Stefan Loffelhardt
dal 18/2/2009 al 11/4/2009
Segnalato da
18/2/2009
Stefan Loffelhardt
Galerie im Taxispalais, Innsbruck
Tal Grund - The Valley Floor. The German sculptor has developed an artistic oeuvre investigating the traditional subject of landscape in a consistently unusual way over recent years. His perception is a landscape of ideas or the soul, which he interprets as a communicative landscape of our society.
In Stefan Löffelhardt (born in Biberach an der Riß in 1959, lives and works in Düsseldorf), the Galerie im Taxispalais is playing host to a German sculptor who has developed an artistic oeuvre investigating the traditional subject of landscape in a consistently unusual way over recent years. His perception is a landscape of ideas or the soul, which he interprets as a communicative landscape of our society. Löffelhardt contrasts apparently architectonic, autonomous sculptures – as synonyms of constructed space – with open, seemingly incomprehensible structures, which he combines in installations to create a heterogeneous unit. He develops dialogues within his images by using an antagonistic layout of horizontal and vertical elements, which resemble fragments of thought. The landscape arrangements always present the viewer with images of futility, of new beginnings, and moments of failure.
Stefan Löffelhardt has conceived a new spatial installation extending over two floors for the Galerie im Taxispalais. The artist has produced a multi-perspective, accessible landscape image entitled Tal Grund – The Valley Floor; it employs flowing forms and colours to consider the relations between man, nature and culture – and at the same time, it refers to the geographical position of the exhibition venue. As always in Löffelhardt’s work, banal or shabby recycled materials such as construction foils, Christmas trees or cotton wool appear, but also living plants, which unfold a poetic potential in this unusual combination. His debate with Romantic ideas of longing as opposed to the pragmatism of modernity transforms the picturesque installation into a landscape filled with fragments and imponderables. Sounds of a practising violinist immerse the installation in a melancholy atmosphere. Cloud sculptures clarify the artist’s interest in the question of how one can lend valid form to intangible elements and fleeting phenomena.
In this first individual exhibition by Stefan Löffelhardt in Austria, a number of his photographs of staged landscapes are also being shown for the first time.
After training as a sculptor (1982-1985), Stefan Löffelhardt studied at the Akademie der bildenden Künste in Munich from 1985-1989 and at the Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf from 1990-1994. He received a grant from the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes from 1989-1994; a Karl Schmidt-Rottluff fellowship from 1996-1998, and a grant from the Stiftung Kunstfonds, Bonn, in 2004/2007.
Exhibitions (selection): 1998 “Fellow of the Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Foundation”, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf; 1999 “Pico”, Galerie Ute Parduhn, Düsseldorf; 2003 “Blachfeld”, Cuxhavener Kunstverein; 2004 “Blachfeld Stücke”, Galerie Aurel Scheibler, Cologne; “Zwischenwelten”, Kunstmuseen Krefeld/Museum Haus Esters, Krefeld; 2005 “Invited”, Murray Guy Gallery, New York; 2006 “Big City Lab”, Art Forum Berlin; 2007 “Photographic Works”, Galerie Lionel Hustinx, Liege; “SkulpturSkulptur”, Kunstmuseum Mülheim an der Ruhr; 2008 “Wohnung”, Galerie Ute Parduhn, “Stefan Löffelhardt”, Galerie Scheibler Mitte, Berlin; 2009 “Coming into Focus”, Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, USA.
An exhibition catalogue is being published.
opening febr. 19th, 2009
Galerie im Taxispalais
Maria-Theresien Strasse 45 - Innsbruck
Opening times: Tues-Sun 11 am-6 pm, Thurs 11 am-8 pm, Closed on Tues, 24th February 2009
Free admission