Exhibition Detail - Samuelis Baumgarte Galery

About the exhibition

The Samuelis Baumgarte Galerie, Bielefeld, presents the thematic exhibition “Form meets Color” with a multifaceted dialogue between image, color and space in a spectral, experimental manner. Works by internationally renowned and important contemporary artists such as Yaacov Agam, Alexander Calder, John Chamberlain, Amanda Chiarucci, Tony Cragg, Alexander Deubl, Marguerite Hersberger, David Magán, Frank Stella and Victor Vasarely will be presented.

The vernissage will take place on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 5:30 pm with an opening talk by Alexander Baumgarte and Tobias Linden.

At the center of the exhibition is the large-format canvas by the American minimalist Frank Stella (1926-2024) “SCRAMBLE: GREEN DOUBLE / LEFT N, RIGHT 8, 1977” from the formative period of the 1970s in dialogue with the sculptural sophistication of “Untitled, 2001” by the American abstract expressionist and inventor of Pop Art John Chamberlain (1927-2011).

The kinetic sculpture “Little yellow Stabilé, 1963” by Alexander Calder also programmatically combines minimalism and metallic abstraction. Painterly Op Art is also represented with canvases such as “Terries II, 1973-75” by Victor Vasarely (1906-1997) and forms an interacting bridge to the kinetic wall objects by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam (*1928). His fan-shaped, relief-like paintings such as “La cité illuminée, 1990-91”, which are reminiscent of Op Art, change between form and color depending on the position of the viewer.

The grande dame of Swiss Concrete art Marguerite Hersberger (*1943) is one of the most important representatives of constructive Concrete art, who has been developing her own artistic language since the early 1970s. The most important medium in her work is light. With current wall objects such as “Fluide Farbräume Nr.13, 2023” or the transparent “Prisma Skulptur, 2018”, works are shown that are based on her large museum retrospective at Haus Konstruktiv in Zurich.

Works by Spanish concrete artist David Magán (*1979) fill the room with color and prismatic light reflections. The wall piece “BINARIA 11 V.01, 2017” and the cubic free-hanging “P10/60 V.04, 2020-22” are based on the tradition of stained glass, but have been further developed, have freed themselves from their supports and operate with translucent areas of color and refractions of light on the walls. The characteristically reflective wall reliefs by sculptor Alexander Deubl (*1983) also conquer the room in an iridescent and iridescent manner. The complex elements made of mirrors, glass and metal absorb their individual surroundings through their polished surfaces.

The patinated and organic-looking bronze sculpture “Pair 2021” by British-German sculptor Tony Cragg (*1949) is also a characteristic example of his exploration of the infinity of forms in the world. The Italian paper artist Amanda Chiarucci (*1974) also explores this human and floral-organic cosmos in large-format reliefs such as “Eyegate, 2024”. Using the technique of Golden Venture Origami, the themes of existence and perception are central and are discussed philosophically.

Visitors to the gallery will experience an exciting exchange between the artistic positions as they wander through the rooms. A journey through a cosmos of shapes and colors.

The exhibition will be on display until March 1, 2025.