WERNER HUTHMACHER | Neue Galerie
In reference to the until recently vacant central exhibition space Neue Galerie at Kassel, re-opened about a year ago following a remodeling, the question arose as to what works could be presented in this space provided any curatorial and institutional process exhibitions in such spaces usually have to pass through be avoided.
This brought about photographic works that reflect the space, given proportions, and lighting conditions, but also flirt with classically modern abstract painting. It is thus not entirely coincidental that these works bring paintings by Mark Rothko, Gotthard Graubner or Rupprecht Geiger to mind. Painterly techniques such as a layering of coats resulting in transparency are accomplished by way of a special photographing technique. The works were created digitally in one single shot without substantial post-processing.
The central theme of abstraction as the dissolution of concrete objectivity is essential to Modernism and as well an important theme of this work. Owing to its medium photography cannot with the same ease as painting detach itself from its object. Within these works abstracted spheres of color were created containing little enough depth of field to no longer denote the actual object. The focal plane is no aid in recognizing any concrete shape since it solely rests on inconspicuous smears and scratches.
The series Neue Galerie is a fundamentally new approach within the works of Werner Huthmacher. Content-wisely it refers to such works as Scape or Investigations which have for a theme the playful exchangeability of planes ofpicture and perception, respectively.
With Neue Galerie, however, the fundamental impetus is not one evidently linked to political statements; rather it refers to the staging of art as such. Albeit somewhat presumptuous, the not altogether serious approach of substituting the art of classical exhibition locations for newly invented works is a nice try at questioning the contemporary character of analogue art in a museum - while it simultaneously turns into a humble bow to just such art and such locations.
