Gallery Poulsen invites you in the theater for the exhibition Théatron
Our Italian artist Lorenzo Tonda has choreographed the exhibition and invited two colleagues, and together they share the roles between them.
The title Théatron comes from ancient Greek and means “the place where you see” and is the origin of our word theatre. The artists and the gallery all play supporting roles in the exhibition, while the paintings individually are the main characters. What the works have in common is that they are all constructed realities, where landscapes, architecture and figures bring independent visual worlds to life. The story comes to life in the possibilities between what was imagined and what actually happens in the painting.
The three artists have very different starting points, but basically they do the same thing: they create images of worlds that do not exist exactly like this in reality. In this way, they each represent three different approaches to figurative painting: fantasy, construction and memory.
Lorenzo, Paolo and Tang create three different realities, but they all find common ground in painting as a way of expressing themselves and communicating visual messages. This is how the exhibition should be experienced and how the title should be understood. With the reference to the Greek word Théatron, we believe that authentic and physical art in all its forms should be seen and experienced in real life!
Lorenzo Tonda (IT) creates his images digitally in 3D before he starts painting, and therefore has a very clear idea of the final result. He builds rooms, places figures and works with shadows and perspective. You can almost compare his work to a stage designer who builds a scene for a theatre play. When he has built the digital world, he uses it as the starting point for his painting. In this way, he clearly takes inspiration from classical art, mythology and literature, and therefore his paintings appear historical, theatrical and imaginative.
Paolo Pibi (IT) develops his motifs through a process and does not have a finished image in mind from the beginning. He often paints landscapes that at first look real, but at the same time have something unreal or dreamlike about them. There are recognisable elements, but at the same time it is clear that this is a world he has created with his imagination. In the final result, we see very detailed landscapes from a world that does not exist.
Tang Shuo (CN) takes his starting point in his own history and memories of the village in China where he grew up. His childhood was closely connected to the land around him, where he actively took part in looking after sheep, cutting wood, hunting and harvesting. These experiences still shape his work on canvas. But he does not only use his own memories. He also uses memories from people in the village, their old stories and documentary material to recreate situations from the past. His paintings are not necessarily exact representations of what happened, and in this way he also creates a staged reality, built on imagination, history and reality.
The exhibition presents 13 new oil and acrylic paintings.
Lorenzo Tonda will be present at the opening.
Opening Friday 20 November 17.00 – 19:00
Gallery Poulsen, Staldgade 32, Copenhagen
For more info: +45 33 33 93 96, [email protected],
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