism of indigenous knowledge and our ecosystem.

Thao Nguyen Phan solo presentation at Taipei Dangdai, May 19, 2022

Following the Tate showing, we will bring her work to Taipei for the first time at Taipei Dangdai art fair. That will most likely be a remote participation from us as travel is sadly still a complication. But we are excited still to bring this museum-level piece to a new country we’ve never shown in. See you in Taipei in May!

Thao Nguyen Phan is also invited to the 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, so see you this summer in Venice!

David & Goliath, Galerie Zink, Feb 12, 2022

In the gallery, we will kick out our 2022 program with ‚David & Goliath‘, inspired by a 17th century painting discovered in a small auction in Munich by our friend and Old Master dealer Marco Pesarese. The centrepiece of the exhibition is a large masterpiece of the Neapolitan school. The exact authorship of the painting has not yet been clarified, but the extraordinary quality of the composition and the painting have awakened the detective in Pesarese – it is part of his ambition to uncover unexplained attributions and thus to lift treasures of art history.

David & Goliath, 17th century
Oil on canvas
231 × 175 cm (91 × 68 ⅞ inches)

When Michael Zink saw the impressive painting in the restorer’s workshop, he had the idea to juxtapose contemporary pieces with this painting. We invited artists Gregory Forstner, Dan Schein, Cristina Lama, Matias Sanchez, and the two Belgians Klaas Rommelaere and Manon Kündig to develop works especially for the exhibition. I’m sure our followers are familiar with Gregory, Matias, and Klaas as they have been actively on our roster, and we are really excited to bring on new artists Dan and Cristina! 

Dan Schein’s oil paintings are expressive and painterly, often done without a sketch. The figures and scenes in his oeuvre are depicted with merely a few powerful strokes, and yet the spirit and snapshot of a narrative comes through viscerally. Through the lens of Dan Schein, the world is grotesque and awkward, ambivalently humorous. Each piece bursts with energy!

Cristina Lama is similar in that she is also an expressive oil painter. Her works tend to be surreal with often no perceivable perspective even in her more figurative works, and creatures that come from her imagination. The paintings are almost like what it’s like to peer into the dreams of a creative child, free of adult limitations like logic and science.

Matías Sanchez & Baldur Helgason, Galerie Zink, Apr 2, 2022

The following show is a group show featuring Matías Sanchez and Baldur Helgason. This highly anticipated exhibition will include new pieces by Matias as well as Baldur, Icelandic artist best known for his cartoonishly exaggerated figure. Baldur’s finely rendered paintings contrast with Matias‘ impasto works. The artists depict their characters in wildly different styles, both expressing a slightly sinister view of the world, both grotesquely ironic. The paintings by Baldur draws the viewers in with smoothly rendered ‚cute‘ big eyes and smile, but the clown-like manic smile and crazy eyes make them also confrontational and uncomfortable to really look at. In a society where eye contact and smiling at strangers freak people out, these paintings are like an affront. We can’t wait to show you more of the exhibition!

Baldur Helgason
Hitchhiker, 2021
120 × 100 cm (47 ¼ × 39 ⅜ inches)

Matías Sanchez, Pintor con Pinceles Y Sombrero de Paja, 2020
Oil on linen
73 × 60 cm (28 ¾ × 23 ⅝ inches)

Surf & Turf, Galerie Zink, June 25, 2022

To wrap up our first half of the year, we introduce a fun summer exhibition, Surf and Turf. The show will include works by Karl Fritsch and Gerry Wedd. Friends of the gallery would be no stranger to anarchist jeweller Karl, and we invited ceramicist Gerry Wedd to join the exhibition. The artists are based in Australia and New Zealand, countries that could not seem further away than in these days with limited travel and their stringent travel bans. But while being ‚trapped‘ in their own little worlds, the artists just got to work in their studios to create. Karl will bring his signature jewelry and Gerry will create some blue and white ceramic vessels for the show. Gerry’s works are very tongue in cheek, just like Karl’s. We will be presenting the works in a very special way for a little added humour than the usual white cube gallery format. So stay tuned for more information!

Karl Fritsch
Untitled (147), 2006
whitegold, ametheyst, cubic zirkonica, glass

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Over the past couple of years, Gregory Forstner has been working on his series ‚Flowers For The Bold‘. Reacting to the new realities imposed by the pandemic, the artist was inspired to create a new series of paintings. A selection was exhibited earlier this year in FRAC Occitanie Montpellier.

Suddenly many things we took for granted were suspended. Things that were crucial and elementary to Gregory’s life, such as the ocean, were considered to be a constant. So when these privileges were taken away, he began to reassess his priorities. Before this, the artist explored issues related to the political background of his family. But when access to nature was stripped away due to the lockdowns, he had to address those needs first. That is not to say there is no link between his new body of works and his previous works, as it is still a progression built upon his experiences as an artist. But he went back to the basics, ’still life‘ – painting of flowers as the building block of many artists in the past.

We spoke to him about this new series in the short video below, beautifully produced by our friend Sophie Loesch!

About The Artist

Gregory Forstner was born in 1975 in Cameroon, now lives and works in Montpellier, France. The artist received a degree from the Academy of Applied Arts Vienna in 1994. Then he spent some years with École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts at Villa Arson, Nice, and Paris. In 2008, Forstner was the recipient of a scholarship from the French Ministry of Culture for a one-year residency in New York with Triangle Arts association. This resulted in a 10 year stay in the city until his relocation back to France. A large retrospective of his works was presented in Fondation Fernet-Branca, Basel in 2018. The artist is known for his paintings and drawings that capture human nature through expressive brush strokes, bold colors, and his signature anthropomorphised dog characters.

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Galerie Zink is proud to present ‚Uncertainty’s Grace‘, a solo exhibition by Muntean/Rosenblum. Featuring a number of new drawings and paintings alongside a special video project completed on site in Waldkirchen, the show explores the paradoxes of our current society: to be connected yet isolated.

Check out the full list of works available here

Muntean/Rosenblum: „Uncertainty’s Grace“ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen

Adi Rosenblum and Markus Muntean form the artist duo, but they are in such synchronicity from working together since 1992, they could very much be considered a single artist. When looking at their works, there are no discernible factors of there being two separate set of hands or brains working on it. Their iconic style of painted images with a ‚caption‘ started way before the existence of social media. Nowadays, it is easily understood. The words under an Instagram post does not merely describe a photo, but rather is the linguistic extension of the art of this photo.

„She’s over-bored and self-assured“ – Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana

The works by Muntean/Rosenblum evoke such complex feelings for me. While they are not aggressively confronting me with that paradox, their quiet gentleness is like a deafening silence. And yet, I cannot stop looking. These works present snapshots into the protagonists‘ lives, pregnant with tension. I wonder what they’re thinking, where they’re going. It is like watching a very relatable movie, feeling attacked and seen at the same time. The paintings twinkle in their soft pastel colors, inspiring contemplation and self reflection. Looking at the works is like taking a journey that is slow but revealing, and the delicate aesthetic allows space for the viewer to pause and reflect.

This is the sensitive millennial in me speaking. Exactly the kind of people featured in their paintings. We (and gen Z) are a generation of people very concerned with the self, and even this essay I’m writing is rife with personal thoughts. In the West, many have everything we need i.e. food, shelter, water, so the existential ponders on the paradoxical nature of our lives sit fairly front and centre on our minds. Each figure in the paintings, alone or in a group, is self consciously lost in their own world. They are a visual representation of Main Character Syndrome. While people want to „fit in“, they also paradoxically want to be identified as exceptional, injecting purpose into the perceived struggles and daily toiling of life.

Muntean/Rosenblum: „Uncertainty’s Grace“ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen

Muntean/Rosenblum: „Uncertainty’s Grace“ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen

Below is an excerpt from the catalogue of the exhibition „A New Age: The Spiritual in Art“ at Tel Aviv Museum of Art, 2019: 

Muntean/Rosenblum’s paintings are composed of disassociated fragments: figures, landscapes and texts from different sources are dissolved together into imaginary scenes whose artificiality is patent and does not try to camouflage itself. Muntean/Rosenblum collect the images of young people, the subjetcs of these paintings, from the net, from selfies and telephone photographs. One can imagine them modelling an ad for a shirt or for sneakers, while at the same time modelling a search for spirituality. The backgrounds, too–urban environments or natural landscapes, are harvested from a variety of photographic sources and join the fictitious scenes that seem to have been taken from the collective Facebook page of Youngsters of the Western World. The texts at the bottom of the works are also borrowed from various literary sources. Removed from their context and attached to doleful-eyed youngsters, they read like clichés that are also truth; words depleted of meaning yet simultaneously laden with the most profound contents: about the state of humanity, the meaning of life and the universe. Deep or shallow?

It is difficult to pinpoint Muntean/Rosenblum’s stance: is it a mirroring of a society that mumbles ideas about inner peace and quiet just as it markets trainer shoes and shirts, or an ironic gaze? Empathy or compassion for the painted figures? Their subjects are New Agers: youngsters who have everything, or at least everything that the satiated West can give–but are lost, wandering through life, seeking redemption. The subjects of their video works are the same youngsters from the paintings, in the same fashionable-shabby clothes and contemplative, meaning-seeking expressions. (…) In the paintings, the body poses that seem to have been take from a religious painting, take on the role of church music: hands thrown upwards, gaze turned to heaven, dipping in a river that is reminiscent of baptism and purification rituals, lying supine in total surrender, like a Bernini sculpture. Planted in a forest clearing, on a river bank, in and underground parking lot, in a garage, under a road interchange, on an airport conveyor belt or in a rave outdoor festival–Muntean/Rosenblum’s youngsters express both everyday banality and the search for meaning. The rays of light penetrating through the trees look like a clumsy citation from sublime romantic paintings but at the same time, despite the accentuated artificiality, the paintings are charged with an unexpected, almost embarrassing religious dimension, which invokes these two concepts that rub against each other: spirituality and religion. The releigion is not specific–Christianity’s pathos represents any religious ecstasy that could easily turn around and metamorphose into any ritual, pagan or other, even an outdoor rave party.

(text by Ruti Director / Tel Aviv Museum of Art, excerpt from the catalogue of the exhibition „A New Age: The Spiritual in Art“ at Tel Aviv Museum of Art, 2019)

Muntean/Rosenblum: „Uncertainty’s Grace“ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen

Since the pandemic, I find more and more people confronting our loneliness. We attempt to find meaning in our lives and social connections amidst home office and lockdowns through meditation, baking, daily affirmations, marathons… It is nothing new, it feels more urgent lately. Muntean/Rosenblum’s paintings inspire my contemplation, provide space for it, and find comfort in seeing a bigger picture: we are not alone in our existential ponders.

Video „Uncertainty’s Grace“

Paintings are the foundation of the artist duo’s work, but they like to expand it with some additional elements. This time it is a video shot on site in Waldkirchen. Our sublime nature fits perfectly with the duo’s aesthetics. The film features is like a live action of the paintings with young people shot in an ethereal light that gives it a pastel palette. The main character is seen saying positive sentences to himself from the beginning, much like a meditation teacher would to his student. Soothing self affirmations such as „I choose me“ and „I’m enough“ are uttered as he looks deep in concentration. Then it escalates. The camera moves so close to the man that we can only see half his face, and the sound of his lips touching and breath can be heard. This immediately makes it hard to listen to. It is too intimate for the viewer as he whispers „I am loved“, as if in the viewer’s ear. It is uncomfortably familiar, and the soothing palette of people being still in the nature starts becoming eerie. At the end, he does breathing exercises while saying to himself „All is well, right here, right now“. His voice plays over seductively listless young people staring blankly in the dark, with the artificial glow of their electronic device illuminating their face.

This video is haunting yet soothing, familiar yet alien. This can be attributed to their inspiration, coming from fashion campaigns and classical paintings. They are the amalgamation of what someone looks like, stands like, speaks like as dictated by culture. This is why they are familiar, while their artificiality makes them alien.

Muntean/Rosenblum: „Uncertainty’s Grace“ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen
Video Still

Muntean/Rosenblum: „Uncertainty’s Grace“ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen
Video Still

Muntean/Rosenblum: „Uncertainty’s Grace“ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen
Video Still

Check out the full list of works available here

About The Artist

Adi Rosenblum and Markus Muntean were born in 1962, and began working together in 1992. Work by Muntean/Rosenblum has been exhibited widely in international museums, institutions and galleries. Recent solo exhibitions include Espacio Marte, Mexico City (2020); MAC, Coruña (2018); MOCAK, Krakow (2018); Group exhibitions they recently participated in were, among others, at Tel Aviv Museum of Art (2019); Kunsthaus Graz (2018); Nam June Paik Art Centre, Gyeonggi-do (2018); The Parkview Museum, Singapore (2017); and Oude Kerk, Amsterdam (2016). Their work is included in both private and public collections, such as the MoMA, New York; the Albertina, Vienna; 21c Museum, Louisville; the KRC Collection, Voorschoten; The Rubell Family Collection, Miami, and Cobra to Contemporary/The Brown Family Collection.

‚Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal‘. This famous quote by Pablo Picasso is the title and the basis of our new collaborative exhibition with Artcurial and Marco Pesarese Fine Art. The exhibition includes 30 prints Picasso from 1927 to 1963, and five contemporary artists’s interpretation of these prints, and the artist’s infamous influence on art history. Click here to check the list of works available.

The starting point was Marco Pesarese’s collection of prints, including main sheets from the Suite Vollard from the 1930s, a high point in the artist’s graphic oeuvre. Picasso’s rarest prints ever: Minotaure à la coupe et son amie, 1933-34. So far, only one copy of this etching is known. Picasso dedicated it to the printer of the Vollard suite, Roger Lacourière, and it is a sensation to see this work in an exhibition. Building on this, Michael Zink decides to take the infamous artist’s quote to curate the contemporary response to the prints. Artists chosen are Dirk Zoete, Jana Gunstheimer, Baldur Helgason, Michael Sailstorfer, Matias Sanchez.

This quote, attributed to Picasso, was popularised in recent years as Steve Jobs famously quoted it to describe Apple’s philosophy. But this idea is not unique to him, and has been stated by various poets, musicians and artists such as T.S. Eliot, Igor Stravinsky, William Faulkner. This quote addresses the idea of originality and creative genius. Essentially, a ‚good artist‘ will merely see another style and emulate it as closely as they can – copying. That is almost like the craft of imitation, not artistry. Whereas a ‚great artist‘ will take elements from another artist’s style and incorporate it into their own, making it theirs – stealing. Although Picasso is known for his role in innovating art styles in the early 20th century, he is also a great observer and takes inspiration from old masters like Francisco Goya and Diego Velazquez to his contemporaries like Paul Cezanne and Henri Matisse. 

In school, we always said to each other cheekily, „to copy from one is plagiarism; to copy from many is research“ when it came time to write essays. I suppose it demonstrated the ability to absorb various sources and melding it cohesively to make something. True innovation nowadays is almost impossible, artists may recontextualize, remix, substitute, or otherwise mashup existing work to create something new.

Matías Sánchez
Picasso En Mougins, 2011
Oil on linen
97 × 130 cm (38 ¼ × 51 ⅛ inches)

The five contemporary artists all chose their own way to pay homage to the great artist. Fellow Spanish compatriot Matías Sánchez from Seville portrays an old Pablo Picasso with a palette and brush in front of his easel in 1972, the year before his death. Matias frequently pays homage to great artists of the past, as a way to contextualise his own place in art history.

Michael Sailstorfer
MC18, 2017
ceramic, glaze
53 × 46 × 12 cm (20 ⅞ × 18 ⅛ × 4 ¾ inches)

Baldur Helgason
Hitchhiker, 2021
120 × 100 cm (47 ¼ × 39 ⅜ inches)

Michael Sailstorfer
Brain F2, 2021
rope, iron
59 × 34 × 25 cm (23 ¼ × 13 ⅜ × 9 ⅞ inches)

Aesthetically, Icelandic painter Baldur Helgason draws inspiration from Picasso’s iconic visual language of deconstructing his figures and reassembling them in a destabilising way. On the other hand, Michael Sailstorfer’s amorphous ceramic masks demonstrate traces of idiosyncratic physiognomies of Picasso’s portraits, which were inspired by the aesthetics of traditional archaic masks from Africa and Oceania.

Jana Gunstheimer
Methods of Destruction/ Nude with clasped Hands, 2014
graphite and metal type on paper
93 × 125 cm (36 ⅝ × 49 ¼ inches)

Ideologically, Picasso’s abstract paintings of his lovers and muse challenge the concept of ‚beauty‘. Jana Gunstheimer, shows from her series „Methods of Destruction“ what happens when, in the course of a restoration, the ideal of beauty is also adapted to the times.

Picasso is mostly known for his Cubist paintings. And while his printmaking career was also incredibly prolific, it definitely has less attention. Since this exhibition highlights his prints, Belgian draftsman and sculptor Dirk Zoete pays homage to his technique. He adapts the lightness of Picasso’s stroke by drawing his figure on the wall with woolen threads. Upon first glance they may appear quite different, but both artists create something that floats off the surface with the meticulous placement of fine strokes.

The exhibition is on until October 29 in Artcurial, Munich. Get in touch to find out more.

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After a long break, we were finally able to visit Dirk Zoete in his studio in Belgium.

To those unfamiliar with his works and concept, it could be difficult to grasp what is going on. Dirk has drawings, sculptures, and performances within his oeuvre, all with a distinctive and signature child-like simplicity. They are symbiotic and each play an important role in the ecosystem of his art. It could not be better explained than by Gallery 51:

Drawing forms the core of Zoete’s oeuvre. He always starts from observation drawings of things that cross his path, like a cactus, a landscape or the human form. Influenced by the theatre sets and costumes of the German Bauhaus and Russian Constructivism of the 1920s, Zoete organizes happenings in his studio in which actors in imaginative costumes pose in front of his camera. Their masks are based on self-portraits from the artist. His drawings are the two-dimensional reports of those events.

From these observations on paper, Zoete lets his imagination run free. He remodels them over and over, until they have evolved into drawings that are far removed from the reality they were originally based on. The artist refuses to determine an absolute, finished form. On the contrary: he is constantly searching for ways of improvement and shows all stadia of his learning process to the viewer. Along the way, Zoete lets himself be guided by chance and coincidence. Although the simplicity of pencil on paper gives him the freedom required for his improvisational method, Zoete also appeals to other media. His drawings can give rise to performances, sculptures, photographs and vice versa.

The drawings that ensue from this practice, have a naive and schematic character. The panoramic landscapes and village scenes are made up of a few simple, clear lines. The views on fields and acres – Zoete comes from a farmers family, hence the recurrence of these themes – have a total lack of depth and perspective. The architectural settings never outgrow the schematic design phase. Furthermore, Zoete’s human figures are far-reaching geometric abstractions, deprived from any individual features. Their faces are mere masks, with triangular- and rectangular shaped mouths and noses. Both humans and their environment are exclusively shown in frontal view; they stay façades, that never truly come to life. This two-dimensionality is reflected in Zoete’s sculptures, with their unfinished back sides. These constructions, often existing of metal frames, concrete and removable colour areas, also present themselves frontally to the viewer.

The almost childish drawing style and abstraction add to the enigmatic, sometimes morbid nature of Zoete’s universe, filled with surrealistic scenes depicting an absurd company of characters, primitive animals and their attributes.

It is said in the Bauhaus Manifesto that the goal is „To create a new guild of craftsmen, without the class distinctions which raise an arrogant barrier between craftsman and artist.“ And Bauhaus and Dadaists striving to create Gesamtkunstwerk is reflected in Dirk’s multimedia oeuvre. 

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Summer is here in full swing! We have had such a busy year despite all the ups and downs in 2021, it’s hard to believe we’re in August already. As you know the gallery is located in the country side of Waldkirchen, Germany. So on any given day and season, it is beautiful but the summers are absolutely amazing – our gardens and hills are so lush with endless green surrounding us. A real tonic for the eyes and soul. With the pandemic, we’ve received less guests to stay in our guest apartments, but doesn’t mean we’re not still living our best countryside life!

Views from Petersberg Apartments/Galerie Zink

Since our nature gives so much to us, we also try our best to honour this gift by reducing waste and carbon footprint. One of these ways is our community garden. We plant fruits and vegetables there so that we and our guests can have fresh, in season produce when we want. In the past, we’ve made schnapps with the excess fruit, which you can see here when Jana Gunstheimer visited us

Home Schnapps Brewing Set up at Petersberg Apartments/Galerie Zink

To be honest, it is such a regular event for us that we don’t even really notice or celebrate how uniquely special it is anymore! But we managed to get organised to capture our process of harvesting peas and turning it into a delicious meal in our kitchen. Without further ado – let’s get into it.

Pea Patch Behind The Gallery

Nothing wasted! We eat the pea flowers too

Fresh Summer Pasta straight from the gardens of Petersberg Apartments

As you see we waste nothing – the shells, the flowers, the peas. They’re all gifts from our garden and fully organic so we really make good use of it all. This kind of lifestyle ensures we eat freshly all the time, in alignment with the seasons, and reducing the carbon footprint of food delivered all over the world just to end up on our plate. Sustainability is a big part of Galerie Zink’s ethos, and we hope this inspires you to look into your life to see where you can do your small part!

We’re dedicated to our artists and the art we exhibit, but for us that is not the complete picture of a life well lived. It is far more important to savour the day to day life, including the food and drink going into our bodies, the nature we surround ourselves with, the conversations we have with our friends. We hope to see you soon at the gallery and Petersberg Apartments!

To book, it’s available through airbnb and our website.

Following Matías Sánchez’s debut in Asia, we are proud to present his first solo exhibition at our gallery, titled ‚in ictu oculi‘. Featuring 88 paintings produced in the last two years, the show is a feast for the eyes. Click here for a list of available works.

In Ictu Oculi: blink and you’ll miss it

The show title is in latin, and translates to ‚in the blink of an eye‘.

It is a reference to a painting of the same name by Juan de Valdés Leal, Baroque artist born in Seville in 1622, whom Matias always admired for his mastery and irony. The painting features a grim reaper extinguishing a candle, above which says ‚in ictu oculi‘, a symbol for life going out like a candle. There is only a moment that separates life from death, and nobody is above it. Compositionally, the painting is abundant with objects that represent vain pleasures and earthly glories, akin to paintings by Matias. However, although the painting is cynical, it is also somewhat humorous in the way the grim reaper looks at the viewer, as if posing for the snapshot, or caught in the act awkwardly. Similarly, humor is always in Matias‘ paintings, even if the title suggests something more mundane or sombre.

Las Postrimerías by Juan de Valdés Leal
Left: In Ictu Oculi
Right: Finis Gloriae Mundi

Valdés Leal’s ‚In Ictu Oculi‘ was commissioned by Miguel de Mañara for Hospital de la Caridad, Seville, alongside ‚Finis Gloriae Mundi‘. The two paintings make up ‚Las Postrimerías‘, or The Afterlife, and continue to hang in its original location today, where it still functions are a care facility. Although built for very practical purposes, the architecture is the pinnacle of baroque design with excessive extravagance. Thus these works play a significant role in art history and for Matias personally.

To pay homage, he frequently draws from these works throughout his oeuvre. But for this show he painted two paintings with the same titles, inspired by his favourite artist. The original paintings are gruesome, highlighting the futility of worldly pursuits, ironically hanging in a hospital as decorative as a grand palace. This idea grounds Matias, reminding him that we too often live without considering the gravity of our existence, instead worrying about frivolous and surface things.

Left: IN ICTU OCULI, 2021
Oil on linen
250 × 200 cm (98 ⅜ × 78 ¾ inches)
Right: FINIS GLORIAE MUNDI, 2021
Oil in linen
290 × 300 cm (114 ⅛ × 118 ⅛ inches)

Mastering Artistry Off The Beaten Track

Matías is a self-taught artist that grew up in a painter household. He’s learned to mix his own colors using pigment and oil, to mix varnishes, and to put them on canvases since he was a child. Since his father, also a painter, had an extensive art library at home, Matias simply continued to paint in his own way and never went to an art academy. He devoured the library, visited The Prado Museum in Madrid to learn everything he could about painting.

For this reason, his painting is a lot more guttural and free, and his understanding of painting is so personal. Through his keen self study, he blends expressive brush strokes with figurative painting, as well as rich, baroque compositions. With impasto, thick brushstrokes, Matias creates a body of work that is a self deprecating homage to painting. In fact Matias uses paint not just as colors but as sculptural building blocks to construct his iconic figures. Such gestural painting, intense self study, coupled with a daily commitment to his craft is a testament to the artist’s passion and reverence for painting.

PINTOR CON PINCELES Y SOMBRERO DE PAJA, 2020
Oil on linen
73 × 60 cm (28 ¾ × 23 ⅝ inches)
PINTOR CON PIPA Y SOMBRERO DE PAJA, 2020
Oil on linen
73 × 60 cm (28 ¾ × 23 ⅝ inches)
LA SANTA COMPAÑA, 2020
Oil on linen
97 × 130 cm (38 ¼ × 51 ⅛ inches)
NOTICIAS DE LA CIUDAD, 2020
Oil on linen
97 × 130 cm (38 ¼ × 51 ⅛ inches)
PAISAJE DE MONTAÑA, 2019
Oil on linen
27 × 35 cm (10 ⅝ × 13 ¾ inches)
PEQUEÑO JARRÓN CON FLORES, 2021
Oil on linen
55 × 46 cm (21 ⅝ × 18 ⅛ inches)
PINTOR ABSTRACTO, 2021
Oil on linen
73 × 60 cm (28 ¾ × 23 ⅝ inches)

What’s In A Name?

To appreciate Matias‘ works, it is important to note that, for him, the titles of his paintings are „mere excuses to make a painting“. The titles come after the painting is completed, not as a starting point. For the viewer, it is common practice to read an artwork’s title and try to infer what is the intention behind it. Or a painting would be accompanied by a little text to explain the context or guide the viewer’s interpretation of elements in the work. Kind of like what I am currently writing, as, indeed, it is always interesting to get into the brain of the artist. But Matias insists on letting the painting speak before learning about the title in inspired. He makes a comparison to classical music and literature:

„For me a painting has to arouse something, like a Chopin or Beethoven sonata for example. You have to let the receiver be free before the work, and not give too many clues…Painters are often asked to explain our paintings in a literal way. But the paintings are already painted, no more is needed. Think of a writer being asked to explain his novel with pictures. By this I mean that painting has its own codes and should not need to be explained with another discipline such as literature.“

Although Matias simply creates for the sake of creating, not to tell a narrative, each work still has a fascinating title that come to him after the piece is completed. Speaking to Matias, the explanation of each title revealed far more significantly about the artist than the paintings themselves. The paintings‘ titles indicate his humor, considered nature, deep knowledge in the history of arts and philosophy. They are a tongue in cheek reference to great masters in art, literature, musical history such as Vincent Van Gogh, Constantin Brancusi, Frida Kahlo. While they are often a humorous homage to these greats, Matias shows incredible sensitivity to what is the life of an artist, and just as a human on earth.

‚In Ictu Oculi‘ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen
July 17th – October 10th, 2021

Viewing room here

Matias Sanchez: ‚In Ictu Oculi‘ at Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen

About The Artist

Born in 1972 in Tübingen, Germany, Matías Sánchez is a self taught artist currently living and working in Seville, Spain. Through his own exploration, the artist developed a signature style of vivid painterly surfaces as a backdrop against spirited characters and objects. To him, painting is simply about painting, and indulging in the joy of doing so. Each work is an exploration of colors, paints, and the language of painting. He pays homage to Post-Impressionist artists such as Paul Gauguin, and cites Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning as inspiration. At times smoothly rendered, at times crudely abstract, the artist uses recurring images including sausages, bones, rats, people with menacing expressions, to form grotesque dreamscapes, exploding with energy. The results are striking, intense displays images and colours.

Contact us here

All That Glitters Is Not Gold

The exhibition „Diamonds & Dust“ is a satellite exhibition by us in Munich, supported by Artcurial Germany. The show features works by eight artists, each challenging the notions of what is traditionally valued. Diamonds are the most iconic symbol for the glamorous, the sophisticated, the valuable, whereas dust is a symbol of transience, tradition, and perhaps even neglect. The exhibition is about contemporary art celebrating and dealing with these terms but also questioning them at the same time. What is ‚fine art‘? What is valuable? Is it a renewal or a bastardisation?

Full list of works available here

8 Artists, 1 Commonality

Featured artists include: Karl Fritsch, Matias Sanchez, Muntean/Rosenblum, Atelier Lachaert Dhanis, Daniel Kruger, Rudolf Bott, Gregory Forstner, Michael Sailstorfer. Each artist explores this theme in their own way figuratively, or thematically.

Karl Fritsch’s signature jewelry is an ironic and joyful answer to glamour. And so he has the boldness to drill a hole into a 5-carat black diamond and fix it with an old, bent nail on a yellow gold ring. The painting by Matias Sanchez features a pouch in the centre of the painting as the target of all the characters‘ desire – assumed to be diamonds, but one will only find out when looking into the bag themselves. Atelier Lachaert Dhanis is known for their objects, furniture and installations on the boundaries between craft, design and fine art. Exquisitely made to perfection, the objects are always conceptually intricate with multiple levels of meaning and interpretation. Their ladder and stools with color stains and precious stones are playful trompe l’oeils of everyday items and precious objects. Similarly, Rudolf Bott’s crystal vessels glisten and shine as these very common, everyday objects are elevated by adding these somewhat impractically glamorous and beautiful materials to the pieces. 

The glistens of a clear, white diamond is incomparable and glamorous. Michael Sailstorfer’s installation „und sie bewegt sich doch“ is a beguiling disco model of our solar system. Mirror balls as planets, the moon rotating around the earth, the earth rotating around a strong spotlight elicit humor and ironic charisma. The work also projects a glittery atmosphere to the exhibition space. 

Abstractly, drawings by Muntean/Rosenblum titled „Memories are better than diamonds“ weighs the importance between material value and experiential value. Often these tender moments in time, that are so hard to remember, are the most precious. Similarly, Daniel Kruger’s bowl of rocks made of porcelain conceptually questions what is indeed valuable. The material itself is delicate and elegant, but the „bowl of rocks“motif is not so much. Is it still considered luxurious?

From the other end in the „dust“ side, it is usually something considered undesirable, usually to be wafted off in favour of a shiny „clean“ surface. With this we feature Gregory Forstner’s drawings from his latest series titled “Flowers for the bold”. These drawings while in modest ‚charcoal dust‘, are exquisite and breathtaking. The lightness in the strokes reflecting the liveliness of flowers and the translucent vase. They are ephemeral and a permanent reminder at the same time.

Exhibition On Until July 30, 2021
Artcurial Germany, Munich

Rings by Karl Fritsch and painting by Matias Sanchez at Diamonds & Dust at Artcurial Germany
Daniel Kruger porcelain works at Diamonds & Dust at Artcurial Germany
Installation by Michael Sailstorfer and painting by Matias Sanchez at Diamonds & Dust at Artcurial Germany
Drawing by Gregory Forstner at Diamonds & Dust at Artcurial Germany
Sculptures by Atelier Lachert Dhanis and drawings by Muntean/Rosenblum at Diamonds & Dust at Artcurial Germany

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Gregory Forstner has a busy 2021! You can take a look at our recent visit to his studio with Francine Kreiss here, where we took some very cool diver style photos of him at work! He has spent the whole of last year preparing for two major solo exhibitions this summer. One of them just opened at FRAC Occitanie Montpellier, titled ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘. Check out the link here for the full list of works.

The exhibition features new works created in 2020. As we all grappled with the restrictions and isolation last year, Gregory was no different. The situation pushed him to reassess his artistic approach, technique, and subject matter.

„Perhaps out of spite and in order to play with this unprecedented situation – because even when idle you have to have fun and enjoy, even if it means enjoying alone – I found myself rebalancing my method of approaching painting by constraints of changing tools, thus provoking new sensations.“

The usual figures featured in his paintings act as a mirror for humanity and society. But in the context of last year, they seemed to no longer fit his vision amidst the period of „idleness“.

„As if, deprived of a social context and a possible confrontation with the viewer, the very desire for image and figure, for a mirror, had also naturally dissipated. The consequence of this explosion was to refocus my desire in the gesture – and the gesture in my desire.“

This process of creating art returned to a meditative exploration of painting and drawing, rather than a study of flowers, per se. The flowers in these works are merely a construct of images, memories, and impressions instead of from a live bouquet. The point is not the flowers, and all its liveliness, colors, and short-lived beauty. The point is the expression of all these qualities of flowers through a brush stroke or a charcoal smudge. Although the idea of „still life of flowers“ is one of the most elementary practices of art, they can be incredibly complex and nuanced. They take on countless compositions, media, atmospheres, styles throughout history and across different artists. School children do it and they’re each different from one another, and the greatest artists do the same. For Gregory the drawings and paintings of these flowers in vases are an exploration in itself.

„I am not painting a flower or the singular transparency of a vase and its water, but the possibility of all flowers and all transparencies. Since the painting reduces the set of possibilities in a singular object, I start another painting with what I have left of the unexploited possibilities of desire.“

Installation View at FRAC Occitanie Montpellier

The paintings are mostly massive, creating a rather imposing experience. These larger than life flower paintings tower over the visitors. When looked at up close, it is unclear what you’re looking at. In a somewhat cliched manner, it struck me as a metaphor for our experience on earth. Up close in the details, there is chaos and unintelligible strokes, but the big picture is sublime as it all comes together to make sense.

Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Installation View
Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Installation View

Opening Reception

Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Opening Event
Image courtesy Laurent Léandre Vilarem
Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Opening Event
Image courtesy Laurent Léandre Vilarem
Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Opening Event
Image courtesy Laurent Léandre Vilarem

Also in the show are these charcoal drawings. They are at once delicate and coarsely rendered through what appears like very fast and expressive strokes. The black and white drawings stand as a stark contrast to the brightly colored paintings that Gregory is known for. Standing alone against the white paper, they seem morose and kind of lonely, yet still blooming tall and beautifully. These almost look like x-ray images, capturing just the silhouette. But even though the color and context are stripped away, the flowers‘ grace and light still show through. In fact, these smaller, more intimate drawings allow such a quiet, subtle energy through that it is quite touching to me.

Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Installation View
Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Opening Event
Image courtesy Laurent Léandre Vilarem
Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Opening Event
Image courtesy Laurent Léandre Vilarem

Behind The Scenes

Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Installation Process
Image courtesy Laurent Léandre Vilarem
Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Installation Process
Image courtesy Laurent Léandre Vilarem
Gregory Forstner ‚Des fleurs pour les audacieux‘ 2021 at FRAC, Montpellier Installation Process
Image courtesy Laurent Léandre Vilarem

Check out the link here for the full list of works.

About The Artist

Gregory Forstner was born in 1975 in Cameroon, now lives and works in Montpellier, France. The artist received a degree from the Academy of Applied Arts Vienna in 1994, followed by some years with École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts at Villa Arson, Nice, and Paris. In 2008, Forstner was the recipient of a scholarship from the French Ministry of Culture for a one-year residency in New York with Triangle Arts association, which resulted in a 10 year stay in the city until his relocation back to France. A large retrospective of his works was presented in Fondation Fernet-Branca, Basel in 2018. The artist is known for his paintings and drawings that capture human nature through expressive brush strokes, bold colors, and his signature anthropomorphised dog characters.

Contact us here

Following the solo exhibitions at our gallery and Texture Museum, Kortrijk, Klaas Rommelaere stayed busy! One of the most exciting projects is a collaborative exhibition with Manon Kündig at DMW Gallery, Antwerp.

Titled „Cadavre Exquis“, the pair draws on a playful practice common with Surrealist artists whereby artists continues working on the others‘ work without any preplanned rules or vision, resulting in a combination of two consciousness. Having known Manon since school, Klaas has had a respect for her for a long time. So this was a very fun project for them to work together.

„We started sketching and making blank sketches with cardboard and paper. We made people who are waiting in lobbies and airports but we did not know what the other would do. I knew she was making terrazzo but did not know what colours or how it would look.“

Upon first glance, they are quite different artists. What the Surrealists often had was that they were all painters or drawers, so with that shared technique it was a natural collaboration. But Klaas works in embroidery, and Manon makes terrazzo with repurposed materials. One is quite rigid and concrete, and the other is flexible. However, this collaboration showed more commonalities between the two than not. Both their practices could be considered as traditionally „decorative crafts“, but they elevate their respective approaches in such a way that they are undeniably exquisite works of art.

From DMW Gallery, „There is a certain level of unpredictability, surprise and spontaneity not only in the final collective juxtaposition but also during the primary inception of the separated elements… The outcome of the final pieces is revealed gradually during the whole creation process. The final result depicts figures that lie in waiting, which nowadays is all we appear to do. A reference to waiting non-spaces like office lobbies and airports, where time does not exist and you can disappear into an anonymous no man’s land. “

Somehow even though they didn’t know what each other was doing, the final results are very harmonious. Some of the soft pastel of the terrazzo faces by Manon juxtaposed against the patterned clothing by Klaas‘ embroidery highlights the calmness. But under those still waters of Manon’s faces, there is a lot going on through the ‚body language‘ formed by the construction of Klaas‘ pieces. They are able to tell a whole story along with the faces created by Manon. They’re resigned to waiting for a while, or they’re numb to the daily hustle bustle that includes a lot of waiting around (for the train, bus, lunch order…), or they’re frustratedly adjusting themselves every 2 minutes. These are all stories we are familiar with, and can see quite evidently in the pieces.

Klaas Rommelaere x Manon Kündig
The Self-possessed, 2021
Stone, glass, concrete, pigments, seashells & cotton embroidery on nylon fabric
140 x 615 cm

Klaas Rommelaere x Manon Kündig
The Self-possessed, 2021 (detail)
Stone, glass, concrete, pigments, seashells & cotton embroidery on nylon fabric
140 x 615 cm
Klaas Rommelaere x Manon Kündig
The Self-possessed, 2021 (detail)
Stone, glass, concrete, pigments, seashells & cotton embroidery on nylon fabric
140 x 615 cm
Klaas Rommelaere x Manon Kündig
The Stoical, 2021
Stone, glass, concrete, pigments, seashells & cotton embroidery on nylon fabric
120 x 260 cm
Klaas Rommelaere x Manon Kündig
The Smoker, 2021
The Impatient, 2021
Stone, glass, concrete, pigments, seashells & cotton embroidery on nylon fabric
215 x 80 cm (each)
Klaas Rommelaere x Manon Kündig
The Lobby, 2021 (detail)
Stone, glass, concrete, pigments, seashells & cotton embroidery on nylon fabric
130 x 200 cm + 75 x 55 cm (part of set with other work titled ‘The Lobby’)
Klaas Rommelaere x Manon Kündig
The Lobby, 2021 (detail)
Stone, glass, concrete, pigments, seashells & cotton embroidery on nylon fabric
130 x 200 cm + 75 x 55 cm (part of set with other work titled ‘The Lobby’)
Klaas Rommelaere x Manon Kündig
The Temperamental, 2021
The Restless, 2021
Stone, glass, concrete, pigments, seashells & cotton embroidery on nylon fabric
110 x 310 cm (each)

About The Artist

Klaas Rommelaere was born in Roeselare, Belgium in 1986. The young artist originally graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Art in Ghent as a fashion student. He then pursed a fashion career with internships at Henrik Vibskov and Raf Simons, where he soon realised he had strong artistic visions that needed to be materialised. Leaving the fashion world behind him, he continued to express himself with familiar materials – needle, thread, wool, and yarn. The artist is renowned for his embroidered tapestries of images inspired by cult classic movies and his personal experiences. Whether it is cross-stitch, crochet, or classic knitting, the artist’s works are firmly rooted in both the everyday and the subculture of urban life in Antwerp. As this handcraft is extremely time consuming, the artist decided to collaborate with a group older ladies expert in hand made textiles, eventually creating communities all around Belgium. Rommelaere’s works are a result of his surroundings – his life, his entertainment, his community. The artist currently lives and works in Antwerp.

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A few weeks ago, a dear friend Francine Kreiss came to visit Gregory Forstner at his studio. After meeting 2017 at a free diving competition, the two maintained a friendship by bonding over their love of the ocean. Francine is a world champion free diver, photographer, videographer, journalist and writer, so her skills and passions perfectly complement Gregory’s practice. It is no secret that Gregory has a strong affinity for the ocean! As she is normally photographing underwater activities like divers and sharks, she applied the same dynamic perspective to Gregory’s studio visit photoshoot.

The editing, colors, and angles are a lot more dynamic than what is usually expected, but this is how the artist’s expressive art process is captured fully! This was done earlier this year, in the lead up to Gregory’s two monumental shows in France. The first one opens on June 3rd at Frac Occitanie Montpellier ! This exhibition will feature a series of flower paintings that are bursting with energy and colors, all created last year during quarantine.

Click here for a list of works available 

Photos by Francine Kreiss

All photos courtesy of Francine Kreiss

About The Artist

Gregory Forstner was born in 1975 in Cameroon, now lives and works in Montpellier, France. The artist received a degree from the Academy of Applied Arts Vienna in 1994. Then he spent some years with École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts at Villa Arson, Nice, and Paris. In 2008, Forstner was the recipient of a scholarship from the French Ministry of Culture for a one-year residency in New York with Triangle Arts association. This resulted in a 10 year stay in the city until his relocation back to France. A large retrospective of his works was presented in Fondation Fernet-Branca, Basel in 2018. The artist is known for his paintings and drawings that capture human nature through expressive brush strokes, bold colors, and his signature anthropomorphised dog characters.

Contact us here

Hannelore Van Dijck is finishing up her newest book, to be launched on May 9th. Following her residency at FLACC, Genk, the artist created ‘Een vogel vliegt op’, a book about her recent ink drawings.

The only way I know how to describe my impression of Hannelore’s works is through an analogy of standing on a beach and watching waves slowly building towards you. First it begins with a full view from a distance. It is sublime and whole, with so much going on that it all weaves into one system. Then you see the details: the wave, the ink strokes, the charcoal smears. They come into sharper focus as you zone in on it, and but the periphery begins to elude you. This experience intensifies as more details catch your attention – the texture, the layers, the minute difference between each centimetre. What was once a blanket visual experience from afar quickly escalated to an onslaught of different details jumping in and out. Like a wave coming at you, it starts subtle, distance, and below the surface, and it becomes almost overwhelming, then at some point you are engulfed in it.

‚Een vogel vliegt op’ Hannelore Van Dijck

a new chapter

Following her last publication, which concluded Hannelore’s exploration on space and time, the artist began searching for „what’s next“. Beginning with being a keen observer again, she roamed the streets of New York during a residency period, paying attention to what may inspire her. She came to notice that life is often shifting in and out of sight. Perhaps someone appears around a corner and vanishes behind a tree, or a car drives by and was only in sight for a split second, or an ambulance is heard from a distance but was never seen. This comes into sharp contrast with a museum or gallery experience, which she described as „a broadcast“. Everything in an exhibition is laid out, for the viewers to get a full and clear experience. She was intrigued by the movement of life, and the ambiguity of it, and decides to dive into this for this project.

Hannelore Van Dijck ‚Wenn Sich der Nebel Hebt‘ 2013 Galerie Zink Berlin Mitte

The artist is known for her installation works with charcoal drawings, which usually fill the walls of a room and encases the visitor. For this next chapter in her oeuvre, she steps beyond the white cube walls. Her inspiration from the city streets was amplified when working with a group of artists who worked a lot with sound. As sound pierces through a wall, it creates an environment not limited by physical barriers. It is like a cloud that is permeable and dissipates, echoing her observations of things coming in and out of sight as she walks around. So for this new project she experiments with ink as a medium, starting with some doodles in her notebook. The ink is an exciting new step for the artist because it seeps through the paper and becomes part of the fibers, unlike charcoal that sits on top of the surface. It becomes a full immersion physically and conceptually.

Hannelore always painstakingly explores the physicality of her surface – the wall, or floor, or paper, or fabric – through her marks. She does not simply portray what she sees, or purposely recreate the sublime. Instead she  distills the experience of encountering a space, a wall, a sound, a city. It is something ordinary that we are all familiar with – existing in space, listening, but for us it is just what it is. Rarely do any of us consider „what does seeing feel like, really“. What a strange thing to even contemplate. The feeling of certain things are taken completely for granted as it is part of our existence, but Hannelore extracts that and puts it physically in front of us. It is fully abstract and conceptual, yet completely tactile and physical.

a new book

When I told Hannelore about my wave analogy of experiencing her work, she was excited to hear my understanding of it. What’s more, is that this idea of a wave is also a perfect symbol for how this project came about. Starting with a motion, walking or an undercurrent, things start to take shape. It was never about the final expression, but it was just the natural progression of the initial motion that a wave or a book emerges.

‚Een vogel vliegt op’ Hannelore Van Dijck

‚Een vogel vliegt op’ Hannelore Van Dijck

Her newest book is described to „crystallise her search for a fluid way of working, a search for movement, rhythm and leaks“. Not unlike Hannelore’s in-situ room drawings, the book has pages and pages of her ink on paper drawings, filled to the very edge. This book is an exploration on this new topic. It might feel slightly vague and hard to grasp, as images of her works are interspersed with her notebook drawings and text that don’t provide much context. But that is precisely where Hannelore is at with this. This book is an important step towards the next stage in her artistic career, and a vulnerable display of her thoughts.

On May 9th at 3PM, there will be a conversation between Nikolaas Demoen and Hannelore Van Dijck. This conversation will also be streamed live on facebook and instagram.

Details of ‚Een vogel vliegt op‘

128 pages, 21 × 30 cm
€ 35,00
ISBN 978 94 9126 242 5
Text by Leonie Rodrian and Bob Vanden Broeck

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Last year German Stegmaier stayed at our gallery to make some works, click here to read all about it. We are working on a new show with the artist to open on May 15. With uncertain circumstances regarding gatherings, we will keep our audience up to date digitally!

A full list of available works here

German Stegmaier
Untitled, 2020
Oil on canvas
60 × 54 cm (23 ⅝ × 21 ¼ inches)
German Stegmaier
Untitled, 2018/2019
Oil on canvas
60 × 45,5 cm (23 ⅝ × 17 ⅞ inches)

In the mean time, check out some short clips we made from visiting him at the studio!

On his choice of colours

„Colour values are not formed independent of the environment. And gray is a colour that reacts very strongly to light, so it becomes very colourful. That’s a moment that interests me, when a „non-colour“ becomes colourful.“

On drawings

„When a drawing works, the parts of the paper that are not touched at all are changed by the lines in a different place on the paper.“

About The Artist

German Stegmaier was born in 1959 in Muehldorf/Inn. After studying mathematics and philosophy of science for a year in 1977 at University of Munich, he enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich from 1980-86. He then studied at Rijksakademie Amsterdam until 1990. Having been in the gallery roster since 1994, the artist is one of the first ones to join Galerie Zink. Carrying the meticulousness and anlytical nature of his mathematical background. the artist creates his own system of visual language in his paintings and drawings. He currently lives and works in Munich, Germany.

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Galerie Zink is proud to present the works of Matías Sanchez for Art Central Hong Kong 2021. For the artist’s first foray into the Asian region, we have curated a series of new works created over the past year. As the world retreated to stillness, Sanchez had to continue to express himself through some form or another. This resulted in an incredibly productive year where the artist channeled his energy in the studio and honed his skills.

Here is a selection of works as a preview for our readers

Art Central Hong Kong Preview selection

„Trahit sua quemque voluptas“ – Virgil

This quote by ancient Roman poet, Virgil, encapsulates the philosophy of Sanchez’s career as a painter. Loosely translated as „each one has a passion that compels them“, Sanchez is motivated by his unadulterated love and passion for painting. It can be seen in his work ethic in the studio, his commitment to being a self taught artist, the strokes and energy on his canvases. Everything is exploding with energy that is grounded in his love for painting. His works don’t pretend to be conceptual, multilayered, or hard to understand. Instead they are simply an embodiment of the „joy of painting“ (to paraphrase Bob Ross).

Although known for recognisable motifs, for Sanchez, the subject matter of a painting is not of the utmost importance, whether it be a human figure or an animal or abstract surface. Instead, it is more about the exploration of materiality and colours. The physical act of painting drives the artist. To work with colours, building them on the canvas as if moulding a clay sculpture, is fascinating to him.

„My concern is to compose and balance the nuances and dynamics of a painting. The colours, tones, the silences in the negative spaces, the chiaroscuro, the rhythm, the play of lines. They are all things that fundamentally make a painting work or not. They the internal world of paintings or any work of art, be it poetry, music, sculpture, cinema, or dance.

The important thing is how that painting is painted and how it seduces the viewer. The intelligence of the execution, its mastery, how the artist manages the viewer’s perspective from where he wants. Where does the viewer enter the painting, walk through it. and then exit? Those are the things that make a work of art timeless.“

Matias Sanchez in Galerie Zink artist residency 2020

As a self taught artist, he sought to understand the language of painting, and thought of it similar to codes in literature or music. “Managing those codes well is the challenge”, says the artist. He cites influences from the giants of art history, such as Camille Corot, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning. “They understood painting as a language, and they handled it wonderfully.“

Each painting could be seen as a visualisation of Sanchez’s mind – wild, thoughtful, humorous. A cartoonish sausage against a mixture of colours, or a devious rat conspiring with an equally devilish character. All of these form Sanchez’ unmistakable style. The titles ranges from absurdly mundane to deeply intellectual. One of his favourite motifs is „the painter“ – a self portrait. He often depicts this protagonist in very regular contexts, such as “painter on the way to work”, “painter looking at his self portrait”. On the other end of the spectrum, there are references to literary and artistic icons, such as Leon Tolstoy, Franz Kafka, Rembrandt. The references are tongue in cheek, funny in an “if you know, you know” kind of insider way.

The titles come up through word association, where he first finishes a work, then titles it with the first thing that comes to mind. In the artist’s words, „they arise spontaneously after a quick reflection on the image, for me it is like a game. Titles can come from readings, experiences, admiration for something or someone. It could be said that they are things stored in my memory that emerge freshly before the image.“

For Sanchez, painting could be thought of as a way to expel overflowing creative energy, and this is reflected in the explosive style of his paintings. Each work is a buffet for the eyes. They are so full on, but stops short of being overwhelming, making the viewing experience incredibly stirring.

Matias Sanchez Studio in Seville, Spain

Matias Sanchez in Petersberg apartment

We are so excited to be able to bring this artist to Hong Kong. Although his works have been gaining momentum in the region, there has never been a formal presentation. So to be able to introduce a significant body of his works to a new international audience is an incredible opportunity. Especially after a year long hiatus from art fair participations, we are absolutely galvanised to return with Art Central Hong Kong. See you there soon!

About The Artist

Born in 1972 in Tübingen, Germany, Matías Sánchez is a self taught artist currently living and working in Seville, Spain. Through his own exploration, the artist developed a signature style of vivid painterly surfaces as a backdrop against spirited characters and objects. To him, painting is simply about painting, and indulging in the joy of doing so. Each work is an exploration of colors, paints, and the language of painting. He pays homage to Post-Impressionist artists such as Paul Gauguin, and cites Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning as inspiration. At times smoothly rendered, at times crudely abstract, the artist uses recurring images including sausages, bones, rats, people with menacing expressions, to form grotesque dreamscapes, exploding with energy. The results are striking, intense displays images and colours.

Contact us here

As some of you may know, Galerie Zink is located in a small village in Southern Germany with plenty of space amongst sprawling landscape. In addition to offering contemporary art exhibitions and artist residencies, we also provide holiday homes for people that want to take a break from the city.

Petersberg Apartments consist of two units. One of them is in the old parish house, where Michael actually lives with his family on another floor. This apartment is rustic and quaint, but with all the modern amenities so our guests can enjoy the simple village experience without compromising on the comforts of modern day life. The other one is in the adjoining gallery building, which is sleek and modern, in line with the architecture of our gallery space (read about our architecture here). Located above the gallery space, there is a window that looks straight in there from above. It also offers incredible views from the top of the building across vast greenery. Both apartments are furnished with designer pieces, with a rotating program of art works on the wall, and we pay special attention to details such as heated flooring, fully functioning kitchen, top of the line bedding.

Guest Apartments

Guest Apartments

One of our mottos is art as an experience to share, and this part of our program completes that. We attract all kinds of like-minded people that enjoy our ethos but are perhaps outside of the usual gallery and museum hopping crowd, and we can introduce them to our artists. To live amongst art, and immerse in nature, is a privilege that we are always grateful for, and we are so proud to be able to share this with our guests.

Views from Petersberg Apartments/Galerie Zink

I spoke to Michael for more of his perspective and insights on running Petersberg Apartments alongside Galerie Zink.

What is the vision behind offering guest apartments?

MZ: When you move to a village with 27 souls, off the grid, you have to make sure that you have enough space for friends visiting. The next hotel is 15 kilometers away and after a nice dinner, or little party you want to avoid driving. So from the very beginning it was necessary that we had space for people to stay over. We also invited artists to come and work, as we had empty rooms. And so we first made the apartment in the old rectory more for friends, family, and artists.

But of course our artists didn’t stay there full time and more often friends asked us if they just could come over for a relaxing weekend, and word began to spread to friends of friends! And at one point we we had more and more nice people who asked if the can rent the apartment for a few days, or maybe a short overnight stay on their way from Berlin to Italy.

And they don’t just come here, sleep, and leave. We’ve had very nice encounters with most of them! We spend time together, talk, drink, eat, talk more!

Guest Apartment in parish house with Jana Gunstheimer works

Any interesting encounters in particular?

MZ: Really hard to say, as we met so many interesting people through the guest apartments. And what is also nice, most of them are not related to the art world.

So it is great to have people with all kind of professional background, from different countries and for different reasons. We’ve had hunters, astronomers, police agents, actors, toy producers, psychiatrists, bodybuilders, organic ginger farmers, writers, musicians and investment bankers. Guests from Israel, Brasil, Russia, all over Europe, USA, Peru and Taiwan, Hawaii and Hong Kong. We had people coming for meditation, for work, to relax, to have rendez-vous! All nice!

Guest Apartment in gallery building with Jana Gunstheimer „Sanfte Welle“ 2021 above the bed

Guest Apartment in gallery building with Jana Gunstheimer „Cliché of an artist in his studio“ 2016

How do hospitality and art intersect for you?

MZ: The apartments are not really „decorated“, they are just as we like to live: with the art around us. All the works on the wall are from my own collection and some of them are my favorite pieces.

But as mentioned, most guests are coming for the location, for the nature, and the freedom here. So for many, the „art“ is an added bonus. The pieces hanging on the wall, or the context of a gallery related to the apartments, or the view into the gallery, make people curious. And these are people who might not visit galleries usually! In the apartments there is a lot of art hanging and books about the artists fill the shelves. If someone is interested I am always happy to start a dialogue.

We do not have TVs, so the guests are at the mercy of the art!

Art books!

What about food?

MZ: We have a big garden and the joy to plant and harvest is something we love as a family. It brings us good, tasty, fresh ingredients. And we love that we can share it with our guests. And it’s more than just a salad with peas and tomatoes, it’s an experience that people in big cities never have a chance to enjoy. They can grab a really ripe tomato from the bush and just take a bite, pick the berries and just eat it, or bite into a carrot that was in the earth 5 seconds ago. We love that and we want our guests to enjoy that too!

In a way it is also a bit about arriving somewhere. When I travel I want to be with local people and if possible taste the local food. We do not have a restaurant on site, but we have very local food in the garden, for free! 🙂

Sustainability is a bonus effect, as we like to support local businesses. This is great for reducing the carbon footprint of our food, plus we know exactly what goes onto our plates. Living in the countryside, it really makes you more aware of our practices in sustainability and being kind to the planet that gives us so much. The supermarket might not be as convenient as it is for some people who can just go downstairs, but our solutions for that to go back to nature is something we want more people to share with us.

Fresh produce
In-house distiller
Petersberg Apartments garden
Petersberg Apartments garden with greenhouse in full bloom

Over the last year we’ve had a lot less guests stay over, but we hope that it will resume soon and we can meet you again! Visit our website, petersbergapartments.de or on AirBnB! For more information, contact us here

In January, Jana Gunstheimer spent a few weeks here at the gallery. Deep in winter, the whole area was cloaked in snow and she had an incredibly productive time in the studio. Actually fun fact, she was stranded in her car on the way over because the snow was that intense and we had to go and get her. The completed works are now displayed in the studio she was working in. We’ve documented her time here in a part 1 of this series, click the link here. It includes a lot of great work in progress photos, as well as the fun we have at the gallery, so definitely check it out.

The artist worked on a new series of textiles work inspired by the stark, snowy landscape of January. Titled ‚Reaktionäre Heimarbeit‘, the series includes a series of works that Gunstheimer meticulously painted and weaved together. Blending both painting and textiles craft, the monochrome works have a strong graphic aesthetic. As lines criss cross over each other, some central figures float against the pixelated background. The precision of the text, lines, and shapes make them almost seem like digital animation. And yet that could not be further away from the truth: which is that the artist hand paints strips of canvas and weaves them back together for this effect. The human touch is all over the works.

For more details on each of the works, go to our viewing room here

Jana Gunstheimer studio Galerie Zink

Jana Gunstheimer
Good Taste, 2021
(Reaktionäre Heimarbeit)
acrylic and varnish on canvas, tape
six parts: 140 × 150 cm (55 ⅛ × 59 inches)

Jana Gunstheimer
Reaktionäre Heimarbeit, 2021
(Reaktionäre Heimarbeit)
acrylic and varnish on canvas
188 × 158 cm (74 × 62 ¼ inches)

Process

Detail of a work by Jana Gunstheimer from „Reaktionäre Heimarbeit“

Jana Gunstheimer working on „Reaktionäre Heimarbeit“

About The Artist

Jana Gunstheimer was born in 1974 in Zwickau, Germany. A deeply thoughtful and intellectual individual, the artist had originally studied ethnology. Field research methods trained in that period are often used in her artistic work. Beyond her detailed drawings, complex textile works, thought provoking installations, she also founded the „Institute for Iregional Reality Experients“ at the Bauhaus University, Weimar (IRRE@bauhaus). Through her oeuvre, the artist weaves together reality and fiction, creating possible truths and absurd situations. Each of her projects are subtly ironic. As she presents her narraitves, researches, and analyses, the knowing audience is simultaneously provoked and amused. The artist currently lives and works in Germany.

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In 2020, as the world scrambled to cope with our #NewNormal, Paul Kooiker stayed busy. The renowned Dutch photographer participated in exhibitions, continued to direct fashion photoshoots in person and digitally, and published a new book of photos.

The Rumour Now Available

One of the projects was his participation in The Tears of Eros at the Centraal Museum Utrecht between February and August. Including 19 photos of donkeys, the series was titled The Rumour, which was then published into a book in May.

To see the full list of works available from the series, click here

What’s The Inspiration?

The central figure of the exhibition is Dutch Surrealist Johannes Moesman (1909-1988). A body of his work is presented amongst those of his fellow Surrealists at the time, as well as works by artists today, including Kooiker. Themes of „sex, fetishism, and taboos“ were common in Moesman’s works, and contemporary artists were invited to respond within today’s context. This is a natural collaboration as Kooiker’s photographs can very aptly be described as surreal. 

Johannes Moesman
The Rumour, 1941

So the artist arrived at The Rumour. The title references Moesman’s most infamous painting with the same name. Once a scandalous painting, it gained a layer of mystery recently. The Heineken art collection, owner of the painting, refused to loan it out for this major exhibition of the artist. Its story and name feed each other, creating a curious narrative. This makes an apt starting point of understanding this series of photographs.

Why Donkeys?

The artist created 19 portraits of donkeys, shot in his studio. To Kooiker, donkeys are the perfect subject for this project. As the horse’s less glamorous cousin, donkeys are often dismissed as the weird, stubborn, less charming one. But while a horse is shiny, elegant and often well-trained, donkeys are far more mysterious. Their eyes, and especially shown in the photographs, shine with intelligence and depth. Yet humans often misunderstand what they’re thinking, and assume they are dumb. Their stoic nature makes the inner workings of a donkey’s brain is incredibly fascinating to those who pay attention. And this enigmatic complexity echoes the indescribable nature and appeal of Surrealism. What am I looking at and why can’t I look away? Why do I love this strange painting, and strange animal?

„Good art cannot be explained, but you can talk about it“.  – Paul Kooiker

Paul Kooiker
The Rumour, 2020
114 × 86 cm (44 ⅞ × 33 ⅞ inches)
Edition of 3 plus II AP

Furthermore, donkeys are thought to be strong and stubborn, and such stereotypes call to mind men and masculinity. So when the portraits are displayed like a wall of donkeys, it could be seen as a representation of the „boys club“ associated with Surrealism. Although avant-garde and subversive for the time, the movement did nothing to acknowledge their female colleagues. Instead, only the men entered the canon of mainstream art history, and objectified female sexuality was a common trope in the paintings. Kooiker’s group of „macho men“ donkeys reads as an ironic commentary, as here we are, glamorising 18 asses* by showing them in a museum. And is that not what the world has a habit of doing?

Paul Kooiker
The Rumour, 2020
114 × 86 cm (44 ⅞ × 33 ⅞ inches)
Edition of 3 plus II AP

Stylistic Choices

The portraits have Kooiker’s signature warm sepia tone and dramatic lighting. Each photo is intimate and tender, with strong parallels to old Hollywood headshots of beautiful actors. High contrast and moody, each donkey is a charismatic yet impenetrable main character. It’s interesting to note that when Kooiker shoots human models, they are styled, posed, and objectified to look like sculptures, and his animal subjects are portrayed with such natural „humanity“, grace, and intimacy. In every series and project, we can see how the photographer blurs the lines between human, animal, objects, art, fashion. Through his meticulous planning, staging, editing, Kooiker’s oeuvre have an unmistakably recognisable quality, even though the subjects are so varied. In the case of The Rumour, the resulting images are intimate, gentle, mysterious, complex.

Paul Kooiker
The Rumour, 2020
114 × 86 cm (44 ⅞ × 33 ⅞ inches)
Edition of 3 plus II AP

This specificity affords the artist the ability to remotely direct photoshoots, which is very handy considering our situation for the past year. One project Kooiker directed remotely was one with Kim Kardashian and Michèle Lamy for AnOther magazine. Spread over three countries, the collaboration went off without a hitch. The photographer gave incredibly detailed instructions to Kardashian and Lamy for their husbands to shoot them. When asked whether he was worried about the outcome, the artist said he had no doubt it will be a success. „There is no escape, the rules are so tight.“ This is the confidence of an artist with a clear vision. This method also allowed for another layer of magic where these strong, iconic women were shot intimately by their husbands while quarantining in their own homes. So the end result is not just from Kooiker’s artistic direction, but also the chemistry between husband and wife – an intimacy rarely seen by the public.

Michèle Lamy and Kim Kardashian for AnOther Magazine by Paul Kooiker

He works with voyeuristic perspectives, twisted sexual tension, jarring juxtapositions, all of which challenge the viewer on the notion of beauty, sex, sensuality, comfort, acceptable norms. This kind of provocation is particularly sought after in our time, as more and more of the world seek to break out of the status quo. Mainstream beauty is definitely not interesting to Paul Kooiker. The more worthwhile thing to him is to celebrate and glamorise the oddities, highlight the beauty found in the so-called ugly. 

The Rumour is now on view in Waregem, Belgium at Be Part until May 30. And the works, as well as the book of photographs are available. Get in touch to find out more!

* Only 18 of the 19 works are shown in the exhibition

‚The Rumour‘ at Be Part, Waregem

Click here for the full list of works available

About The Artist

Paul Kooiker, born in 1964 in Rotterdam, Netherlands, is a renowned conceptual photographer based in Amsterdam. He studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague and at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam. Since 1995 he has been teaching at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. In 1996 he won the Prix de Rome and in 2009 he was awarded the A. Roland Holst Prize. A prolific photographer that has published numerous photo journals and books throughout his career, he has also been working with fashion magazines and brands. Through academic, commercial, and artistic successes, the photographer continues to challenge the viewer with the dichotomy of concepts in voyeurism, beauty, subjectivity.

Gregory Forstner has kept busy in his studio during 2020, and so has his daughter. Here is a video documenting Gregory’s process of making a painting, and original music by his daughter, Barbara. We love behind the scenes footage, and we love when creativity inspires creativity. So this family affair is one of our favourite videos of 2021 so far. We hope you enjoy it too!

This new work will be on view soon this summer, amongst a body of the artist’s works. So stay tuned to this space for more details!

About The Artist

Gregory Forstner was born in 1975 in Cameroon, now lives and works in Montpellier, France. The artist received a degree from the Academy of Applied Arts Vienna in 1994, followed by some years with École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts at Villa Arson, Nice, and Paris. In 2008, Forstner was the recipient of a scholarship from the French Ministry of Culture for a one-year residency in New York with Triangle Arts association, which resulted in a 10 year stay in the city until his relocation back to France. A large retrospective of his works was presented in Fondation Fernet-Branca, Basel in 2018. The artist is known for his paintings and drawings that capture human nature through expressive brush strokes, bold colors, and his signature anthropomorphised dog characters.

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We are not embarrassed to say it: our gallery is beautiful, located in stunning landscape, with the perfect contemporary architecture for our artists. It is something to be proud of and we love that we can share this experience with everyone that visits.

A lot people may be confused when we tell them our location: Waldkirchen? Where is that? Bit random. To us, it is not random at all. Although not entirely planned, we’ve been slowly building our roots there since 2013, and in 2019 we opened our doors for our inaugural exhibition at our current address. Being in this remote area with a large plot of land, we have the luxury of creating a space completely suited to our needs. And we have our architects Atelier Dimanche to thank for that. Late last year we were nominated for the Architecture Guide Germany 2021, and we are so proud of it. So we decided to take this opportunity to share some more insights with you.

The architecture is a perfect marriage between eras, functions, and materials.

Our facade is made of the existing base made of quarry stone masonry and the attached wooden structure. The open wooden facade acts as a filter for light. This creates a balance of solidity and openness.

As you enter through the archway, you get to the foyer with an open staircase made of exposed concrete, with flooring of fired bricks in a herringbone bond. Both elements are raw and exposed, and are simultaneously rustic and contemporary. On the upper floor, in contrast to the entrance, is a bright, two-story exhibition room with a central skylight. The middle section is two story tall which allows for large works to display properly. The studio and apartment are located on the top floor, floating above the exhibition space. They have views into the gallery as well as to the horizon via generous dormer windows.

We have a page on historical information about the location, check out our About Waldkirchen page here.

Galerie Zink. Shot by Erich Spahn

Galerie Zink. Shot by Benjakon

Below is a conversation with Michael about the unique gallery space we have!

1. How did you decide on this location?

MZ: My family and I found the old parish farm in Summer 2013 and we fell in love with the old house on the hill immediately. So we moved there 6 weeks later, just as our private home. The way it sits on top of the hill, overlooking the vast landscape is quite rare to find. The house is next to the old church, so we are part of the village community, but also kind of on our own. The landscape and the nature here is largely untouched and it is an absolute privilege to be so immersed in it.

The house is big. So already in the first spring, March 2014, we invited French artist Gregory Forstner to do a little show there! To be honest I didn’t initially intend to move the gallery to Waldkirchen, but we learned that artists also love this spot. So we just went on like that.

Galerie Zink. Shot by Benjakon

2. What was the process of getting it from a farm house to a contemporary art gallery?

MZ: The main house was in over all good shape, with some things to renovate. Bit by bit and step by step. But the old barn next door was not great and we didn’t have a real use for it. It became a spare space for unused things piling up, before they finally get thrown away.

So we decided that the barn could become the new gallery. But we soon discovered that there is no chance of working with the existing construction. So from the original barn, there is actually not much left. We had to tear most of it down. We kept the huge foundation on the valley side and the old exterior walls. But we had to demolish the rest, and all other elements are newly built.

3. What was the original brief to the architects for the gallery space?

MZ: We first had some of our own ideas for renovating the barn, but they weren’t really right. So we asked our architects, Mathieu Robitaille and Tamara Henry, to take a look at the plans and give me some advise. I knew them before as collectors of contemporary art. They don’t care about trends and fashions, and have a very good eye for interesting artists.

From that it took off to a full collaboration. As I said they are very dedicated collectors, so they understood right away the needs of a gallery. They also have experience and understanding of what it means to be in a village, an hour away from the next big city.

We agreed on a few core values. The first was that the architecture has to be so interesting, that artists want to exhibit there. Secondly, the architecture has to be so good, that the artists, visitors, and clients are willing to come all the way to Waldkirchen. And thirdly, it has to provide a unique experience to enjoy and cherish. It was always about sharing an experience! Sharing an experience with the artists as well as passionate collectors.

Klaas Rommelaere ‚Dark Uncles‘ 2020 at Galerie Zink

4. Did you have a clear vision for the architecture since the beginning?

MZ: No, I definitely did not. I had ideas for how I would like to work, but Tamara and Mathieu came up with good ideas right away and then we only had to find the right solutions to execute!

5. What are some unique features you could include with your original designs?

We were able to integrate the building with the surroundings so rich with history and nature, but also look contemporary to suit our artistic program. Like it grew from the former cow stable and parish house, but still makes a statement separate from the rest.

Thankfully I didn’t have to design the space myself. My architects always had great solutions for the concepts we had.

There are not many exact features I could detail, but we were able to stay true to some important characteristics. For example, we need ample open spaces in our architecture that create room for the art. As a gallery, this is the most important thing. Another thing is to maintain the natural elements in the space. The landscape is the remarkable thing that drew us to this space in the first place. So we wanted to have the connection between the vast expanse of nature outside and the cultural space inside.

6. What about the residences on site?

MZ: The idea started years ago. We had a small project in New York a few years ago. In that time we offered a nice apartment on 121st Street to our artists as a residency program, and after we would do an open studio. We did the same thing here in the old house, before we built the gallery. It was a nice collaboration and we liked it a lot, so we wanted to keep on with that idea.

I asked the architects to integrate this idea in the new building. So now we have a small apartment on the top floor of the gallery building, with a studio across the hallway. Both with plenty of light and an amazing view. The artists who already stayed there had a good and productive time. So that’s really exciting.

View from artist studio with Atelier Lachaert Dhanis sculpture

Guest apartment above the gallery

Artist studio occupied by Matías Sanchez

7. Any final thoughts on building your own gallery space?

MZ: For me it was first of all a great experience to work with really good architects. To find simple solutions for complex questions is a rare quality. Now after nearly two years in practice, there is still not a single spot, where I think this could have been done better, or we missed a chance. Tamara and Mathieu started their own office after the project and we will keep working with them for our next project. I also want to take this opportunity to thank our local engineer on our side, Mr Weigert! He was a real star for solving all the technical problems for us.

Another thing was that it changed my way of working. Curating shows, developing ideas together with the artist. But also in the encounters with the collectors who come here, it changed a lot. We give more time to experience the space, and also the environment where all our work lives.

About Waldkirchen

Waldkirchen has been a place of pilgrimage since 8th century AD. The church and the parish house built in the 1880s were the heart of the village. Perched atop a hill with sweeping views, this was the perfect location for Galerie Zink Waldkirchen.

In Fall 2017, we began remodelling a neighbouring building to create the new gallery space, art storage, and an artist studio. Designed by Swiss architects from Atelier Dimanche – Mathieu Robitaille & Tamara Henry, the space opened officially on 6 April 2019.

Get in touch with us here

Today we spotlight another work from Rudolf Bott’s current show ‚plus quam…‘ by explaining his aluminium sand casting process.

One of the large table pieces is a visually stunning table. Made of aluminium, its delicate details are actually a celebration of the process itself. To not bore you with a load of technical information, here is a simple explanation. Sand casting starts with a pattern of the object, pressed into a sand mixture to form the mould, into which the hot liquid aluminium is poured. Then as the metal cools inside and hardens, the surrounding sand can be broken off. Then the aluminium piece is left.

Bott created a table shape in the sand, as well as a network of tubes to fill in the shape. Then the usual next step is to remove all the unwanted pipes, sand off the marks left by sand, for a polished final product. But the artist chose to leave all the evidence behind. The cone shape entrances at the bottom remain, as do the veins of aluminium feeding into the legs, and the spiky trails along the surface of the table.

Rudolf Bott excavating the table from sand used for casting aluminium

Rudolf Bott excavating the table from sand used for casting aluminium

These remnants of the processes are usually discarded, but actually have their own beauty. To underscore this, we display it in the exhibition against the window that looks out to snowy landscape. This perspective really shows how the bare branches echo the shapes of the table. Not only were these parts a necessity to create the table in the first place, they also have simple aesthetic value.

 Rudolf Bott excavating the table from sand used for casting aluminium

 Aluminium „Tischobjekt“ freshly escalated from the casting sand

In an earlier interview with Bott (see it here), the artist discusses how nowadays we have the technology to do anything. This convenience leads to a numbness, and mindless overconsumption. Regular consumers hardly ever think about the process behind it, and the purpose of things. This table brings to question multiple questions on those topics. How many people knew this is how aluminium pieces are made? And what is the purpose of this table? Is it just for display or for use? When you buy it as a piece of art, will you have dinners on it? This table makes it difficult with the spikes on the surface, does it make it less of a table? Does it make it more of an art piece? Does utility take away from an object’s artistic value? For the artist, each of his object is only successful if it fulfils its destiny. And yet many of his collectors display them on pedestals and cases because the objects are considered art. Is there even a need for differentiating between art and utilitarian object?

Rudolf Bott’s Tischobjekt in situ at ‚plus quam…‘

Rudolf Bott
Tischobjekt, 2020 (detail)
Aluminium
94,5 × 81 × 81 cm (37 ¼ × 31 ⅞ × 31 ⅞ inches)
80 kg

Rudolf Bott
Tischobjekt, 2020
Aluminium
94,5 × 81 × 81 cm (37 ¼ × 31 ⅞ × 31 ⅞ inches)
80 kg

Check out his process of making a single piece one tonne steel table here

Or click here for an interview with the artist plus the viewing room of ‚plus quam…‘

About The Artist

Rudolf Bott is one of the most outstanding German silversmiths of his generation and the recipient of many prestigious awards. He initially trained as a goldsmith in the workshop of G.A. Korff of Hanau from 1972 and studied at The National Design Academy, Hanau in 1978, and at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1983 under the tutelage of Prof. Hermann Jünger from 1993-89. In between he worked in the studios of Hermann Kunkler in Raesfeld, Max Pollinger in Munich Giampaolo Babetto in Aqua Petrarca, Italy before setting up his own workshop in 1989. Now working independently, Bott creates conceptually complex and philosophical works that straddle fine art and craft from his workshop in the countryside of Bavaria, Germany.

Contact us here

Join us on a visit to Atlier Lachaert Dhanis‘ studio in Belgium!

The studio is a true embodiment of the artist’s mind, and that is true for Atelier Lachaert Dhanis. With a studio filled with wondrous objects, the studio is a feast for the eyes. Each detail or object could be a sculpture created by the artist or a source of inspiration.

For example, the artists were inspired by palettes used by oil painters. Sourcing them from flea markets, the pair reworked them to build on its natural beauty. The layers of paints and textures are enhanced by adding more colours and minerals to them. Each piece is unique with its own landscape of rocks and colours. Since prehistoric times, minerals have been used widely for the manufacture of pigments. In many ways, these pieces celebrate the process of painting just as much as the painting itself.

Atelier Lachaert Dhanis
New palettes by Luc D’hanis

 

Here the artists play with different materials – such as marble – to create a stool. Upon first glance, the way it is constructed definitely construes wooden planks. But the pattern is clearly marble. Why does the mind make such associations? Perhaps because marble is often considered ‚high end‘, and the way this stool is haphazardly put together reminds one of a makeshift wooden stool. Is it wooden planks or is it marble? Or even artificial marble?

Detail of new work by Atelier Lachaert Dhanis

Detail of new work by Atelier Lachaert Dhanis
Atelier Lachaert Dhanis studio

Some curious details from he studio – tiny furniture? antique vase with a hole?

Atelier Lachaert Dhanis studio
Atelier Lachaert Dhanis studio
Klaas Rommelaere Sculptures at Atelier Lachaert Dhanis

 

In addition to their work space, the artists also offer a bed & breakfast at the studio. Meticulously curated, the rooms are bright and cozy, with their signature style imbued in the decor. A really unique experience in the countryside of Tielrode. Check out the details here

atelier Lachaert Dhanis B&B
atelier Lachaert Dhanis B&B
atelier Lachaert Dhanis B&B

About The Artists

Atelier Lachaert Dhanis is an artist pairing of Luc D’Hanis and Sofie Lachaert. Both artists graduated from Royal Academy Atwerp Belgium and NHISK Antwerp, Belgium, with D’Hanis receiving a degree in painting, while Lachaert specialised in jewellery design and silversmithing. With over 20 years of collaboration, the pair has created a symbiotic language that weaves together conceptual, applied and visual arts, philosophy and craftsmanship. Known for their objects, furniture and installations, the artists’ works teeter in the “boundaries” between craft and fine art. Exquisitely made to perfection, the objects are always conceptually intricate with multiple levels of meaning and interpretation. Beyond creating in the studio, they also opened up their studio in idyllic Tielrode Valley, Belgium for guests to stay at. Each experience they offer, and each project they commit themselves to, exemplifies their unique aesthetic, philosophy, attention to detail.

Contact us here

Jana Gunstheimer just spent a couple weeks at Galerie Zink as the first of our artist residency program in 2021, and it has been such a pleasure getting to know the artist’s work and process in detail.

Working on her newest series, the artist created large and small scale works in the quiet of our studio space. She was inspired by the snowy landscape of Waldkirchen during her stay, as the area became a black and white scene. While the white snow blanketed the whole surrounding, only some black details are left to show through.

Waldkirchen In The Snow

This monochromatic environment led to the artist’s exploration in weaving painted canvases together, only in black and white. To her, this is a reference to the atmospheres depicted in Romantic paintings. In her words,

„In Romantic landscape painting, moods were understood as atmospheres or atmospherically induced sensations. According to Carl Gustav Carus, the main task of such art is the ‚representation of a certain mood of the life of the mind (sense) through the reproduction of a corresponding mood of the experience of nature (truth).'“

Artist’s Work In Progress

Jana Gunstheimer artist residency at Galerie Zink: Materials

Jana Gunstheimer work in progress

Jana Gunstheimer work in progress

Jana Gunstheimer work in progress

Jana Gunstheimer in residency at Galerie Zink

But it was not all work here with us! She managed to have a full Galerie Zink Waldkirchen experience. In her notes,

„Sunday: How do you start Sunday in the village? Feeding cows with the gallery owner. It has snowed again and so we immediately go for a hike. In the studio I make test canvases to see how to generate grids that you can’t control. I’m interested in finding a random principle with which you can create a kind of white noise. How do you end Sunday in the village? Chop beetroot with the gallery owner, add alcohol and seal it well. On Friday we distill schnapps.“

Fun In Residency…

Jana Gunstheimer making schnapps

Jana Gunstheimer on small scooter – it’s not all business here

Feeding the cows at Galerie Zink – the full rural experience!

MZ with Charlie in the snow

 

About The Artist

Jana Gunstheimer was born in 1974 in Zwickau, Germany. A deeply thoughtful and intellectual individual, the artist had originally studied ethnology. Field research methods trained in that period are often used in her artistic work. Beyond her detailed drawings, complex textile works, thought provoking installations, she also founded the „Institute for Iregional Reality Experients“ at the Bauhaus University, Weimar (IRRE@bauhaus). Through her oeuvre, the artist weaves together reality and fiction, creating possible truths and absurd situations. Each of her projects are subtly ironic. As she presents her narraitves, researches, and analyses, the knowing audience is simultaneously provoked and amused. The artist currently lives and works in Germany.

Contact us here

Header image: Michael Zink in front of a painting by Yoshitomo Nara at the artist’s first solo exhibition in 1997

This week marks the 27th anniversary since Galerie Zink was established. The gallery has been through a lot of changes over the years, and it’s taken quite a journey to arrive at their current place in Waldkirchen. So I sat down with Michael, founder of the gallery, to take a look back at the gallery’s history.

How did you get started with Galerie Zink?

MZ: I started the gallery in January 1994 in Regensburg. It was kind of by accident as I studied Biology and Chemistry before. Since I didn’t have any experience in the art world, I had a quite steep learning curve. The first two years I still did some funny side jobs to survive, but I was lucky. I met some great artists and also some great supporters early on. 

Galerie Zink in its inception in 1994: stone sculptures by Karl Prantl and paintings by Otto Wagner

MZ in front of a painting by Yoshitomo Nara at the artist’s first solo exhibition in 1997

For the first few years, it was good to be a bit off the grid. But soon we realized that we have to move to a bigger city for the artists, so that we have a chance to get recognized by a wider audience. So we first moved to Munich, and soon after we started a branch in Berlin Kreuzberg.

Then in 2010/11 we had the chance to build a new gallery space in Berlin Mitte, which was also great. In Berlin I had a great team and it was very intense there, but personally I never really „arrived“ in Berlin. It is not my city. At one point I moved back to live in the South, first Munich and later to to the countryside. 

It was never the plan to move the gallery to a village of 27 residents in the middle of nowhere, but I have been living here for a few years. And when Florian Kromus, my gallery partner in Berlin, decided to move for private reasons to Paris, I had to decide [for the future of the gallery]. Will I move will back to Berlin, or will the gallery move to Waldkirchen? The rest is history. Now, I do what I want to do at the place I want to be! Pure luxury!

Rosilene Ludovico 2007 Galerie Zink Berlin Kreuzberg

Gregory Forstner 2007 Galerie Zink Berlin Kreuzberg

How do you think the art scene has changed over the years?

MZ: When I started I had a LCII by Macintosh and a fax machine. I couldn’t afford to do more than 1 or 2 diapositive reproductions of the artworks. So for me at the time, the art world was regional, maybe national. It all changed with our first international art fair participation, but it really changed when communication became digital. Today Hong Kong is as far away as Munich is for us! 

Along with the world getting smaller by technology, another important shift started. Art became a lifestyle! The starting point for that may have been the global expansion of Art Basel. When they started Art Basel Miami, with the sunshine, drinks, and parties. Art fairs became a society event, and art works became glamorous accessories. I don’t want to complain, it is absolutely ok like it is. There are more collectors and more money for art than ever, and more artists can make a living from what they do than ever before. But of course this also has an impact on the evolution in art. 

Maybe the third thing that I would mention is the fact that art sometimes has become more like consumer goods, than an attitude. That means that works with clear and easy branding, that are recognizable and easy to access get a lot more attention than art representing an idea, an attitude, or a statement out of real conviction. Some artists have become more product designers than believers in what they do. This is also not a real problem, but worth looking at twice.

Hannelore Van Dijck ‚Wenn Sich der Nebel Hebt‘ 2013 Galerie Zink Berlin Mitte

Jana Gunstheimer ‚Das Aristokratische Prinzip‘ 2014 Galerie Zink Berlin Mitte

What’s been the most challenging period for you?

MZ: To be honest, looking back, the biggest challenge was when the gallery did really well. We made a lot of money, but we also spent a lot of money. It was great for the ego and very intriguing, but it also meant a lot of pressure. I was working too much, traveling too much! I think at that time I lost myself a bit in the tinsel of the art world. And I also kind of lost the real connection with the art and the artists.

At one point it all became too much. I realized that that kind of work and life was not healthy, and not sustainable at all. I know that I had to change something, but didn’t know what!

Maybe the financial crisis in 2008/09 was the moment when reality hit. We had to scale down, refocus and try to survive. In that time I kind of settled again. I cared more about friends, social life, relations. Probably the best decision of that time was that I decided to get a dog! Charlie! A bulldog brings you back to nature, to a daily routine, to a normal life, to real life ;-)!

Charlie with portrait by Gregory Forstner

Has your vision changed since the beginning?

MZ: At the beginning I didn’t really have a vision, I just was curious and I was like a sponge learning so much! Art was an experience for me! And maybe today I am closer again to that than ever before. Art is an experience and it is great to share that experience with others. 

Paul Kooiker ‚NAC‘ 2015 Galerie Zink Berlin Mitte
Rinus Van de Velde ‚Islander‘ 2014 Galerie Zink Berlin Mitte
Muntean/Rosenblum ‚The Truth Is Deep Inside‘ 2014 Galerie Zink Berlin Mitte

Muntean/Rosenblum ‚The Truth Is Deep Inside‘ 2014 Galerie Zink Berlin Mitte

 

Cheesy end: what lessons did you learn?

MZ: A quote to sum it up „Appreciate what you have, it is more than it looks!“
and my favorite quote from Ad Reinhardt: „Art is too serious to be taken seriously“

Galerie Zink Waldkirchen inaugural exhibition ‚Thinking With My Hands‘ 2019

Anniversaries often come and go but as the last year was such a challenge for many, we felt it was good to look at the history of the gallery. Through all the changes in world geo-politics, economic crises, digitalisation, Galerie Zink has really weathered many storms. As we all grapple with the seismic shift in every aspect of our lives since 2020, the gallery continues to evolve and adapt. That being said, Michael manages to keep a clear idea of his vision for the gallery going forward.

We would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our clients, artists, friends, for the support over the years. We love what we do, and it is such a pleasure and honour to keep delivering what we believe in to you.

For our latest exhibitions, check our digital viewing room for Paul Kooiker here, and Rudolf Bott here

Contact us here

A few months ago we visited Rudolf Bott at his studio. The artist showed us around as he worked on some pieces. And he shared a bit of insight about his philosophy towards art, craft, and our modern individualistic culture. How do we relate to the physical world now with the convenience of technology?

Check the short video below to take a look at his workshop, and hear him share some pearls of wisdom!

Rudolf Bott: plus quam…

The exhibition is officially open from last weekend, and will be open until April 18. His works are shown alongside Paul Kooiker’s photography for this duration as well.

 Check out our online viewing room here

And for a look behind the scenes for one of the works, a 1000kg steel table, check our previous blog post here

About Rudolf Bott

Rudolf Bott is one of the most outstanding German silversmiths of his generation and the recipient of many prestigious awards. He initially trained as a goldsmith in the workshop of G.A. Korff of Hanau from 1972 and studied at The National Design Academy, Hanau in 1978, and at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1983 under the tutelage of Prof. Hermann Jünger from 1993-89. In between he worked in the studios of Hermann Kunkler in Raesfeld, Max Pollinger in Munich Giampaolo Babetto in Aqua Petrarca, Italy before setting up his own workshop in 1989. Now working independently, Bott creates conceptually complex and philosophical works that straddle fine art and craft from his workshop in the countryside of Bavaria, Germany.

Contact us here

For the first show in 2021, Galerie Zink is proud to present ‚Rudolf Bott: plus quam…‘. Here we take you behind the scenes to the artist’s workshop. In this exhibition, Rudolf Bott presents a series of smaller sculptures alongside three large scale works that explore what a table is and could be to the artist. Each work is undoubtedly considered a table – a surface elevated from the floor. But each interpretation is wildly different.

The end results exemplify the genius of Rudolf Bott’s creative mind in the realm of ’silversmith‘ and ‚craft‘. Tables are one of the most basic and crucial pieces of furniture in most households, and for this exhibition, the artist has truly dissolved the boundaries between art and utilitarian objects.

I can go on and on about the remarkable works Rudolf Bott has presented for this exhibition, but for now, just a sneak peek into the work that goes in to create one of the works in the series „Tischobjekt“ – a table made of one tonne of steel, with zero joints.

‚Tischobjekt‘ (2020) in the making

‚Tischobjekt‘ (2020) in ‚plus quam…‘

 

 

Rudolf Bott: plus quam…

Opening: February 2021
Galerie Zink, Waldkirchen

About Rudolf Bott

Rudolf Bott is one of the most outstanding German silversmiths of his generation and the recipient of many prestigious awards. He initially trained as a goldsmith in the workshop of G.A. Korff of Hanau from 1972 and studied at The National Design Academy, Hanau in 1978, and at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1983 under the tutelage of Prof. Hermann Jünger from 1993-89. In between he worked in the studios of Hermann Kunkler in Raesfeld, Max Pollinger in Munich Giampaolo Babetto in Aqua Petrarca, Italy before setting up his own workshop in 1989. Now working independently, Bott creates conceptually complex and philosophical works that straddle fine art and craft from his workshop in the countryside of Bavaria, Germany.

Contact us here

Klaas Rommelaere, young Belgian artist working with embroidery, has a special penchant for movies. References to pop culture feature frequently in his works. Let’s take a look at some of the movie and music that inspired him for his current exhibition ‚Dark Uncles‘ at Texture Kortrijk.

Music That Inspired Klaas Rommelaere

Have a listen to the music below to get into Klaas‘ frame of mind as he works on his embroideries in his studio

 

Movie Inspirations Behind ‚Dark Uncles‘

One of the main inspirations from the show is Midsommer, informing the processional format of Klaas‘ puppets. Japanese culture is also integral to Klaas‘ art, and he has been a long standing fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s works stories and aesthetics. Naturally, the idea of ancestry and familial history is a key theme in this autobiographical show. Spirited Away explores our history with our parents and our true nature, while Hereditary tells the inescapable consequences of familial ties. Though perhaps the narrative of ‚Dark Uncles‘ is not as sinister and harrowing as the movies. The show tells the life of Klaas Rommelaere, an artist that found his own way after leaving his formal training in fashion, much like Maud in Maudie discovers herself through her art.

Take a look at the full list of movies below:

Written and directed by Ari Aster, starring Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor

Synopsis: A couple travel to Sweden to visit their friend’s rural hometown for its fabled midsummer festival, but what begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.

[Ari Aster’s strength in] “Midsommar,” is the setup, that part when he lays out his characters, their worlds and the menace that closes on them like a claw… Aster handles the windup shrewdly with a persuasive realism, a deliberate pace and crepuscular lighting.

New York Times

Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Synopsis: Mei and Satsuki move to a new house to be closer to their mother who is in the hospital. They soon become friends with Totoro, a giant rabbit-like creature who is a spirit.

Miyazaki so effectively captures the feeling of a child’s life, inside as well as out, that little ones are often mesmerized by the movie, and adults are returned to a time when they could enjoy mystery for its own sake.

AV Club

Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Synopsis: 10-year-old Chihiro and her parents stumble upon a seemingly abandoned amusement park. After her mother and father are turned into giant pigs, Chihiro meets the mysterious Haku, who explains that the park is a resort for supernatural beings who need a break from their time spent in the earthly realm, and that she must work there to free herself and her parents.

The title “Spirited Away“ could refer to what Disney has done on a corporate level to the revered Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki’s epic and marvelous new anime fantasy.

New York Times

Written and direct by Ari Aster, starring Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro and Gabriel Byrne

Synopsis: When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter’s family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. The more they discover, the more they find themselves trying to outrun the sinister fate they seem to have inherited.

Collette give a terrific, hypnotic performance as a harried mother facing down family evil in Ari Aster’s rivetingly shot horror debut.

The Guardian

Written by Jonathan Glazer and Walter Campbell, directed by Jonathan Glazer, starring Scarlett Johansson

Synopsis: Disguising itself as a human female, an extraterrestrial drives around Scotland attempting to lure unsuspecting men into her van. Once there, she seduces and sends them into another dimension where they are nothing more than meat.

Invading this arena with no evidence of even the slimmest compromise, Glazer has managed to make one of the most outlandish portraits of alienation in recent memory

IndieWire

Written by Andrew Baldwin, directed by Martin Zandvliet starring Jared Leto, Tadanobu Asano, Kippei Shiina, Shiori Kutsuna, and Emile Hirsch

Synopsis: After World War II, an American prisoner of war stays in Japan and works his way through the rituals and hardships of the yakuza to become a member of the crime organization.

In its obsession with all things Japanese, the film places a special emphasis on the quality of humility. Nevertheless, the story ends with an elite corps of Asian assassins bowing to the former frontman for 30 Seconds to Mars.

The Guardian

Written by Sherry White, directed by Aisling Walsh, starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke

Synopsis: Maud, a woman suffering from arthritis, begins painting as a hobby while she works as a housekeeper for Everett Lewis. As her art becomes more popular, Everett asks her to marry him.

Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke open up two closed people, unleashing torrents of feeling, in this film inspired by the life of a self-taught artist.

New York Times

Click here for a more in depth look at ‚Dark Uncles‘

on now until January 21, 2021

Despite the developing situation with the pandemic, we were fortunate enough to be able to arrange for German Stegmaier to come to our gallery for a few weeks of artist residency.

For those that are familiar with his works, you know that some works take years, even decades to finish. So we are really excited that the artist produced a few fully realised works during this time. With the peaceful remoteness of our gallery, the artist was able to really channel his energy into creating. The completed works are not figuratively portraying anything so our unique architecture and geography may not be exactly depicted, but perhaps some of you can see elements of it in some of them?

Originally a student of mathematics and philosophy, the artist made a big change to pursue a career as an artist. Even though for lay-people, math and art seem wildly disparate, but math at an advanced level is not so different from art. Mathematical truisms are derived from looking at something and deconstructing it until it becomes an abstract system. It can be used to understand time, space, and laws of the universe. With the same approach, Stegmaier explores drawings and abstractions as a system, analytically allowing lines and shapes to emerge or be erased over time.

His method begins with a figurative drawing of something, then he begins to let the system of abstraction take effect. For instance, he would add a detail, erase an area, rework a line. When something is erased though, the traces remain still. So is it really gone? For a work to reach completion, it could take years. This is why some works are dated since 1995 up to 2020. Over the decades, the progression of his language and artistry is not linear, and the ways in which they develop are multi-faceted. Each stroke is done with careful consideration, as they oscillate in and out of appearing on the surface. The resulting works are subtle, quiet, contemplative.

„It has to reach a state where I cannot add anything else, remove, or alter it, when it is a thing, a painting. The material must be transformed to such an extent that the painting or drawing also functions without me.“

– German Stegmaier, 2013

Even though his monochromatic drawings are not literal, they evoke architecture and spaces because of the careful linear compositions. The paintings, on the other hand, have an additional dimension of color to be deconstructed and utilised. With Stegmaier’s pencil on paper, the eraser works well to subtract any details that no longer serve the work. With the paintings, the artist uses a neutral non-colour like gray to block out areas that should be removed, and end up creating a layer of composition in itself. The negative space is just an important an element as the parts with lines or color. Everything eventually works together to form the self sufficient machine that runs without the artist’s interference.

We are showing Stegmaier’s work as he left the studio for our visitors. Luckily, we are able to stay open during this time, so get in touch to find out more about visiting!

Completed works by German Stegmaier

About the artist

German Stegmaier was born in 1959 in Muehldorf/Inn. After studying mathematics and philosophy of science for a year in 1977 at University of Munich, he enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich from 1980-86. He then studied at Rijksakademie Amsterdam until 1990. Having been in the gallery roster since 1994, the artist is one of the first ones to join Galerie Zink. He currently lives and works in Munich, Germany.

Check the full list of works available from German Stegmaier’s open studio

Get in touch with us to find out more 

We are so happy to announce that Tom Callemin is publishing a limited edition book of photography, titled Orbit. The book has been in the works for some time now, and includes photographs by the artist over the last four years. During this time the young photographer has been creating individual projects that are now being brought together on one platform.

While each series was developed as stand alone, a common thread eventually emerged as the artist produced the book. It is self-published with Des Palais, a publishing platform started by Bieke Depoorter alongside the artist, to be officially available on December 21st, 2020.

This book is a beautiful collection of Tom’s transcendent and theatrical photography, each of them so enigmatic. Every image is a result of the artist’s meticulous staging, and countless takes of the same shot. The production of the book was no different, with the artist directing every detail.

The name Orbit refers to the principal theme in the book which is „time“ and the idea of things reoccurring within time. A foundational concept for his works is to explore how a camera can make something visible within the layers of time. Some images explicitly refer to „orbits“ by portraying the moon or the sun on their path, which is humans‘ way to measure the passage of time. Some merely capture the flash of moments that are hard to catch with the naked eye. By using the camera to eternalise something ephemeral, the photographer is able to manipulate time in some ways. How do we hold onto things before they disappear? A method chosen by the artist is by repeatedly re-enacting of the same image over a period of time. Time is passing, but is it really? It always comes back, as history repeats itself.

Photography proofs for the book

Sneak peek of Tom Callemin’s Orbit

Orbit 
€42,00

25 x 30 cm, Hardcover
Concept: Lara Kinds, Bieke Depoorter & Tom Callemin
Graphic design: Lara Kinds
Text editing: Catie Young
Edition of 600
ISBN 9789464202618
December 2020

Pre-order your copy here before December 21st and receive a signed B1 poster of River

About Tom Callemin

Born in 1991 in Oostende, Belgium, Tom Callemin is a young photographer currently living and working in Ghent, Belgium, where he received his MA in Photography and Fine Arts in 2014 and 2015. A deeply conceptual artist, Callemin’s oeuvre explores intangible ideas such as time passage or even photography itself. They dissect the roles of the subject, the photographer, and the viewer. Each work is the result of the artist’s meticulous planning, creating an enigmatic narrative suspended in time and space. While each project stands individually, they all come together in an upcoming monograph Orbit. Callemin is currently a researcher at Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Ghent. 

Check out a list of the artist’s works here

Get in touch with us to find out more 

Klaas Rommelaere’s solo exhibition ‚Dark Uncles‘ at Galerie Zink closed a few weeks ago. Now we are preparing for the next stop of this traveling exhibition that opens on October 3rd at TEXTURE Kortrijk, Belgium. An expansion on the show with us, the new exhibition, still titled ‚Dark Uncles‘, will include an installation of sixteen larger-than-life embroidered puppets and two dogs staged in a procession format. Also included will be framed tapestries, intricate flags, and embroidered totems.

The show features all new works that are deeply personal; each work is made up of an intricate web of imageries that form an autobiographical narrative. The stories of his childhood spent at his grandparent’s cabin, or a horse riding accident, are  personal and mundane. Yet the spirit of these memories recalls universally shared experiences.

What is the narrative of your life?

The artist’s works appear like tribal tapestries upon first glance, but the imagery is humorously childlike, with references to pop culture and the everyday life of Antwerp. The kind of simplified and cartoonish aesthetic echoes and highlights the concept of personal memories for me. Whether I’ve had a European suburban upbringing, or a childhood in an Asian metropolitan city, it is the same. Memories are recalled in vague (and very likely inaccurate) images, embellished with certain sharp details that stick out. Things appear in our consciousness through the lens of our experiences, and childhood memories are often approximate broad strokes. Memory is the original augmented reality.

This exhibition celebrates the ordinary people that had extraordinary roles in Klaas‘ life – his partner, family, friends. Each work is also a direct product of Klaas‘ support system – his troop of elderly embroiderers around Belgium. From the beginning of his career, he amassed a community of „expert embroiderers“ to help him produce his works. A show of this scale is truly a feat that could not be achieved without them. „It takes a village“ could not be more true for Klaas‘ baby – his body of work.

Born in 1986, Klaas lives and works in Antwerp. He works with a traditional craft through a contemporary and creative perspective, rooted in the everyday life. The results are a perfect match for Texture, a museum that celebrates the heritage and innovation of craft. 

For those who missed it at our gallery, you can still make it to Belgium for the show! 

Klaas Rommelaere „Dark Uncles“ at Galerie Zink (closed Aug 9, 2020)

We’ve written about some of the individual works in some of our earlier Instagram posts, and here are some highlights. Please check those out for a deeper dive. All the works that were at our gallery will also appear in Texture.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Galerie Zink (@galeriezink)

 

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A post shared by Galerie Zink (@galeriezink)

„Dark Uncles“ Second Stop at Texture, Kortrijk

Oct 3, 2020 until Jan 31, 2021

Details on the show could be found here

Catalog available for purchase here

design and editing: Jurgen Maelfeyt
texts: Jozefien Van Beek, Luk Lambrecht
photography: Benjakon, We Document Art
edition of 1500

Here is a list of the available works

Or get in touch to find out more from us!

A studio visit is always a joy as it provides such an insight into the artist’s thought process. It creates a much more complex appreciation of the final art work. The way each studio has its own system of organised chaos is almost like entering the sacred space of an artist’s brain. So we are pleased to be able to bring our audience to them, especially during these times of limited travel. Today we start with the studio of Johannes Nagel, renowned contemporary ceramic artist.

Johannes Nagel is known for his conceptual approach and methods towards his craft, and his spontaneous handling of the material. He has a unique method of creating vessels with moulds excavated in sand, and the resulting shapes continuously question the concept of „vessels“ being objects of utility. As it all sounds a bit abstract, we thought why not show you his methods. We were fortunate enough to visit the artist as he created one of the pieces included in his current exhibition at Cordonhaus Städt Galerie Museum, Cham, Germany. Enjoy this studio visit below!

The Making Of: Johannes Nagel Blue Note (2020)

 

 

Recent exhibition with Sky Glabush

The joint exhibition, titled „True Blue“ with two Galerie Zink artists, Johannes Nagel and Sky Glabush, opened on September 5th at Cordonhaus, Cham. Two artists from different continents, working in very different media. By putting the artists‘ works together, their similarities and differences are highlighted to create a fascinating discourse. Both artists allow the process of creating their works to be somewhat improvisational, resulting in works that emerge as a conversation between materials, colours, textures, composition.

Click here for more works from „True Blue“ featuring Sky Glabush and Johannes Nagel. The exhibition is open now, and will go until October 25. Get in touch to find out more!

The sky so blue, the stars so bright

Last week one of our guests at Petersbergapartments in Waldkirchen has shared his passion for astro-photography with us and took some stunning pictures of the beautiful night sky over Waldkirchen! Many thanks to Mr Joachim Hülstrung for sharing this unique view on the Milky Way, the comet Neowise, falling stars and planets! We knew that the sky over Waldkirchen is special but this was an amazing experience!

 

 

 

 

Karl Fritsch: Ruby Gold – the book is printed!

It’s a wrap! During the last months we have been intensively working on a new book with Karl Fritsch, that will be published on the occasion of his upcoming solo show in our gallery in September! ‚Ruby Gold‘ is a tribute to the details of the rings by Karl Fritsch – the book is 172 pages, 15x21cm, and published in cooperation with Arnoldsche Art Publishers. Just this week it has been printed at DZA Druckerei zu Altenburg and will be available by end of this month! Preorder your copy (28,– Euro plus shipping) by dropping us a short note via magdalena.abele@galeriezink.de!