Floral ornaments in the spirit of Art Nouveau, digital explosions of colour, the codes of the city and figures made of nothing but lips and teeth: four handwritings come together here. All of them are rooted in graffiti, yet they point in very different directions.
A group for the first time
Before the summer break we present the group exhibition VIER (Four). Suki Bamboo, ARO, Oliver “MAGIC” Räke and Biserama are showing together as a group for the first time. On view is a mix of the familiar and the new: illustration and graphic design, computer-generated pictures, typographic works and handmade sculptures.
The Teeth Project
Biserama’s sculptures are a highlight. Under the name The Teeth Project he creates handmade toys whose basic form is reduced to lips and teeth alone, to the mouth with all its qualities and possibilities. The bizarre figures are made mainly of hardened alabaster plaster and spray paint, together with liquid latex, silicone, wood and Plexiglas.
About the artists
Suki Bamboo (Bianca Angela Litscher) has been active as a sprayer since 1992. Since then she has consistently developed her style, combining hand drawing with digital techniques. A trained graphic designer, she follows her own bold, romantic style of illustration. Her work is shaped by street art, modern graphic design, the floral forms of the Belle Époque and decorative Art Nouveau. At the centre of her compositions is the figure, with great emphasis on the aesthetics of form and the harmony of colour.
ARO (Christian Schupp) is a graphic designer from Koblenz who cares little for conventions and rules. He finds inspiration in everything he sees and experiences. He brings these everyday impressions, as well as dreams and fantasies, to life on the computer. The result is energetic, colourful and consistently surprising pictures that inspire dreams and fantasies of their own.
Oliver “MAGIC” Räke was active as a graffiti writer for many years. Through this and his work as a graphic designer, he has a strong connection to urban culture. Architecture, the codes of cities and typography are his preferred sources of inspiration. He started doing graffiti as early as the 1980s, making him one of the first street artists in western Germany. Besides his artistic work, he is part of the design studio Dadaluxe in Düsseldorf.
Biserama (Alexander Becherer) is a young artist from southern Germany who goes through the world with an open eye for details and small things. By his own account, his works are mostly made between 8 pm and noon. They are expressive and provocative, driven by fighting spirit, will, honesty and freedom. Alongside graffiti, he has always had a passion for toys, which gave rise to The Teeth Project.
“VIER”
Suki Bamboo, ARO, Oliver “MAGIC” Räke, Biserama
Vernissage: Friday, 12 June 2009, 7 – 11 pm
Exhibition: 12 June – 17 July 2009
Pretty Portal, Brunnenstraße 12, 40223 Düsseldorf
