Reshape
Henry Stöcker (DE) and Lillian Presthus (NO) and guestartists from the gallery
Paintings, Drawings and Sculptures
Galleri Heike Arndt DK Berlin 8th of October -30.november 2014
About the exhibition
Edit, forming and transforming – this is what connects the artists Henry Stöcker (DE) and Lillian Presthus (NO). Henry Stöcker – this excellent German sculptor – so far still an insider tip – manages to seduce us with its forms. With their humorous expression, his works pretend to present the recognizable – without ever tangible. Norwegian Lillian Presthus – Also, her paintings make us believe to recognize familiar faces. Traditional Norwegian ornamentation has found a new contemporary expression and perhaps a new home in her works. This exhibition spans a surprising arc from the classical understanding of art to the modern era – and perhaps you find yourself looking for something recognizeable. Come by, reflect and get inspired. What in your life would you like to reshape?
Henry Stöcker (DE)
The sculptor Henry Stöcker was born in Bergen on the island of Rügen, Germany. He started studying biology in Rostock, which he added with art studies in a city that also became his future home; Berlin. As a sculptor and trained biologist, his works mainly consist of materials such as concrete, gypsum, metal, wire and wax. The works take their starting point in a dialogue between the organic form and the artistic expression, leaving us constantly looking in faith to be able to recognise something. Stöcker’s art reflects his interest in reshaping imaginary perspectives. Reduced to a minimum of necessary material, these works convey both joy and humour and let spatial images surprisingly arise in our consciousness, never losing their grace. H
Henry Stöcker (DE)
is sculptures from full size to delicate vaxmodels are based on an extensive sketch material – to the finished filigree drawing – clearly influenced by his very personal expression. It is with a direct and playful language Stöcker invites the spectators to explore a world of imagination. Read more about the artist here.
Lillian Presthus (NO)
Artist Lillian Presthus is transforming the traditional media of painting. Using both old family photographs and patterns from the Norwegian textile tradition, Presthus’ art has a highly personalized starting point. – She herself comes from Ytra Arna outside Bergen, a leading area for the Norwegian textile industry, and the influence is unmistakable. By processing former works of art and rural culture, Presthus manages to turn the deeply personal into something universal. In that way she, so to say, destructs harmony to re-establish it once again in a modified form of new meaning,order and balance: Unfamiliar faces transform into familiarity and Norwegian patterns into any other culture’s artistic expression.
Lillian Presthus (NO)
The deconstruction technic and the use of either delicate pastel or saturated colour palette cause Presthus’ paintings to become highly sensitive and conspicuous. Despite the traditional motives from domestic situations and family life, her pieces of art possess a modern touch. In artistic-vice terms, her patterns both function as dynamic and abstract structures and as a play with the immediately two-dimensionality of the canvas. In that sense Presthus continues the modernist tradition and its search for the possibilities and limitations of the painting media. Read more about the artist here.
