STEFAN DORNBUSCH
ABOUT THE VIEW AT THINGS FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES
The German, Berlin based artist Stefan Dornbush, presents his first exhibition in Turkey, jointly produced by the organizations SUPA by Manzara, Istanbul and Nuova Icona, Venice; the show is supported by the Goethe Institut, Istanbul and has been granted the status of Parallel Event by Istanbul Biennial.
Opening on September 12 at 6.00 pm
From September 13 to October 11, from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm, closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Over the last eight years, Stefan Dornbush has produced a series of drawings, self-questioning about the relationship between the three dimensional object (call it reality) and its two dimensional representation(s). Usually given for granted, this relationship exploits easy mental pre-concepts and visual conventions. Even before than being an art form “drawing” has been the elementary, original way to represent the form of any object, the map of a town, the interiors of a house, the scheme of a building. While developing ideas or discussing, often we find ourselves to look around for pen and paper. This to say, that drawing can be “art” but also a way of represent and – more important to our point – to understand reality and develop our thinking. For centuries, painters and sculptors had used drawing as the essential part of the process to approach the “definitive form” of their idea: which has to be reached through a series of tentatives. Drawing is therefore part of the process of thinking and can be definitive and provisional together. Reflecting closely on these visual conventions, and following traditional perspective representation, but driving them a bit out of track, Dornbush arrives to paradoxical, sometimes humoristic solutions.
The drawings presented at SUPA are grouped in various series: here to be mentioned the Formula 1 series, about the track of the Nurburgring in Germany: as in the artist’s remarks, the Formula 1 race is the place of coexistence of virile behaviour of pilots and scarcely dressed beautiful young girls (the Ring’s pr assistants and cheerleaders). Its same shape reflects the need to allow the drivers to show skill and courage, while staying within a reasonabe safety. Dornbush goes beyond the functionality of the ring, providing some impossible, unlikely, funny (and higly dangerous) alternative shapes. Impossible they may be in the reality, but still possible to be thought and drawn. Another series of works is about the former GDR power plant of Sprenger: an industrial site meant to provide power, fuelled by coal, for the industries of Communist Germany. But without consideration of the heavy environmental costs. The clouds of fumes from the plant pipes become a gracious childish motif, even resembling a Pop logo, when detached from their meaning.
Along with the drawings, the exhibition presents four recent bronze sculptures, with reference to the relations among body, form and architecture. Almost ironically cast in bronze – the metaforic material for perennity in the art language – these scupltures are in stead like shapshots representation of figure/forms in a moment of transformation or even of camouflage and hiding. Indecise on which way to go into further development. Hiding as form of protection, as form of defense of an hidden meaning. (text by Vittorio Urbani)
Stefan Dornbusch was born in 1963 in Würzburg, raised in Augsburg an in the Allgäu. Studied fine arts at the University of the Arts Berlin, Master class. Lives and works in Berlin. Professor for Drawing and Design at the University of Applied Sciences, Trier. Dissertation on a topic of the holiday culture in the GDR. He has realized numerous projects of art in public space, works as a sculptor and draftsman.
SUPA stays for Suriye Pasaji Salon, a space open to creative projects, cultural events, meetings, run by arch. Erdogan Altindis in an imposing Ottoman bulding at the center of historical Pera/Beyoglu, Istanbul;
NUOVA ICONA is a cultural association founded in Venice in 1992, dealing with production and presentation of contemporary visual arts, directed by Dr. Vittorio Urbani.
The exhibition: ABOUT THE VIEW AT THINGS FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES by Stefan Dornbush is a Parallel Event of the Istanbul Biennial curated by: Vittorio Urbani venue: SUPA, Suriye Pasaji, Istiklal Caddesi 166/43, 4th floor, Istanbul produced by: SUPA by Manzara, Istanbul & Nuova Icona, Venice with support of Goethe Institut, Istanbul opening on September 12 at 6.00 pm from September 13 to October 11, from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm, closed on Saturdays and Sundays
