LiebesBisschen - Cartoons von Birte Strohmayer
Art is a serious matter. And galleries are places where laughter is a rare occurrence. The overview exhibition "LiebesBisschen" by Düsseldorf-based cartoonist Birte Strohmayer, opening on November 7, 2010, at [galerie.bruehl], is set to change that and bring a smile to the audience.
Birte Strohmayer is one of the few women who have dedicated themselves to the cartoon as a powerful medium for social critique. The enthusiasm for Birte Strohmayer's work is currently evidenced by the audience award at "Cartoonair 2010" on the Baltic Sea beach of Prerow. More than 100,000 sold postcards and her completely sold-out books also testify to her popularity. However, she has not yet become widely known — a fact that seems quite unjust when taking a first look at the exhibits by Birte S. (the artist's pseudonym).
The scenes that Strohmayer skillfully captures feel somehow familiar and relatable. For instance, the snapshot of an elderly couple at a coffee table, where SHE says to HIM, "When one of us is dead, I’ll move to Sylt." Or the exchange between a couple doing the dishes: "Things are going so well. I think we need to break up." Birte Strohmayer loves the little (verbal) traps of everyday life and states, "Ordinary life inspires me. The sayings of the times and their contradictions interest me. I enjoy observing people, listening to them, especially women with their little episodes, their affairs, and everyday stories and events." Fitness crazes and catfights, the various forms of love between building blocks and urns, are Strohmayer's preferred themes. "The cartoon is the perfect medium for this. How better to reflect the 'unvarnished truth' about life's moments without repercussions? It offers the opportunity to critique with love, understanding, and a lot of humor, and to laugh at ourselves," says Strohmayer.
With a focus on the world of caricature, the [galerie.bruehl], led by cultural manager Nicole Ritter, is venturing into new territory. Until now, young graduates from the academy have dominated the ambitious gallery program. In particular, recipients of the international "Max Ernst Stipendium," awarded by the city of Brühl, have been able to realize significant solo exhibitions here before making the leap to the larger art market.
"The artistic drawings of Birte Strohmayer, with their reduced, life-encapsulating visual language, are an ideal complement to our gallery program," say Ritter and her partner Martin Nieswandt. Initially, few believed in the ambitious gallery at Brühl's marketplace. However, for over three years, [galerie.bruehl] has successfully established itself in the Rhein-Erft-Kreis. Away from the well-known gallery and art locations like Cologne or Düsseldorf, Nicole Ritter sees "Brühl, with the internationally renowned Max Ernst Museum and the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Schloss Augustusburg and Schloss Falkenlust, as the ideal location." Art lovers from across the region have long been visiting the gallery, and with Birte Strohmayer's exhibition, even more visitors are expected.
The opening reception will be on Sunday, November 7, 2010, at 3:00 PM. Utz Peter Greis from the Werkstatt für Satire in Düsseldorf will speak at the event.