Bettina Blohm
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Bettina Blohm
Geometric Shapes and Color: In Service to Form, Motion, Pattern, Depiction, Memory, and Abstraction
Tuesday, October 17, 2023 - Saturday, November 18, 2023
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Bio
Bettina Blohm (b.1961, Hamburg, Germany) lives and works in New York and Berlin. She studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich (1980-1984). In 1984, she moved to New York City, establishing a second studio in Berlin in 2008. Recent solo exhibitions include Biedermann Gallery, Munich (2023), Werner Klein Gallery, Cologne (2022), Furnace_Art on Paper, Falls Village Connecticut (2021), Kajetan Gallery, Berlin (2020). Recent institutional exhibitions include Museum Ritter, Stuttgart (2022), Museum Pfalzgalerie, Kaiserslautern (2021), Berlinische Galerie (2020), Haus am Waldsee im Bikini(solo), Berlin (2018), The Painting Center, New York (2016), among others. Her work is represented in numerous permanent collections, including Busch Reisinger Museum Harvard, Museum Ritter, Stuttgart, Städel Museum, Frankfurt, Kunsthalle Bremen, Berlinische Galerie and Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich.
Artist Statement
Over the years, I have developed a vocabulary of shapes and gestures, a limited set of tools, with which I work. Concentrating on square, grid, meander, and maze, I am exploring variations of a particular idea. I think of the shapes as players, with the field echoing their moves.
Working intuitively, the imagery evolves over time through a process of layering, washing off and letting underpaint stay visible. I want the paint surface to show the process of its making, to develop a history like a character in a play. The curiosity where each painting will lead me is most important.
All sorts of things can trigger visual ideas. I use a meandering line to create the gridded space, adding hand-drawn elements in a method akin to writing. Lines slip, and tilt or bend the space, the works have an appearance of being in flux, of unstable geometry. I am interested in order and organization and then the braking out of that. Freedom, accident.
Paintings are material objects, but they also tell a story. For the ancient Greeks, the meander symbolized infinity and the flow of human life. In contrast, the square is an icon of power, symbolizing stability, and order. The gate as a threshold between here and there, a gateway from one state to another.
Working in a predominantly monochrome mode, with variations of tone and shifting lines of various thickness, I develop a kind of intermediate space. Many diaphanous layers are contrasted with a dominant color, which sits on the surface and functions like a gate to that which lies beyond.
CV/BIO
Biography
1961 born in Hamburg, Germany
1980 – 84 studies painting at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
1984 moves to New York City
2003 becomes US citizen
2008 establishes a second studio in Berlin, Germany
Solo exhibitions (selected):
2023 “Bettina Blohm – Works on Paper”, Gallery Biedermann, Munich
2022 “Daylight” Werner Klein Gallery, Cologne
2021 “Butterfly Beat” Furnace - Art on Paper, Falls Village, Ct
2020 “Gatekeeper” Kajetan Berlin
2018 “Berlin Drawings”, Museum Haus am Waldsee, Berlin
2017 “Memory Palace”, Werner Klein Gallery, Cologne
2014 Marc Straus Gallery, New York
2013 “Zeichnungen und Bilder”, Werner Klein Gallery, Cologne
2012 “Recent Works”, Amelie A. Wallace Gallery, SUNY, Old Westbury
“Bilder und Skulpturen”, Werner Ruhnke Gallery, Potsdam
2010 “Landschaft und Linie”, Werner Klein Gallery, Cologne
2009 Werner Tammen Gallery, Berlin (with Werner Pokorny)
Robert Kastowsky Gallery, Vienna
2008 "Dialog Eduard Micus”, Museum Micus, Ibiza
Galeria Joanna Kunstmann, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Ursula König Gallery, Hanau, Germany
2007 “Kohle, Buntstift, Säure”, Drawings and Etchings, Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern, Germany
“Intervall und Rhythmus”, Werner Ruhnke Gallery, Potsdam
2006 “Malerei 2004 bis 2006”, Galerie Renate Kammer, Hamburg
2005 “Seeing-Thinking-Drawing”, Zeichnungen und Grafik,
Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen Gottorf
2003 “Bettina Blohm und Alex Katz”, Galerie Susanne Albrecht, Munich
2002 “Something about Landscape”, Haus der Kultur, Waldkraiburg
2001 “Bettina Blohm - Malerei”, Museum Moritzburg, Halle and Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern
“Paintings”, Robert Steele Gallery, New York
2000 “Malerei 1998-2000”, Galerie Susanne Albrecht, Munich
1997 “Imago”, Galerie Susanne Albrecht, Munich
1996 “The Road to Delhi”, HERE, New York
Group exhibitions (selected):
2023 Salon Zürcher, 7 Women of Spirit, Part 7, Zürcher Gallery, New York
“Library” curated by Glenn Goldberg, Tappeto Volante Gallery, Brooklyn
2022 “Vom Zauber der Handbewegung”, Museum Pfalzgalerie
Kaiserslautern (catalog)
“Der Linie auf der Spur” Werner Klein Gallery, Cologne
“Rotating/Axis” Furnace Art on Paper, Falls Village, CT
2021 Kajetan presents, Kajetan Berlin
“zusammensehen” Werner Klein Gallery
“Finale-Director’s Cut” Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern (cat)
“Kein Tag ohne Linie” Museum Ritter, Waldenbuch
2020 “Gezeichnete Stadt” Berlinische Galerie, Berlin (catalog)
“20 Jahre Galerie Werner Klein” Werner Klein Galerie, Cologne
“…außer vielleicht eine Konstellation, Hommage a Giandomenico
Tiepolo” oqbo Berlin, curated by Michael Glasmeier
“Die Vielfalt der Farbe”, Werner Klein Galerie, Cologne
2019 “Labyrinth der Farben” mpk Kaiserslautern (catalog)
2017 “The State of New York Painting”, curated by Michael Walls
CUNY Kingsborough, New York
“Schnittstellen”, Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern
2016 “Band” curated by Stephanie Buhmann, Painting Center, New York
“If only Bella Abzug were here”, Marc Straus Gallery, New York
2015 “Parallel Lines”, Merton Simpson Gallery, New York
“Ars Continuum”, Amelie A.Wallace Gallery, SUNY, New York
2014 “Berlin – New York”, Galerie oqbo, Berlin
“Lass Dich von der Natur anwehen. Landschaftszeichnungen der Romantik und Gegenwart”, Städtische Galerie Bietigheim- Bissingen
“Farbe und System”, Galerie Werner Klein, Köln
2013 “Lass Dich von der Natur anwehen. Landschaftszeichnungen der Romantik und Gegenwart”, Kunsthalle Bremen
“Line and Form”, Marc Straus Gallery, New York
2012 “Paper Band”, Jason McCoy Gallery, New York
“Bestandsprobe”, Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern
2010 “10 Jahre Galerie Werner Klein”, Köln
“New Prints” curated by Philip Pearlstein International Print Center, New York
2009 “Gegenwart der Linie”, Pinakothek der Moderne, München “Das erste Jahr”, Galerie Robert Kastowsky, Wien
2008 “Die Welle”, Kurpfälzisches Museum, Heidelberg
“New Prints”, curated by James Siena, International Print Center, New York
“paint it blue”, Werke aus der ACT art collection Siegfried Loch, Neues Museum Weserburg, Bremen
“connected”, Altes Museum, Mönchengladbach
2004 “Colored Pencil”, Kerry Schuss Gallery, New York
2003 “Accrochage”, Museum Walter im Glaspalast, Augsburg
“Off the Beaten Track-Contemporary Mindscapes”, Mead Art Museum, Amherst College
“Reminiscent of Nature”, Farm Art Space, Missoula, Montana
2002 “Der Berg”, Heidelberger Kunstverein
“Made in Tribeca”, mit Melissa Meyer und Jerry Zeniuk,
Galerie Susanne Albrecht , München
“Quadrate”, Galerie Susanne Albrecht, München
2001 “Landschaften eines Jahrhunderts”, Städt. Galerie Aschaffenburg
2000 Robert Steele Gallery, New York
1999 "Serialität: Reihen und Netze”, Städt. Galerie Bremen
1998 “Neuerwerbungen”, Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern
“Gallery Group”, Edward Thorp Gallery, New York
1997 “Gallery Artists”, Edward Thorp Gallery, New York
“Some Artists we like”, Robert Steele Gallery, New York
1995 “Mixed Media Show”, State University of Arizona, Tempe
1993 “Landschaften, Reisebilder”, Galerie Susanne Albrecht, München
1991 “Entracte”, Michael Walls Gallery, New York
1990 “Blau, Farbe der Ferne”, Heidelberger Kunstverein
Public collections (selected):
Berlinische Galerie, Berlin
Busch-Reisinger Museum, Harvard (Sammlg. Wynn Kramarsky)
Museum Ritter, Waldenbuch
Graphische Sammlung, Pinakothek der Moderne, München
Haus der Kultur, Waldkraiburg
Kunsthalle Bremen
Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern
Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen, Schloss Gottorf
Staatliche Galerie Moritzburg, Halle
Städel Museum, Frankfurt
Bibliography (selected):
- Bergk, Sabine. “The Unanswered Question”, Kat./Cat. “Memory Palace” 2016
- Boyer-Bell, J. “Gallery Group”, Review 1998
- Buhmann, Stephanie “Bettina Blohm” Berlin Studio Conversations, The Green Box
- Buhlmann, Britta E. “Orte der Stille, Gezeichnete Landschaften von Bettina Blohm”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. “no ugly mathematics” 2007
- Buhlmann, Britta E. “Farbe Struktur Weite” Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. Museum Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern 2001
- Büche, Wolfgang. “Von der Elbe in die Catskills”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. Moritzburg Halle 2001
- Clark, Trinkett. “Off the Beaten Track-Contemporary Mindscapes”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. Mead Museum, Amherst 2003
- Cohen, David. ARTCRITICAL PICK “If only Bella Abzug were here”(June) 2016
- Cohen, David. ARTCRITICAL PICK “Parallel Lines” (Sep) 2015
- Cohen David. “The Dualist”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. Schloss Gottorf 2005
- Gädeke, Thomas. “Verwandlung und Balance”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. Schloss Gottorf 2005
- Goodman, Jonathan. “Bettina Blohm” The Brooklyn Rail (Dec) 2015
- Goodman, Jonathan. “Making new sense of Abstraction: Lisa Abbott-Canfield and Bettina Blohm”, artcritical, (Feb) 2012
- Goodman, Jonathan. “A Brave New World”, Kat./Cat.“Topography” 2009
- Hanten, Sasa. “Dankbar”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. “no ugly mathematics” 2007
- Harkavy, Donna. “Pauses and Oscillations: A Conversation between Donna Harkavy and Bettina Blohm” Kat./Cat. “Memory Palace” 2016
- Heidelbach, Ulrike. “Landscape-Image-Surfaces”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. HERE-art, New York 1996
- Höfchen, Heinz. “Bettina Blohm’s Radierungen”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. “no ugly mathematics” 2007
- Lütgens, Annelie. “Aktives Sehen. Zu den Zeichnungen von Bettina Blohm” Ausst.Kat./Exh.cat. Kunsthalle Bremen 2013
- Mahoney, Rosemary. “Blohm in America”, Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. “no ugly mathematics” 2007
- Opel, Angela M. “Bettina Blohm -Landschaften” Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. Haus der Kultur, Waldkraiburg 2002
- Rhodes, David. “Diagrams intuited: Bettina Blohm at Marc Straus”, artcritical (Nov) 2014
- Sommer, Tim. ”Ins Offene!” Art (Dec) 2013
- Thodos, Diane.”Screen of Emotion, Landscape of the Mind”, in conversation with Bettina Blohm, artcritical (Jul) 2004
- Voigtländer, Elisabeth. Ausst. Kat./Exh.cat. “Blau, Farbe der Ferne” 1990
- Wei, Lilly. “Paint, She Said”, Kat./Cat. “Memory Palace” 2016
- Werthern, Wilhelm, “Bettina Blohm” LE MONDE diplomatique
- Wirth, Heidrun. “Der Blick nach außen” Kölnische Rundschau, 02.17.2022