November 2008

HUNDE
Detlef aus dem Kahmen

8 to 29 November 2008

In this new series of works, Detlef aus dem Kahmen takes his inspiration, in part, from the religious iconography of Renaissance Italy in order to reflect contemporary society’s apparent deification of domestic pets. Impressed by the extent to which images of dogs have replaced those of the saints in many, every day contexts, aus dem Kahmen’s work embraces a dual aesthetic, the physical and the metaphysical converge as the hunde emerge from the layers of paint.

The act of introducing paint to canvas is always the starting point for aus dem Kahman, who waits until a shape, a figure, a consciousness begins to emerge. Using a palette of oil based pigments, subtle blues and greys enlivened by occasional bursts of red and mint, the hunde are both abstract and figurative, expressive of the animus, the spirit and of the animal, the living creature. Each painting captures an attitude, an expression of feeling.

Living and working in Berlin, aus dem Kahmen studied art at the Hochschule der Kunste in the 70’s after initially training as a textile designer. He is the recipient of several international bursaries, is widely collected and has exhibited in Holland, Poland, Spain, Austria and Brazil as well as extensively in Germany where his paintings are currently displayed at the Berlinische Galerie State Museum of Modern Art, Photography and Architecture in Berlin. This is his first UK exhibition.

Statement about the dog paintings
Detlef aus dem Kahmen

Did William Turner have a dog?

The ecstasy of a dog called Theresa that I painted.

I always wanted a little dog; now I have painted one for myself.

First I paint; then I find the dog.

“Oh, what a sweet square by Malewitsch,” said the dog.

One can remain very neat and sophisticated, while watching a dog having a shit.

One dog appears on the horizon.

Dog paintings are icons for the faithless.

Like master, like dog/ like dog like master.

What does the collector’s dog think when it looks at a painting?

Dogs are everywhere, one of them must be able to paint.

I would love to have a dog who can paint, while I watch delightedly.
Look, my dog is painting again.

Giacomo Balla with his painted “Dog on a Leash” created the first experiment of the futurists’ analysis of movement, which provoked an uproar. (1913-1916)

What shall I call my dog? Balla or Moma?

OK, two dogs; even better 100 dogs or 100 dog paintings.

In 100 years they will talk of the hundred dog painter!

The pictures have to be painted.