ART CITIES:London-Breaking Geometries
The exhibition title “Breaking Geometries”, at Bartha Contemporary in London explores the motive of geometrical abstraction achieved through the manipulation of everyday objects and materials. The works by: Henrik Eiben, Mike Meiré and Beat Zoderer undermine the often overtly precise nature which is inherent in this genre, resulting in different yet truly engaging works.
By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Bartha Contemporary Archive
Henrik Eiben, Mike Meiré and Beat Zoderer share an interest in geometric composition as a point of departure for their work and all three employ geometry as a means to create objects routed in a shared reality without relying on narrative. Influenced by American Minimalism Henrik Eiben’s works evolve from a reduced vocabulary of predominantly geometric shapes. Eiben predominantly works with unorthodox materials mixing fabrics ranging from cheap fake leather to cashmere felts or knitted wool with construction materials as well as applying a variety of painting techniques. “Condo” a large scale work made up of multiple elements, reveals an additional characteristic of Eiben’s practice through the use of unorthodox materials. The experience is further elevated through the considered use of colour, subversively altering the appearance of the otherwise monochrome relief. Mike Meiré describes his work as a continued investigation into life’s evolutionary processes, which the artist interprets in three phases, birth, biography and death. Central to all of Meiré’s work is a delicate interplay between highly refined against mundane everyday materials. “Grid-Paintings” illustrates the artist’s preoccupation with abstraction rooted in found-geometry. The painting’s origin is determined by the systems that make up the layout of newspapers which serve as the basis for these works and were originally determined by the text that is now concealed. The artist deletes the printed information and allows the underlying structure to emerge. Beat Zoderer predominantly uses everyday materials as a basis for his work. The artist sources his materials from general hardware stores. Rather than altering them, Zoderer makes use of these materials within what at first appears to be methodical structures based on repetition or mathematical systems, guided by an attempt to create order in chaos. One work displayed in the exhibition, part of a series entitled “Ringfaltung”, is made of acrylic paint on curved aluminium. The folded circular form reveals a sequence of primary and secondary colours typical of his works.
Info: Bartha Contemporary Ltd., 25 Margaret Street, London, Duration: 13/7-2/9/17, Days & Hours: Tue-Fri 11:00-18:00, Sat 12:00-16:00, http://barthacontemporary.com
