Erinna König

until August 16, 2020
Curated by Dieter Schwarz

Upon entering Erinna König's exhibition in the sculpture hall, visitors find themselves in a strangely familiar environment: they recognize mirrors, chairs, beds, curtains, and other furnishings; the works are based on the formats of paintings and sculptures. Neither are they paintings nor sculptures. König's sculptural works have a painterly side, and what appears painterly turns out to be material. There is always an object from which the artist thinks and creates.

Recurring elements appear in the exhibition: three columns, three calligraphies, and three masks, which communicate with each other across the space due to their different shapes. What they have in common is that they are based in part on found objects. These parts are incorporated into the work in such a way that the point of departure is hardly recognizable. These references do not explain anything, nor do they remain factual. König observes the world, is struck by certain objects, and tries to think them through—to objectify the experience and at the same time protect its mystery. She defines the elements of a work precisely and seeks out unusual technical processes for its production. The spectrum of materials is wide and rarely repeats itself.

The calligraphies, affixed like signs, oscillate between the decipherable and the free arabesque, like the tar-black shadows on the wall. The signs appeal to the eye. So do the folds of the pink terry towel, in which one suspects a face, similar to the fabric-draped night. In Erinna König's works, there is no clear story being told, no mystery to be solved. The found objects become an ambiguous image, a metaphor in which each part fits into a previously unseen whole.

Dieter Schwarz

Thomas Schütte Stiftung, Skulpturenhalle Neuss

Welt Am Sonntag – 5.7.2020 – Dr Christiane Hoffmans, Unter dem Radar
Westdeutsche Zeitung – 18.5.2020 – Helga Meister, Thomas Schütte küsst seine Kollegin Erinna König wach
Handelsblatt – 10.6.2020 – Dr Christiane Fricke, Meisterin des Unergründlichen
Rheinische ART – Kulturmagazin – 27.6.2020 – Irmgard Ruhs, Einna König, Nonchalant
Kunstaspekte Spot. 23 May 2020 – Lothar Frangenberg, Ferrari-Rot und Gardinen-Weiß
EiskellerbergTV – 20.4.2020 – C.F. Schröer, Dirty Minimal. Oder  warum Kunst radikal sein muss