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What you need to know: Galerie Max Hetzler in Berlin is presenting the exhibition “Mark Grotsjahn: Kitchens,” the artist's debut solo exhibition with the gallery, until June 8, 2024. Featuring Grotsjahn's large-scale “Butterfly” drawings, this ongoing series is one of his best-known series, incorporating geometric compositions and a vibrant juxtaposed color palette. Notable in this series is “50 Kitchens,” first exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2018. The current “Kitchen Drawings” derive from the “Butterfly” body of work begun in 2001, but are conceived as a single, ongoing effort derived from the artist's first works, which he made to hang in his own kitchen. Rendered in colored pencil on paper, these works are perceived differently depending on the ambient light of the space in which they are exhibited.
About the Artist: Los Angeles-based American artist Mark Grotjahn (b. 1968) is widely known for his graphic, abstract paintings that integrate elements of color field painting, Op Art, and Constructivism. Utilizing the expressive power of color and meticulous attention to line and perspective, his work, which includes paintings, drawings, and sculptures, explores the possibilities of contemporary abstraction. His most acclaimed body of work includes his “butterfly” works and mask sculptures made from bronze and cardboard boxes. He has been the subject of dozens of solo exhibitions worldwide, and his work can be found in numerous institutional collections, including the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the BroadArt Foundation in Santa Monica.
Why we love it: The individual works in the “Kitchen” are conceived by the artist as aspects of a cohesive whole, and it is immediately evident experientially to the visitor that it is impossible to perceive all the works at the same time. The installed works move from the center to the periphery, creating a prismatic viewing experience that changes further depending on the color scheme of the gallery space and surrounding lighting. The mesmerizing geometric patterns and changeable landscapes testify to the artist's mastery of light, color, and perception. Time and space also factor into the equation, as the work must be moved. It also recalls the artist's original inspiration (to create a piece for his own kitchen), and the work's constancy reminds the viewer of what changes outside the frame. Give each picture a totemic meaning.
Check out the featured works below.
Mark Grotjan, Untitled (grass green and cerulean blue butterfly 55.61) (2023). Photo: Douglas M. Parker Studio. ©Mark Grotchan. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin.
mark grotchan Untitled (Mineral Orange and Blush Pink Butterfly 52.43) (2019). Photo: Ruben Diaz. © Mark Grotchan. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin.
mark grotchan Untitled (Pink and Carmine Red Butterfly 55.14) (2023). Photo: Douglas M. Parker Studio. ©Mark Grotchan. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin.
Mark Grotjahn, Untitled (Butterfly in shades of violet blue and cadmium orange 55.06) (2022). Photo: Douglas M. Parker Studio. © Mark Grotjahn. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin.
mark grotchan Untitled (Canary Yellow and Lemon Yellow Butterfly 55.54) (2023). Photo: Douglas M. Parker Studio. ©Mark Grotchan. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin.
“Mark Grotjahn: Kitchens” is on view at Galerie Max Hetzler in Berlin until June 8, 2024.
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