empathy

Hyper-realistic Cityscapes

In this curious exhibition at Galery Open with pop culture references from tabloid magazines to the computer game Duke Nukem, various artists re-interpret urban settings to create what Umberco Eco once defined as “The authentic fake.” Walking through this exhibit got me thinking about the merits of abstract art – does this exhibit show a fantasy world or is it a description of the world we already live in?
 

From Real Life to Video Games, From Video Games to Art.
 

I remember hearing as a child about an extremely violent game called Duke Nukem. Although it was forbidden in Brazil and other countries, it was always very popular. Many boys in my neighborhood still found a way of playing it. The super-masculine character is now a common figure in mainstream culture. But it’s not only him that still fascinates people. Being born in New York, the American artist Peter Feigenbaum blended his own urban experience with memories of his boyhood: he creates models of a decant city, with the same dystopian style of Duke Nukem’s games.
 
To What Extent can Cities be Used as Inspiration?

Filip Zorzor takes the urban structures beyond their existence, either in real life or video games. His paintings are almost abstract, but you can still see recognize hidden visual references. However this is not a series about concrete and iron. It’s about the empty spaces. It’s the sparse between the buildings, where anything could be, that matters. This reflects the unresolved territorial struggle of the artist.
When Tabloids Lose Their Content

The vacant space is also the subject of the exposed artwork from Sebastian Biskup. His silkscreens keep the format from well-known tabloids, but the composition is the only thing that remains. There are no headlines, no pictures, no news. Again, in the empty space, everything is possible.
Despite the title (CONSTRUCTION / BUILDING), it is not easy to understand how this exhibition is about built environments. But maybe the strongest relation between the artwork is, in the end, the un-built spaces. It’s an exhibition about possibilities.

 

  •  Galery Open ”CONSTRUCTION / BUILDING”, May 31 – July 21, Tue -Fri 14 – 19, Sat 11 – 19 (Price Range: 190 – 4000€)

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