On Saturday, December 16th, the exhibition by the artist who calls himself abcdef and myself was opened at space-o at Düsseldorf Rath. For the exhibition abcdef sprayed a large, minimalist, site specific wallpainting and in this context I present textile art and photography featuring Düsseldorf's legendary airbrush artist Joe Brockerhoff.
The show was curated by sculptor Kai Richter and it was his idea to create an exhibition that deals with street art. He sees fashion as street art, too, and invited me because my costumes often refer to the shapes and materials of buildings. I am very happy about how the whole show came into being and how harmonious the whole concept is.
The HEXAGON-Cape that I made during an artist residency in Düsseldorf's twin city Reading as well as "Francesca Speranza", my dress dedicated to Oscar Wilde's mother, are both part of the show. The shape, the colours and the surfaces of the cape refer to Reading's multifunctional theatre designed by RMJM in the 1970s. The dress for Lady Jane Wilde refers to her English translation of the German Gothic novel „Sidonia von Bork“. Oscar Wilde's mother, who as a poet called herself Francesca Speranza, as well as Sidonia, the main character of the novel, were both early examples of emancipated women who despite their intelligence and their strong will unfortunately both failed in their very own ways. Actually it was also Reading where Oscar Wilde was impresoned and where he wrote „The Ballad of Reading Gaol“.
With my photographic hommage to Joe Brockerhoff I do also follow a site specific approach as right next door to space-o there is a relatively new brothel for which Joe Bockerhoff created large wallpaintings several years ago.
Actually, between 2015 an 2016 I made a video about the buildings of a famous old brothel in Düsseldorf, that soon after was to be demolished. At that time the brothel was already closed and step by step I explored the different rooms. Back then I discovered that in one of the staircases Düsseldorf's legendary airbrush artist Joe Brockerhoff had created an icredibly opulent and wild wallpainting. A while later I had the great pleasure to visit Joe in his studio. And then, in summer 2018, I took all my courage and asked him if he might spray a portrait of me. To my great excitement he agreed and I took photos and a video of the whole process. I also tried to rescue the spraypaintings he had created in the old brothel, unfortunately without any success.
Sadly, in early 2023 I heard that had Joe passed away. For this reason I re-edited my video about him spraying the portrait and in April 2023 I presented it at the Art Artist Fair in Düsseldorf, respectively at the Art Artist Gearreels Screening (Link Video).
Part of the exhibition at space-o is also a super dynamic drawing Joe gave me when I visited him in his studio. For me it was especially moving that Joe's widow and also his friends came to our opening reception at space-o. They told me that they like the way I present Joe in my video as I approach him respectfully and show him as a serious artist who is focussed on his work, unlike on TV, where Joe has always been shown in a superficial way. This truly means a lot to me.
Vernissage:
Samstag, 16. Dezember 2023
16 - 20 Uhr
Ausstellungsdauer:
16. 12. 2023 – 20. 01. 2024
Öffnungszeiten:
nach telefonischer Vereinbarung 0176 - 611 51 253
Ausstellungskurator:
Kai Richter
space-o Ausstellungs- und Projektraum
Oberhausener Str. 15
40472 Düsseldorf
+49 (211) 658 14 89
info@space-o.de
www.space-o.de
Straßenbahn 701
Haltestelle Düsseldorf Wahlerstrße/JVA
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| Photos by Julia Zinnbauer showing Joe Brockerhoff in his studio together with one of his drawings at space-o, Düsseldorf |