"Helmut Federle: Solo Exhibition "
1999-12-08 until 2000-01-31
Kunsthaus Bregenz
Bregenz, , AT Austria

Basics on composition and Black Series- these are the names Helmut Federle (born 1944 in Solothurn, Switzerland, lives in Vienna) gives to central series of works within his oeuvre which test the foundations of his artistic work and place themselves consciously within the tradition of 20th century painting. This approach places Federle among the most important contemporary international artists. His work has been shown in solo presentations at the Jeu de Paume, Paris, 1995, the Kunstmuseum Bonn, 1995, the Venice Biennale 1997, and most recently IVAM, Valencia, 1998.

His paintings and works on paper are reduced to a minimum of form- and color structures. They concentrate upon the use of basic geometric elements and upon the use of a color palette limited to black, white and various shades of green and brown. Hierarchizing and rationalizing of the picture elements are thus largely avoided. In the same way, the relationship of surface and space, figure and ground moves beyond the reach of an obvious traditional definition. However, Federle's work is by no means limited to an artistic examination of formal aspects:It is significant for me that all questions pertaining to the picture remain mirrors of higher existential questions, so Federle.

The exhibition, planned specifically for the Kunsthaus, stands in a dialogue with the architecture of the building and will reveal the artist's special affinity to architecture, to questions of presentation and to the relationship between work and space, as well as the contemplative qualities of his works.

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