Form Matters
Form Matters is an exhibition on New Formalism in
contemporary art. The participating artists AVPD (DK), Maiken Bent
(DK), Knut Henrik Henriksen (NO), Ferdinand Krag (DK), Eline McGeorge
(NO), Simon Dybbroe Møller (DK), Ruth Proctor (UK), Bernd Ribbeck (DE)
and Gitte Schäfer (DE) present objects, paintings, drawings,
photography and film. The exhibition opens May 11th 6 pm until midnight
and ends July 14th
2007.
Formalism is a vague concept. The term is used on both Conceptual Art,
Constructivism, Suprematism, Pop Art, Abstract Expressionism, Colour
Field painting, Minimalism and Cubism. It is actually easier to say
what it is not. Formalism is normally not perceived as contextual,
political, narrative or documentary art – a kind of art which
especially dominated the international art scene in the 1990s. The
1990s was the decade of the Relational Aesthetics and the proces, the
social intervention, the immaterial and the performative work received
great attention. Video and photography based works ’returned to the
real’ as documentaries and in the beginning of this century, the
figurative Leipzig painting has been one of the main focus points of
the art scene.
New Formalism is the opposite. Still more young artists are interested
in a formal, aesthetic and conceptual approach to the art object.
Concerned by basic aspects like colour, line, space and form which are
rather classical approaches to art. New formalism manifests itself in a
cool, conceptual, rational and abstract expression. Its content relates
to the aesthetic experiences of Modernism through irony, humor,
nostalgia,metaphysics, admiration, and melancholy, to name a few. A
cool expression with an emotional content. It seems
more hermetic than the figurative art, but loaded with references,
stories, humour and critique right beneath the surface. Formalism is
far from lacking content. It is re-writing and re-thinking the
traditional philosophies and forms of Modernism. And vice versa:
simultaneously an invitation to look at art history from a new
perspective.
The participating artists are interested in the relation between
spatiality and surface and the characteristics of different media. They
refer to Cubism, Constructivism, Neue Sachlichkeit, Op Art, Colour
Field painting, Psychedelic art and Minimalism. And they are
inspired by architecture, design, music, furniture, science fiction,
ball room dancing, Amish quilts and Swiss tax legislation on weekend
chalets.
The exhibition will be celebrated in the courtyard. Konvoj presents
grilled lamb, mint drinks, cold beer, sound system and dj’s
