9.10.-21.11.09

The exhibition ‹Venez voir› unites four young Bernese artists of different fields. The invitation, to have a curious look, can be taken literally, as three of the artist exhibit for the first time at the gallery. Only Urs Zahns work has been shown as part of a project before. The works vary a lot; nonetheless producing numerous analogies and crossovers. All four artists emphasize on arrangements, which are composed lovingly. Works are being realized by means of a brush, photography or of three-dimensional sculptures. Therefore one can sense the affinity amongst the artists, despite large thematic or material individualities. All four artists are very talented in their fields and the presentation of the works in new constellations provokes a dialogue and a clash of complementary positions.

The oil paintings by Samuel Blaser are composed and framed with found modular components. He mostly uses photographs taken by himself while hiking and traveling. Sometimes distant memories are being fused into a picture. Like in a puppet-theater, he inserts persons into a detached environment, telling whole stories. A new set of works deals with the illustration of landscape – in a metaphorically and concrete way. On the one hand the subtle oil paintings resort to a whole repertoire of the old master painting style, on the other hand they deal with contemporarily loaded themes.

The photographs by Caspar Martig are exploring the space between life and death, beauty and ugliness. Ensanguined animal hearts are being displayed into beautifully arranged flowers, provoking simultaneously admiration and disgust. The flower still lives appear as ephemeral installations or sculptures, whose elusive existence is only captured on photographs.

Annina Matters conceptual interventions and sculptures are an interesting contribution to experiencing spatiality. The work exhibited, specifically made for the exhibition, refers to her previously created objects. Quoting art history, she keeps creating perfect fusions of color and object.

Urs Zahn is a tinkerer in the truest sense of the word and his central aim is to explore fascinating settings and constellations of space. In his idiosyncratic interpretation he tries to materialize space by means of wooden strips, tent poles and all kinds of accessory parts. The spectator is supposed to remain inside his meticulously created space-constructions. The pictures hanging next to the construction or the objects standing nearby are closely relating to the construction. He also intensively deals with plants or garden furniture, which he artistically converts into objects or unique paper works.

Berhard Bischoff, October 2009

Translation: Patsy Kornfeld