BERLIN.- On the occasion of Capitain Petzel’s sixteenth anniversary, the gallery is presenting Sweet Sixteen, a group exhibition celebrating the artists who have been integral to its program since its inception in 2008.
The collaborative vision of Gisela Capitain and Friedrich Petzel has united artists from both galleries on an international scale, resulting in ambitious exhibitions and the development of an original program. Sweet Sixteen pays homage to the diverse and highly distinct artistic practices that have been instrumental in shaping the gallery’s identity and evolution.
The anniversary exhibition aims to showcase a diverse array of works by artists that are emblematic of their respective practices, while also presenting pieces that challenge preconceived notions. Surprising contributions include a carpet created by Charline von Heyl, poetry coupled with drawings by Christopher Williams, a large-scale window installation by Matt Mullican, and a sound installation by Peter Piller.
The focal point of the souterrain exhibition space is Robert Longo’s 2022 film Sea of Change, An Homage to Winslow Homer. This film, rendered in Longo’s signature monochrome color scheme and composed of slowed-down, looped footage of waves crashing on the East Coast of the United States, pays tribute to Homer, an artist known for his idyllic rural scenes and dramatic New England coastlines. Longo’s film, rich with movement and the reality of changing tides, as well as a soundtrack made up of earthquakes, bombs crashing, and buildings collapsing, is paired with Sean Landers’ painted seascapes, which equally draw on the work of the celebrated American painter and playfully echo the feelings of solitude present in his work.
Also included are new works by Amy Sillman, featuring a canvas painting alongside a series of works on paper. Both are characteristic of the artist’s distinctive conceptual approach to abstraction and figuration, where constant experimentation and revision is key, making the process of creation as significant as the finished work.
Among the selection are new works by the gallery’s younger positions in the program, including the highly idiosyncratic practices of Austin Martin White and Stefanie Heinze, both of whom had solo presentations recently at Petzel Gallery. A new painting by Sanya Kantarovsky captures the artist’s distinctive painterly sensibility, embodying a profound sense of intimacy and pointing to the different psychological states of the figures.
The exhibition also highlights one of he gallery's key historic positions, Maria Lassnig, represented by works on paper. Drawing, for its degree of immediacy, was described by Lassnig as ‘closest to the idea‘, and is considered to be of utmost importance in the context of the artist’s oeuvre.
The exhibition features contributions by Yael Bartana, Ross Bleckner, Barbara Bloom, Isabella Ducrot, Stefanie Heinze, Charline von Heyl, Sanya Kantarovsky, Sean Landers, Maria Lassnig, Robert Longo, Malcolm Morley, Sarah Morris, Matt Mullican, Laura Owens, Peter Piller, Amy Sillman, Monika Sosnowska, Austin Martin White, and Christopher Williams.
