translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville,
030613: Galerie Elisabeth and Klaus Thoman Maria Brunner – Klar Schilf zum Geflecht (Clear Cane for Wickerwork)
Galerie Elisabeth and Klaus Thoman
Maria Brunner – Klar Schilf zum Geflecht (Clear Cane for Wickerwork)
04.05.2013 – 26.06 2013
Postmodern surrealism or clown on the couch
By Wolfgang Pichler
Who doesn't know the dreams in which a familiar person appears with strange or unrecognisable facial features. The large-format oil paintings displayed in this show make a very similar impression.
The very skilfully painted portraits of young women are garishly colourful but not at all alacritous. The eyes are often the only things visible in the faces of those portrayed but the actual portrait is always prefixed with partly indefinable elements, and partly clearly definable elements such as flowers or parts of a clown's mask. However, these mask-like elements come across as much more revelatory than veiling, whereby the impression arises that these alterations of the face would initially bring the character of the portrayed person to light. Which mask one wears is, in this case, more revealing than the unmasked face. That there are several pictures of a number of models with partly very differing alterations only increases the impression of intensive preoccupation with the respective theme.
Particularly successful is the picture which shows a short-haired, young woman with a clown's nose and corresponding make-up, laughing hysterically. Here in particular, the absurd, and at the same time liberating, element of such a masking is brought to light. The person behind the mask stays in the darkness and yet one has the impression that she is visible.
Also impressive is the virtuoso superfluous modelling in the two still lifes which both show an empty "Freudian couch" and bear the somewhat platitudinous title "Dream in a Dream". One thinks instinctively of Baroque masters such as Allori or van Dyck but also of Goya's naked Maya when one sees the sensually glittering surface of the bedspread. Magritte and Gottfried Helenwein also seem to belong to the many refernces of this postmodern version of surrealism.
The large-format canvasses appear rather cool in spite of the partially vivid colours and are not actually beautiful but rather disturbing, and this is exactly where their quality lies.
Galerie Elisabeth and Klaus Thoman
1010 Vienna, Seilerstätte 7
Tel: + 43 1 512 08 40
E-mail: galerie@galeriethoman.com
http://www.galeriethoman.com
Opening times: Tue-Fri 12-18 hours, Sat 11-16 hours
Mehr Texte von translated and summarized by: Liz Wollner-Grandville
030613
Galerie Elisabeth & Klaus Thoman
1010 Wien, Seilerstätte 7
Tel: + 43 1 512 08 40
Email: galerie@galeriethoman.com
http://www.galeriethoman.com
Öffnungszeiten: Mi-Fr 12-18, Sa 11-15 h
Galerie Elisabeth & Klaus Thoman
1010 Wien, Seilerstätte 7
Tel: + 43 1 512 08 40
Email: galerie@galeriethoman.com
http://www.galeriethoman.com
Öffnungszeiten: Mi-Fr 12-18, Sa 11-15 h