cityscape watercolor pain
ARTERY article feature on watercolor cityscape painter David Antonides /
The ARTERY gallery guide for Berlin has published an article on my work showing at Galerie Christine Knauber written by Doris Heidelmeyer.
RASANZ und KRAFT
David Antonides bei Christine Knauber
von Doris Heidelmeyer
"New York - Cascading" 152 x 108 cm
english below
Rasanz und Kraft - David Antonides bei Christine Knauber
Wer ihm bei seiner Arbeit über die Schulter schaut, sieht David Antonides nicht nur mit Pinsel: Man sieht ihn kratzen, sprühen, wischen und schaben. Die Dynamik in seinen Arbeiten entsteht durch ein vielschichtiges Procedere auf dem Medium Papier, was, wie es Antonides Arbeiten zeigen, robuster und flexibler ist als man denkt.
Beobachten lässt er sich bei dieser künstlerischen Arbeit gerne. Seine Produzentengalerie ist ein offener Ort und versucht ein Bindeglied zwischen der Kunst und den Menschen, die in der Brunnenstraße unterwegs sind, zu sein.
David Antonides, der kanadische Künstler aus Vancouver kam vor sechs Jahren: Er wollte nur ein paar Wochen bleiben. Die Stadt hat ihn gefesselt, sie hat es ihm leicht gemacht und er ist geblieben. Er hat sich schnell hier etabliert. Dieses Jahr wurde er für drei regionale Kunstpreise nominiert, aber die Metropolen New York und Vancouver hat er nicht aus den Augen verloren. So bleiben neben Berliner Stadtlandschaften, urbane Szenen der Metropolen im Focus seiner großformatigen Arbeiten.
Aber David Antonides kann auch in kleinen Arbeiten, wie seinen Monotypien und Radierungen, die urbanen Eigenheiten herausstreichen. "Sie mystifizieren weder die unwirtlichen Schattenseiten, noch glorifizieren sie den berauschenden Glanz (der Metropolen).", meint Christine Knauber, die Antonides Arbeiten bereits in ihrer kleinen und charmanten Galerie "30links" zeigte. Seit 10 Jahren ist Christine Knauber Galeristin und im letzten Jahr hat sich ihre erstrangige, professionelle Arbeit mit ihren Künstlern in einer größeren Galerie manifestiert. Die "Christine Knauber Galerie" ist nun in großzügigen, hellen Galerieräumen in der Langenscheidtstraße in Schöneberg angekommen und kann bereits im Dezember ihren ersten Geburtstag feiern.
Christine Knaubers aktuelle Ausstellung ist ihre erste "Salon-Ausstellung" in diesen Räumen. Sie knüpft an Berliner Traditionen an und zeigt über 80 Arbeiten von 16 Künstlern.
Die Arbeiten von David Antonides, die der Salon Nr. 1 zeigt, hat Christine Knauber in langen Atelierbesuchen ganz gezielt ausgesucht. Sie will die verschiedenen Facetten von David Antonides Arbeit zeigen und hat kleine, fast monochrome Monotypien ausgesucht, aber sie zeigt auch die großformatigen, mit wasserlöslichen Pigmenten gemalten Arbeiten. Gefragt was sie an den Arbeiten besonders schätzt, weist Christine Knauber auf den Geist der Arbeiten hin: "Ihn fasziniert das urbane Wesen in seiner Gesamtheit: der Charakter einer Stadt, ihr Klang, ihre Farben, ihr Rhythmus, ihre Seele. In seinen Werken verschmelzen Architektur und Menschen zu einem flirrenden urbanen Organismus. Man spürt förmlich die Rasanz und Kraft jener Mega-Cities in seinem expressiven Farbauftrag. Zarte Linien, pastellige Töne und verschwommene Konturen verraten aber auch etwas von ihrer Schönheit und Poesie."
Bis zum 11. Februar 2017 kann man die Arbeiten von David Antonides noch in Schöneberg in der Galerie Christine Knauber sehen.
Galerie Christine Knauber Langenscheidtstraße 6, 10827 Berlin-Schöneberg
Velocity and Strength
David Antonides at Christine Knauber
by Doris Heidelmeyer
Anyone who looks over David Antonides' shoulder while he is working, will not only see him with a brush: you can see him scratching, spraying, wiping and scraping. The dynamic in his works is created by a multi-layered process on the medium of paper, which, as Antonides shows, is more robust and flexible than one might think.
David Antonides, the Canadian artist from Vancouver came six years ago: he just wanted to come for a few weeks. The city fascinated him and made it easy for him, so he stayed. He quickly established himself here. This year he was nominated for three regional art awards, but he never lost sight of the cities of New York and Vancouver. In addition to Berlin's urban landscapes, urban scenes of the large cities remain the focus of his mostly large-scale works. But David Antonides also produces urban features in smaller, more filigree works, such as his monotypes and etchings.
"They do not mystify the inhospitable aspects of the world, nor glorify the intoxicating splendor (of the cities)," says Christine Knauber, who already exhibited Antonides works in her small and charming gallery "30links". Christine Knauber has been gallery owner for 10 years and last year her outstanding professionel work condensed in a larger gallery. The "Christine Knauber Galerie" has now arrived in generous, bright gallery rooms in the Langenscheidtstraße in Schöneberg and can already celebrate its first birthday in December.
Christine Knauber's current exhibition is her first "Salon Show" in these rooms. It draws on Berlin traditions and shows over 80 works by 16 artists.
The work of David Antonides, which she shows in Salon No. 1, has been selected by Christine Knauber during long studio visits. She wants to show the different facets of David Antonides' work and chose small, almost monochrome monotypes, but she also shows the large-scale works painted with water-soluble pigments. Christine Knauber, who is particularly interested in the work, points out the spirit of the works: "He is fascinated by urban nature in its entirety: the character of a city, its sound, its colors, its rhythm, its soul. The architecture and the people melt into a fluttering urban organism, you can feel the speed and power of those mega-cities in his expressive color application. But the delicate lines, pastel tones and vague contours also reveal some of their beauty and poetry. "
Until February 11, 2017, the work of David Antonides can be seen in Schöneberg at Galerie Christine Knauber.
Christine Knauber Gallery, Berlin - Group Show /
The salon has always been a place of wonder, inspiration, a place of diversity and novelties. Salons were, however, also a meeting place for free spirits, who were looking for exchanges with their peers, and were delighted to do so in an artistically stimulating atmosphere.
In this tradition the Galerie Christine Knauber will be transformed into a salon. In the coming months you can see more than 80 works by well-known and new artists - presented in a lush Petersburger-style presentation. The artistic handwritings, subjects and techniques are as varied as they must be in a drawing room, the focus being on drawing and printing graphics. For this, there will be a event program in the coming months, which will fill the salon concept with further life. "Salon Nr. 1" is the start of a series of exhibitions whose format will be continued in the future.
I would like to invite you and your friends to this Berlin exhibition.
David
»Die erste Tugend eines Bilds: dem Auge ein Fest zu sein.«
(Eugène Delacroix, 1863)
Der Salon war stets ein Ort zum Staunen, zur Inspiration, ein Ort der Vielfalt und der Novitäten. Salons waren aber auch ein Treffpunkt freier Geister, die Austausch mit ihresgleichen suchten und Freude daran hatten, dies in einer künstlerisch anregenden Atmosphäre zu tun.
In dieser Tradition verwandelt sich die Galerie in den nächsten Monaten in einen Salon. Zu sehen sind über 80 Werke Ihnen bekannter und auch einiger neuer Künstler – präsentiert in einer üppigen Petersburger Hängung.
Ihre Christine Knauber
www.galerie-knauber.de.
New Book release. "DENSITY" New Urban Expressionism /
Free on-line version here New Book release. "DENSITY" New Urban Expressionism
Saatchi Interview - Inside The Studio: David Antonides /
Inside The Studio: David Antonides (Canada)
By
Saatchi Art Inside The Studio: David Antonides (Canada)
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December 12, 2014
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What are the major themes you pursue in your work?
My main interest is in urban scenes, such as groups of people meandering in the streets, surrounded by the monumental architecture of cities like New York, London, or San Francisco. Taxi cabs are crowding the view up to the horizon. There are frenetic and still moments of pedestrians and parks. When I explore these themes of nature and urban experience, I look for opportunities to apply an expressionist eye to our common and unique views of the city.
I work very physically on a large format paper surface using dense and transparent water-based pigments. This helps me to realize the varied impressions of the light and dynamics of the city that we live, feel, and see.
A view of David’s studio.
What was the best advice given to you as an artist?
The best advice came from my great teachers at the Art Students League in New York. Among these gems was a statement from Sherry Camhy. I was working on a large composition on paper which could not be corrected in the event of a mistake. I hesitated to make bold and spontaneous marks and she advised, “It is better to be dead wrong than tentative.” This helped me later to often jump in and fail or succeed or perhaps just learn something new about the materials I work with.
The artist at work.
Prefer to work with music or in silence?
I prefer to change my environment often. I find it stimulating to work with sounds from the environment whether it is music or street noise or chatter. Recently, I am listening to podcasts of interviews surrounding culture such as “Writers and Company” by Eleanor Wachtel, “Fresh Air” on NPR, or “Ideas” on CBC. In the past I have had classic movies playing in the background and have listened to diverse music playlists given to me by other artists.
David’s supplies.
If you could only have one piece of art in your life, what would it be?
I am very glad I don’t have to make this choice. To select to be in one state of mind or have one idea would be an unimaginable prison. Variety and change are important things for me in life and in art and I unfortunately do not know of a single piece that could fulfill all of these needs. I suppose that is why most collectors form collections instead of acquiring a single piece that defines them or their aesthetic.
David’s work on exhibition.
Who are your favorite writers?
In the past I have enjoyed Rabindranath Tagore, Haruki Murakami, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi and classic western literature such as Camus – now I find I am largely interested in autobiographies of all sorts- in print and other media. Today, we have so much to draw from and to be distracted by.
A few of the artist’s works on display in public.
10 Comments
- Christian Bahr
- December 19, 2014 at 9:40 pm
- Thanks David, excellent artworks, inspiring interview and I’m impressed by the dimension of your creative view on the world. Stay tuned.Reply
- Gianluca Citi
- January 12, 2015 at 9:27 am
- I really like this way of interpreting the urban landscapes, so energetic and frenetic !!!!!!Reply
- Barbara Scott
- January 12, 2015 at 10:35 am
- TI really like the oversize paintings. Great studio and display shots. ‘It is better to be dead wrong than tentative’, is a very useful quote from Sherra Camhy. Thankyou for sharing!Reply
- Kate Williamson
- January 12, 2015 at 1:42 pm
- Well said, and I LOVE the large scale.Reply
- PolyArtGallery
- January 13, 2015 at 2:50 pm
- Great !Reply
- kalule
- January 15, 2015 at 4:04 am
- it was a pleasure for that great artists to share with us.. its was wonderful thing for me .Reply
- Trent
- January 17, 2015 at 10:52 pm
- I also love your large scale painting and would love to have two of your large oversize paintings on my wall side my side. Your work if absolutely beautiful.Reply
- Jörg Hummel
- January 18, 2015 at 7:31 am
- Impressive!Reply
- LEILA KANSO
- January 19, 2015 at 1:33 pm
- You are a great artist. Your big scale art works are a challenge. I am impressed with the use of colors, and the cosmopolitan cultural outlook.Reply
- dan vaughan
- January 22, 2015 at 11:24 pm
- This is great stuff. Im gkad i got the opportunity to view as your work was previously unfamiliar.
- How do you get such large pieces through doors?