Opening Invitation: Stefan Rohrer + Kailiang Yang

Centrifugal force and speed intoxication made visible - this is how the distinct imagery of Stephan Rohrer can be summarized.

In the title of his debut exhibition in Berlin - Green Hell - lies a recognizable allusion to the myth of the legendary north curve of the Nürburgring for every vehicle fan. The eponymous wall sculpture also suggests to the eye the feeling of being completely exposed to the centrifugal forces and the speed of this racetrack. Rohrer's dynamic sheet metal sculptures make our senses stagger.

In his works he uses model cars, even real, discarded vehicles or parts thereof, with paint and steel, and alienates their basic form somehow like Kippenberger's legendary lantern in front of the Berlin Paris Bar, reversing the relationship of static versus movement: If the rigid object’s shape makes the viewer stagger and move, exciting interaction between art and human comes naturally.

Rohrer's objects - originally mobile - seem as stretched in time-lapse with his arrangements, yet they are accelerated at the same time, like in animation or by Computer Animation. Time and space visually contradict each other here, they form two antagonists, which nevertheless mingle and unite in the works.

However, Rohrer's homage to speed also gives rise to a deeper philosophical aspect: the dangers of excessive mobility and of such vehicles are also addressed - the sculptures, visually spinning as if they were self-revolving, also speak of danger and catastrophes. Rohrer not only makes speed visible, but also addresses the perils of derailment.

Stefan Rohrer's work has received numerous awards and scholarships, most recently in 2017 he was granted the Helmut Baumann Atelier Scholarship of the city of Göppingen. Great attention was paid to his participation in the Blickachsen project last summer. He lives and works in Stuttgart.

Blurred elements, combined with sharpened image elements run through the entire oeuvre of the Chinese artist Kailiang Yang.

As sources of inspiration, he utilizes the different cultures of his homeland in China and his center of life in Germany.

Small cars blur in the foggy forest and create a mysterious, even weird situation. Living beings are sought in vain in his works, the only silent spectator of these scenes seems to be the moon.

Another important factor in creating these settings is the time of day. It seems to be either night or very early morning, which can be guessed from the morning dew.

The title "Alte Bekannte” (Old acquaintances) seems to allude to past series with the topic "tree", in which he dealt intensively with these natural wonders.

Trees can live for up to 1000 years and once again form a core element of his paintings in this exhibition.

Details of trees or even entire trees run through all these works.

Born in Ji'nan in 1974, the Berlin-based artist completed his studies there at the Shandong Art Institute.

DURATION OF THE exhibition

JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 24, 2018