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16/3/2009

Pia Fries

Berlinische Galerie, Berlin

Based on the conceptual painting of her Düsseldorf tutor Gerhard Richter Pia Fries has developed an independent approach to painting. Her latest works in particular are deliberately situated at the border between abstraction and representation. Almost like a sculptor she uses color as a 3-dimensional material and reduces the spectrum of colors. The representational character of her painting, which tends towards botanical issues is also emphasized by fragments of pictures that are included in the paintings. As already in earlier works Fries uses clippings of enlarged illustrations of two publications by Sibylla Merian (1647–1717): New Book of Flowers and Origins, Food and Marvellous Transformation of Caterpillars. These illustrations serve as primary source for pasotse gestural color applications that appear to be random structures but have actually ornamental function. These works as well as a large-size painting that was created especially for this exhibition are shown in the main hall. We are very pleased with the jury’s decision and compliment Pia Fries on this award.

The jury: Jörn Merkert, Karin Sander, Angela Schneider, Frank Badur, Trak Wendisch

Fred Thieler, who was born in Königsberg (Kaliningrad), actually wished to become a doctor, but he was discharged from military service in 1941 and compelled to leave the university because his mother was of Jewish origins. He obtained forged papers and went underground in Munich, where he began to paint. After the Second World War, he studied painting in Munich until 1951. Later he became one of the most important representatives of the German informelle. Thieler participated at the documenta II and taught as a professor at the College of Art in Berlin from 1959 to 1981. He was Vice President of the Academy of the Arts in Berlin and a member of the board of the German Association of Artists. In addition, he represented the Federal Republic in the art section at UNESCO. To mark the artist’s 75th birthday in 1991, the first “Fred Thieler Prize for Painting” - initiated and endowed by Thieler himself - was awarded by the Berlinische Galerie.
Thieler donated his archive to the Berlinische Galerie in 1988. It comprises biographical material, documentation of exhibitions, manuscripts and the artist’s correspondence.

The “Fred-Thieler-Preis für Malerei” is given to outstanding painters. It was donated by the Berlin painter Fred Thieler (1916 – 1999). Since 1992, the award, which is endowed with 10.000 Euros, has been celebrated on the 17th of March, the birthday of Fred Thieler. The grand old man of Art Informel dedicated the award to artists who live and work in Germany and whose works, independent from trends on the market, point toward the direction of the development of contemporary art by following their own "position signs." The award is connected to a contract (dated March 1991) between the benefactor and the Berlinische Galerie. The contract gave birth to the “Fred Thieler Stiftung,” which is not capable of holding rights and is held on trust by the Berlinische Galerie. The purpose of the foundation is to encourage present-day artists by means of the award. This is associated with an exhibition of the artists’ works and the publication of the laudation.

Image: Lochtrop, 2005, Oil and silkscreen on wood, 200 x 260 cm © Pia Fries. Photograph: Hans Brändli © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2009

Press contacts:
Jutta Berg Tel +49 (0) 30 - 78902 833 Fax +49 (0) 30 - 78902 730 berg@berlinischegalerie.de
Volker Weidhaas Tel +49 (0) 30 – 78902 831 Fax +49 (0) 30 – 78902 730 weidhaas@berlinischegalerie.de

Opening and award ceremony: March 17 2009 at 7 PM

Berlinische Galerie
Landesmuseum fur Moderne Kunst, Fotografie und Architektur
Alte Jakobstrasse 124-128
10969 Berlin, Germany
Hours
Wednesday to Monday 10 am to 6 pm
closed on Tuesday

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