Opening: Wednesday, April 15, 2015, at 7 pm
Duration: April 16 until June 7, 2015
The multimedia artist birdman Hans Langner, born 1964 in Karlsruhe, Germany, who was awarded two cultural prizes*, began working as an artist at the age of 25. Since 1994 he has exhibited his works in numerous exhibitions in Europe, Taiwan, Japan and China. Since a performance in Hong Kong in 1996, in which he turned into a bird within a very short time, Hans Langner has been called birdman and since then has devoted himself time and again to “bird performance”. The depiction of birds with various media became his main theme. In 2000, he bequeathed his room-filling installation “Forever Friends” to the Museum de Stadshof in Zwolle, Netherlands, which is now permanently exhibited in the Museum Dr. Guislain in Gent, Belgium. The installation of his house façade in Bad Tölz can be admired in front of the Villa Gugging.
“Art is the elixir of my life; the daily creative urge fills and satisfies me daily.” (birdman)
His oeuvre is versatile and characterized by a simple, unique formal language, which he constantly develops further. The birds are often created by his refreshingly different view of an object and with a few brushstrokes. They live from clarity and simplicity: usually a triangle for the beak, a circle for the body, a dot for the pupil and a few strokes for the legs. The result is acrylic canvases, delicate ink drawings on paper, Edding and acrylic on wood. He sees himself as a hunter and collector and finds his materials at flea markets, on the Internet, in bulky waste, in antique shops, rivers and various cellars. For him, any object is potential material.
“birdman personal” shows a cross-section of his oeuvre of the last 18 years and gives an overview of its versatility. For 2 years now, the artist has repeatedly brought works that he would like to have exhibited to the gallery gugging. This very personal selection of works was the inspiration for the exhibition title and the accompanying catalogue, in which birdman himself speaks and writes about his approach to art.
The opening will take place on April 15 with a “bird performance”. birdman transforms in front of an audience from a human to a bird or vice versa. Each performance is tuned and inspired to the respective environment and thus unique.
“Instant Art” is an art form created by birdman that is about spontaneity and improvisation. He calls it “improvisation theatre in art” when he transforms materials and themes brought along by guests into a work of art within a very short time. At the finissage on June 2, every guest is cordially invited to see a work created in interaction with the artist.
The gallery gugging is delighted to be working with birdman and offers its visitors and customers the opportunity to discover its world and also to purchase works.
* Culture Awards:
1997, Culture Promotion Award of the City of Hong Kong from the Arts Development Council
2001, Tassilo Cultural Main Prize, Süddeutsche Zeitung
