Anselm Reyle

For Anselm Reyle, revisiting Modernism opens a wealth of possibilities. Resurrecting the styles, genres, and concepts of 20th century art history, Reyle adopts formalism whole-heartedly, embracing both the integrity of the original movements, as well as their contemporary renditions in the form of graphic design and Ikea décor. Addressing the commodification of culture, Reyle reclaims the cliché and the kitsch to create his own brand of ‘authenticity’, meeting the shifting aspects lifestyle and art industry demands. Untitled reworks Brancusi’s Africanism, creating an exotic ‘primitivism’ in space age funkadelic purple.

Untitled (for Otto Freundlich)

2005
mixed media on canvas
415 x 192 cm

In Untitled (for Otto Freundlich), Anselm Reyle pays tribute to one of Abstraction’s unsung heroes. Influenced by his early work on the stained glass windows in Chartres Cathedral, Fruendlich’s paintings and sculptures were denounced by the Nazi’s, and much of his work was destroyed before the artist’s tragic death in Majdanek concentration camp in 1943. Reworking the fractured aesthetic of Freundlich’s kaleidoscope paintings, Reyle’s mixed media homage frames the originals as a seed of futuristic legacy. The predominance of black patches indicates mourning, while bright colours encapsulate a sense of spiritualism and triumph.

Untitled

2006
119 neon tubes, chains, cable and 13 transformators
10m x 8m, 5m high