abc (art berlin contemporary) brings together galleries from around the world to present their leading artists in Berlin for a long weekend, kicking off in full next Thursday 17 September. Many galleries seem to have put forward their younger artists for this year’s fair — Berlin brings out the playfulness — and a majority of booths have chosen one strong solo artist over a group exhibition. Here is a taste of some of the freshest.
Young (1989) French artist, Caroline Mesquita will be showing a brand new sculptural installation, that plays with the ideas of walls — something we see an awful lot of at art fairs. A ‘motley crew of dropouts, drifters, and eccentrics’ crafted from brass will hang around a jagged steel wall, observing the crowds that move about the space. Billed as the absolute opposite of the flaneur, these figures are lazy and languid. The gallery is based in Berlin, and was founded in 1991 by Ulrich Gebauer (originally co-directed with Marie-Blanche Carlier)
Peres Projects are showing a solo booth of Marinella Senatore, an Italian artist who now spends her time between Berlin and London. She often works with public participation, via a wide variety of mediums that includes; video, installation, drawing and photography. As expressed by the artist herself, her work is to be ‘experienced by everyone, inviting us to create a participative work in which everybody can play a role.’ Peres Projects is based in Berlin.
Lizzie Fitch and Ryan Trecartin will both be showing at Sprüth Magers, the German gallery who have also put down roots in London and Los Angeles. The artists have worked together previously on collaborative large scale work, creating characters that will be shown here in the form of digital prints. The works have been framed using a method that is not too dissimilar to digital texturing, ‘with materials that recall industrial production, survivalist gear and outdoor leisure pursuits.
Johnen Galerie and Esther Schipper
Berlin galleries Johnen Galerie and Esther Schipper have merged and will be showing Martin Boyce, Jean-Pascal Flavien, Ryan Gander and Ari Benjamin Meyers. French artist (now working in Berlin) Jean-Pascal Flavien is one to look out for, creating lushly coloured works that explore architecture and design, and the way in which we interact with both. Martin Boyce has a similarly design-based practice, creating works that have both an intimate homely feel, and an industrial punch.
Portuguese gallery, Múrias Centeno will be showing a solo exhibit of Max Ruf’s work. Ruf is a German artist who graduated from London’s Royal College of Art two years ago, now spending his time between London and Berlin. He creates installation and large scale paintings, that build on ideas of abstraction and the nature of painting itself for the present day.
Brand New Gallery is based in Milan, and they will be showing a solo booth of work from US artist, Josh Reames, still relatively young (1985) and based in NY. Reames creates abstract painting that is informed by the internet aesthetic, creating works that are full of discordant images, recognisable icons and dreamy, illuminated colour palettes.
Athr is a contemporary art space in Saudi Arabia, that represents a varied group of Middle Eastern artists. They will be bringing the work of Sara Abu Abdullah, Abdullah Al Othman and Nasser Al Salem to abc for a group exhibit. Keep an eye out for artist and poet, Abdullah Al Othman’s whitewashed images, that reference visualised sound and personal manifestos.
abc opens on 17 September 2015
