MODERN & CONTEMPORARY spring 2024
As usual, the gallery's March exhibition focusses on art after 1945. This year the focus on contemporary art is also increased. The "St. Stephan Group" with Markus Prachensky, Wolfgang Hollegha and Josef Mikl is represented, as well as the painters of the "Viennese School of Fantastic Realism" with Anton Lehmden and Arik Brauer. After his major solo exhibition at the gallery in autumn 2023 Brauer is on show with the wonderful early work "Mädchen mit den Puffärmeln" from 1968.
“Die Neuen Wilden” of the 1980s, whose protagonists are now among the most established artists in our country, are represented with paintings by Gunter Damisch and Hubert Scheibl, whose most recent series "Falling" is fascinating in its dynamism.
In the sculptural field, " Der Schreitende" by Joannis Avramidis from the 1960s, which is an impressive 170 cm tall, is worthy of special mention. In addition to the handbag on long legs "... Waiting" by Erwin Wurm made of Carrara marble and "Squirt", a hot water bottle with feet made of cast iron. "Avatar pre-departing", the iconic Knackwurst sausage from 2020, will delight collectors. The range is complemented by sculptures made of Murano glass by Tony Cragg and Kiki Kogelink and the delicate stainless-steel sculptures by Barbara Szüts. Only recently, one of her works was included in the collection of the Albertina, Vienna.
Nature has always been an important theme in art and its reception takes place in very different ways. The hyper-realistic vanitas motifs by the Italian artist duo Casagrande & Recalcati are on display, as are the botanical world societies by Karin Pliem. Alfredo Barsuglia puts our perception to the test with his surreal associative spaces, as does Lukas Janitsch with his richly detailed paintings of birds and fish. Beni Altmüller transports us into a world of unlimited possibilities with his vast landscapes full of dramatic perspectives. The great Max Weiler also joins in thematically with his lyrical-philosophical symphonies of nature.
Another important theme in painting has always been portraiture. Gottfried Helnwein's photorealistic children already fascinated in the large Albertina exhibition, which was on show until the beginning of February. "Head of a Child (Mollie)" is one of the highlights of the spring exhibition at Kovacek & Zetter. The African artist Idowu Oluwaseun becomes the voice of an entire continent in his "FACELESS MINORITY" series. Works by Mercedes Helnwein, Xenia Hausner, Ingrid Brandstetter and Maria Lassnigs "Body Awareness" pictures show other, very different positions.
As usual, the exhibition is accompanied by a carefully researched, comprehensive catalogue.
