BERLIN.- KÖNIG Telegraphenamt is presenting When My Soul Throws Up, a solo exhibition by Jeppe Hein featuring a collection of works that gives insight into his current artistic process.
Over the past few months, the artist has been experimenting with shapes, colors, and materials, and many of the exhibited works bear witness to his exploration of motifs, both new and old. Together, these pieces present Hein's developmental approach to finding new forms of expression for the themes that continue to inspire him and through which he wants to inspire others with his work.
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Hein's preoccupation with water, both as material and theme, is manifest in his fascination with the sea, a subject that can be seen already in his earlier works. He has always been inspired by the smooth surface of the sea, in its reflective properties, like those of a mirror, as well as in the changing structures in rough seas, and the restless movement of its waves, which remind us of the rhythm of life and how breath flows through our own bodies. His Reflection on Waves are mirrored canvases covered with painted waves, created with the help of the artist's breath: when he breathes in, he paints the wave ascending; when he breathes out, the wave descends. Viewers perceive their own reflections within the painted waves and thus in turn become participants in the artist's undulating breathing exercise.
Hein's passion for surfing is not only reflected in his work WAVES ON SURFBOARD and the similarly painted, interactive balance elements, but also in his large-format photographs on canvas in the show, which he has painted with acrylic, chalk, spray paint, and colored surfboard wax. His paintings visualize the different surfaces and deeper levels that can be found underwater, in a picture, in us humans.
Two new series of works are being presented in the exhibition for the first time, focusing on the active participation of visitors and drawing on Hein's many years of exploring the themes of participation, perception, and self-reflection. The work, SPACE FOR SPACIOUSNESS, is a large clay vessel in which visitors can sit down to experience a moment of quiet contemplation within the tranquility and darkness provided by the work. In ANGER-CERAMICS, visitors are invited to form a ball of clay into which they press their emotions and then deposit the resulting forms on a table in the exhibition space, alongside those that Hein has also produced.
Additionally, iconic works, such as Hein's MIRROR BALLOONS, are hung from the ceiling, or as in the TOGETHER WE WILL TOUCH THE SKY series, are stacked on top of each other, humorously challenging the conventional idea of a balloon. Text sculptures made of mirrored balloon letters are on display for the first time: LET GO seems to be an appeal from the artist to himself, and to viewers, not to cling to expectations, but to remain open to the new.
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