DREIKLANG

The group exhibition "Dreiklang" showcases how three distinct scores can create a surprising harmony through new works by Benjamin Burkard, Georg Pummer, and Dirk Schmitt. Despite their stylistic differences, the visual worlds of these three artists reveal remarkable parallels that go beyond their shared figurative approach, aligning closely with their underlying themes. Their works speak of inner conflicts, tensions, and fascinations, delving into these with compelling motifs and deliberate ruptures. All three artists have the ability to make metaphysical processes visible, thereby imbuing their images with philosophical depth, justifying their designation as "painting thinkers."

In his new drawings, Benjamin Burkard addresses the primal theme of doubt and confusion, which relates both to the existence of the artist and to the status of being human. He does not want the works, which portray a figure resembling himself, to be understood as self-portraits; rather, they represent a society that is "searching." Searching for content, for meaning – and for itself. Burkard allows his protagonists to be caught in an aimless movement, capturing them in a moment of acute struggle, thereby illustrating that the things of life ultimately do not endure. However, he wants this to be understood as acceptable and comforting, as the uncertain, the volatile, and the inevitable change always carries the chance for something new, good, and meaningful.

He contrasts pure pencil drawings with his characteristic gold backgrounds, interrupted by colorful disruptive elements, culminating in an exciting contrast of cold and warm, figuration and abstraction, order and chaos, as well as objectivity and sensuality. In his new paintings, interlocking architectural hybrids and virtuously distorted skies demonstrate that Benjamin Burkard is undoubtedly one of the most exciting representatives of Neo-Surrealism.

Austrian artist Georg Pummer celebrates the so-called "glitch style" in his tableaux, where faces and objects are fragmented, resembling a kind of image distortion in video aesthetics. These ruptures speak of the conflict between humanity and nature – and of the transience of things. They also reflect the fleetingness of being, thinking, and acting. The state of continuity does not exist; everything is and remains a snapshot, placing him thematically very close to his fellow artist and exhibition colleague Benjamin Burkard.

Pummer's works capture, or rather freeze, that single moment of a glance, a feeling, and being, preserving it and countering the law of natural transience with the principle of artistic preservation. Whether faces or still lifes: Pummer subjects the realistic appearance of his motifs to a process of dissolution, leading to a (meta)physical transformation that ultimately situates them within Surrealism. The color palette varies from bright blue and vibrant orange to shades of gray and black, which emotionally underpin his works and guide their dramatic reception.

Dirk Schmitt also engages with conflict and the moment of transience, here in the context of society's interaction with artificial intelligence, robotics, and transhumanism. He finds touching allegories in which young women encounter mysterious humanoids. They appear unguarded, curious, and completely accessible to their high-tech counterparts, interacting and communicating with them, thus presenting an image of peaceful coexistence. By anticipating this utopian idea, Dirk Schmitt shows that the surreal is already part of reality. These two genres do not form actual opposites, neither in the humanities nor in artistic practice, but rather relate to and condition each other. Thus, the master of contemporary realism naturally treads the paths of Surrealism, skillfully playing with concepts, connotations, and philosophical themes such as the question of the humane (and humanistic) future in the age of Homo digitalis. Like Benjamin Burkard and Georg Pummer, his visual worlds exhibit ruptures that once again question the role of humanity in an ever-accelerating world.

The opening speech will be given by Prof. Dr. Frank Herrmann.

30works Galerie Pfeilstr. 47
50672 Köln
Tel.: 0221-33779999
Web: http://30works.de