From Still Life to Food Porn

27.10.2022 – 12.03.2023

The quiet beauty of simple objects, which were found worthy of artistic depiction from the 17th century onward, initially played a subordinate role in the hierarchy of visual motifs. It was precisely because the genre fell outside popular interest that still life was able to develop into a space for the precise observation of nature and become a playground for artistic innovation. The paintings celebrate this space, the fullness of the present moment and the aesthetics of beauty - and thus art itself.

Arranged and staged objects such as flowers, fruits, and other foods are once again playing a central role in contemporary art. These modern still lifes examine our relationship to everyday life, to nature, and to our own bodies. One of the latest trends in media is the presentation of one's own food, beautifully arranged or staged. In this way, a personal storyline is "shared" and made public.

The common thread running through the exhibition is the sensuality on display in all of the works, which unfolds in different forms and with different connotations depending on the context.

Nachweis zu den Bildern der Slideshow:
Heike Beyer, Ohne Titel, 2014 (2004), Blumen, Schrank, Nähgarn, Maße variabel, © Heike Beyer/Foto: Bernhard Strauss
Reiner Maria Matysik, Procerus esculentus, 2006, Platilin, 55x35x35 cm, © Reiner Maria Matysik/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2022
Patricia Waller, Hotdog, 1998, Acrylwolle, Füllwatte, 20x12x10 cm, Courtesy Galerie Deschler, Berlin, © VG Bild-Lunst, Bonn 2022
Reiner Maria Matysik, mystalogus colossus, 2006, © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2022
Vera Mercer, The Bread, 2016, Fotoprint, Ed. 3/10, © Vera Mercer/Courtesy Galerie Jordanow, München