Oliver Räke paints fences. And fences symbolise borders: borders to other countries and cultures, to economically less or more privileged, seemingly safer or fairer places, and vice versa. Borders as protection and as obstacle. Depending on which side you stand, you perceive a border as good or bad, and want to overcome it or reinforce it.
Borders Within
But there are also borders within us, in our minds: wherever we limit ourselves. Voluntarily, or because other ideas escape our imagination. Politically, socially, and in the relationship between two people. A border is also always a stance against something.
Anti
Oliver Räke puts it this way:
"anti – what matters is being for something. against! anti, not out of defiance, anti as the origin of thinking about good and evil at the same time. anti as demarcation. in my works, i reflect in an abstract way on what i stand for. thinking in greek terms: to counter the anti of elemental fronts with an anti of intelligent dispute. everything is political." (translated)
About the Artist
Oliver Räke is a graffiti artist of the very first hour. Already active in Düsseldorf in 1984, he soon became known in the scene beyond the city's borders and across Germany. With his style, he keeps pushing the boundaries of what graffiti is understood to be, and he also creates works for the white cube, for exhibitions and galleries. Outside Society is his fourth exhibition at Pretty Portal.
Stefan Schwander X Oliver Räke
The exhibition is part of the joint project Stefan Schwander X Oliver Räke. At the same time, Stefan Schwander is showing his exhibition Möbel: Grau mit Funktionslosigkeit ("Furniture: Grey with Functionlessness") in the rooms of Present Progressive, right next to the gallery.
"Outside Society"
Oliver Räke
Opening
Friday, 28 September, 7 – 10 pm
Exhibition
Saturday, 29 September, 12 – 4 pm
Sunday, 30 September, 2 – 6 pm
Pretty Portal
Brunnenstraße 12
40223 Düsseldorf
