CONTEMPORARY ART AT THE TURN OF THE MILLENNIUM: A SELECTION OF WORKS FROM A PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTION

A collection of contemporary art exploring contemporary horizons of painting, photography, and the intersections between the two. From the poetic Abstract Expressionist inheritance of Jimmie Durham and Bjarne Melgaard to the cool architectural eye of Candida Höfer, the collection bears witness to a carefully curated spectrum of international postmodern imagery. The conceptual camerawork of Thomas Demand sits potently alongside photography translated to painting in the work of Koen van den Broek; the philosophical poise of acclaimed Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco offsets Kyle Thurman’s joyful alchemy of flower pigments. Highlighting the collection’s technological edge, Michael Riedel’s serigraphy investigates the inner workings of a Powerpoint slideshow, capturing the essence of the moment between clicks, while Darren Almond tracks time and space through a photographic performance piece. Similarly process-oriented is the tight sequential minimalism of Nathan Hylden, following strict cinematographic codes. The vibrant worlds of modern image production and reproduction are appraised in vivid variety, unified by a keen sense of pictorial power.

Jimmie Durham’s multi-faceted practice addresses both the political and cultural forces in the construction of identity, and the problems with situating oneself in a sympathetic context. My Blood (1991) confronts the underlying theme in which Durham searches for authenticity as a Cherokee descendant. Autobiographical in genesis, the work testifies not only to a general refusal to be bound by the limiting categories of Western ‘specialisms’, but is also the result of cultural and racial differences. Durham is always addressing the legacy of ethnocide as well as considering the possible alliances for the oppressed. His work was selected for the 55th edition of the Venice Biennale and the Whitney Biennale in 2014. His solo exhibitions in Europe have included venues such as the Serpentine Gallery (2015) and the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (2009).