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31/3/2011

William Wegman

Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer, Dusseldorf

Following our exhibitions of photo pieces, Polaroids and drawings by William Wegman (*1943) in the years 1995, 1997, 2004, 2007 and 2009, Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer now presents a series of new coloured photographic works by this American, New York-based conceptual artist who is equally at home in the media of painting, drawing, video, film and photography.

The eighteen photographs shown in the exhibition are pigment prints. Sizes are from 17 x 22 inches / 43 x 56 cm to 36 x 44 inches / 91 x 112 cm and each is made in an edition of fifthteen. They were taken between 2005 and 2010 and showing the Weimaraner dogs in front, behind, on and between coloured plexiglass in various combinations.

William Wegman wrote the following about the 'plexi work': "Some of you may be curious as to how I create the plexiglass photo works with the dogs. Interestingly, I do not use Photoshop. Everything you see in the photographs is what I see when I stage the photos. The dogs appear and reappear reflected in the transparent, translucent and mirrored surfaces. Lately I have enjoyed working with the dogs as dogs, unadorned, but modulating the space moody, tranquil ways. Soon I will tire of this and move onto something else ... with wigs, dresses and high heeled shoes. Hey, how about big pants and galoshes? I will need to find a narrative".

Wegman's name is linked inseparably with his photographs of Weimaraner dogs. He first became known for cryptically ironic photographic and video works (with and without dogs); but in the 1970s he attained world renown when he discovered the talents of his first Weimaraner dog, Man Ray, as a gifted model and an ideal interpreter of human idiosyncrasies.

In 1979, the Polaroid Corporation invited the artist to work with a newly developed camera, the now legendary Polaroid 24 x 20 inches (60 x 50 cm). Sceptical at first, Wegman familiarised himself with the enormous instrument, as he put it, and soon found himself enthusing over the unusual picture scale. The outcome was a remarkable oeuvre of singularly sharp, large-scale photographs, each a unique piece, as only this Polaroid camera - one of only three in existence worldwide - can produce.

In 1981, Man Ray died. Only in 1986 was he succeeded by Fay Ray, a born dog diva with no less flair. Fay opened the door to altogether new motifs. She could move gracefully, assume different positions and poses, arch her neck, turn her head round, cross her legs. She liked to impress him, Wegman says. Meanwhile the sixth generation of her offspring pose in front of the camera.

William Wegman is a master in his handling of the photographic medium, versed in generating from the interplay with his dogs one new, startling pictorial idea after the other, sublime in quality and originality. Many of his photographs have the air of paintings and recall subtle still life compositions and film sequences. Apart from which his Weimaraners remain unsurpassed in beauty, expressive power and elegance.

Photographs by Wegman can be seen in exhibitions in museums and international galleries the world over and have entered all the larger collections. Numerous retrospectives have been devoted to his work, touring the U.S. to stop at many venues including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and beyond, in Japan, Korea, China and Europe.

Besides film segments regularly featured since 1989 in "Sesame Street", Wegman has also made films and videos for such programmes as "Saturday Night Live" and "Nickelodeon". His film, "The Hardly Boys in Hardly Gold", was shown to great acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival.

Today William Wegman and his Weimaraners are amongst the most popular figures on the international art and media scene.

Image: Peak Performance, 2010
Pigment print, Bild 80 x 107 cm, Papier 91,5 x 112 cm, image 32 x 42 inches, paper 36 x 44 inches
courtesy Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer Düsseldorf

Opening: 1 April 2011 - 18:00

Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer
Heinrich-Heine-Allee 19 - Dusseldorf
Gallery open Tuesday – Friday 12 noon – 6 pm; Saturday 12 noon – 4pm; and by appointment
Admission free

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