Frauke Dannert, Heiko Räpple
“Opus Caementitium”
Exhibition: April 18 – June 13, 2009

Eröffnung: Friday April 17, 2009, 7–9 pm
 
The title of the exhibition “Opus Caementitium” is derived from the Latin term for a type of concrete made from rubble, sand and sandstone, developed by the Romans over 2000 years ago. Both Heiko Räpple and Frauke Dannert, juxtaposing their works for the first in the “Opus Caementitium” show, pose questions relating to the materiality of their art. The vocabulary of materials they use links in with a discourse, which has been existent since the early days of art history. Distinctly precious materials like gold are considered as unsuitable for creating “truly good art” as purportedly “inferior” materials like wax, plaster, wood and clay. Material substance has generally often been considered to be a work of art’s greatest burden.

In art history, the material value and the “spirit” of a work of art have for a long time been regarded as antipodal, even antagonistic. 19th century “idealist aesthetics”, particularly according to Hegel, considered the ascent to the “absolute spirit” to be the purpose of world history and therefore fine art’s essence and course – thus taking an almost zealous view of the denegation of a work of art’s materiality. The three stages of art history postulated by Hegel are distinguished through the development of the relation between physical material and idea: the earliest, “symbolic” period of art is characterized by a predominance of the material over the idea, the second, “classical” period attains a balance between material and idea, whereas the third, “romantic” period sees the triumph of the idea over material.

Heiko Räpple’s sculptures are made from seemingly low-grade materials like concrete, plaster or wax. His pictorial works find completion in their poetic titles, which establish representational references. Räpple succeeds in extricating the concrete from its imminent quality as a heavy mechanical mass. Sculpture becomes an organic figuration of material in his work.

Frauke Dannert takes a related approach. In her paper collages she also uses seemingly subordinate everyday materials. Forming each work from a multitude of single parts, she contrasts the entropy of the universe of images with an order. Photocopies, images from the Internet and newspaper cuttings, i.e. initially functional images, devalued in the process of infinite reproduction, derive new meaning and value through her collages. The works’ support surfaces, such as old wood panels, pieces of copper or pressboard also play an important role; they serve as backgrounds and embellish the works with their materiality and color.

Frauke Dannert (born in 1979) studied at the Kunstakademie in Münster and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf under Prof. Thomas Grünfeld.

Heiko Räpple (born in 1981) studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and was in Meist Prof. Didier Vermeiren’s master class. In 2009 he received the Rölfs Partner award and is taking part in the 63th Bergische Kunstausstellung at the Museum Baden in Solingen this year