Helmut Middendorf

Eleni Koroneou Gallery is pleased to present a new exhibition of Helmut Middendorf.

The title of the exhibition is "OBSERVER" and Middendorf will show a selection of collages and drawings from 1994 to 2012. Since the mid 80s and 90s the artist has created many series of collages and drawings, parallel to the paintings.

The collages exhibited here, are created from cardboard, photographs, newspaper material, magazine clippings, comics, cheap illustrations, pictures from the Internet, found stuff and painted parts. They show Middendorf’s typical source material from his studio and can become very colorful. Middendorf himself describes the collages with the following words: “Sometimes the collages can become totally abstract, or even satirical, make a political comment or a joke or pay homage; they can also have sexual undertones, be enigmatic, silly, surrealistic, ironic or pretty harsh.” Carefully selected images are his starting point, but as collages they are enhanced or erased, cancelled or fortified. They combine images form high and low culture with painted parts, abstracting reality and recomposing it in a more illusionary way.

The drawings show a similar way of how Middendorf works. The source material is related to that of the collages and the main themes of the drawings are the banalities, the kitsch, the wonderful bad taste in fashion and TV. Middendorf transforms the found images into watercolor drawings, reducing reality to selected details. In addition to the collages, in which links and abstraction dominate, in his drawings the focus become very sharp. The main subjects, mostly portraits of humans or animals stand alone against the monochrome background.

Helmut Middendorf was born in 1953 in Dinklage, Germany, he currently lives and works in Berlin and Athens. Since his early years in the 80s, when he was part of "Neue Wilde" in Berlin, his work has been shown internationally over three decades in numberless solo and group exhibitions, including participations in Chambres d’ Amis – Collectiepresentatie, S.M.A.C., Gent (2012); Gegenwartskunst, Staedel Museum, Frankfurt (2012); Schlachtpunkt Malerei der 80er Jahre, Kunsthalle Darmstadt (2012); The Last Grand Tour, Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens (2011); Neue Wilde, ARKEN – Museum, Denmark (2010); 40 Jahre Gegenwart Deutsche Bank-Collection, Luxembourg (2010); Neoexpressionistic paintings from Berlin: Gift of Susan and Martin Sanders, New York, Museum of Modern Art Tel Aviv (2010). Middendorf’s works are in over 30 museum collections worldwide.

On the occasion of the exhibition the publication of a new catalogue will be presented:

HELMUT MIDDENDORF
OBSERVER
Collages & Drawings

Text: Marina Fokidis

Kerber Art Publications, Bielefeld, Germany 2012
ISBN 978 - 3 - 86678 - 745 – 2