Adrian Ghenie's 2017 Pace Gallery Exhibition Marks Aesthetic Break from Historical Darkness
From January 19 to February 18, 2017, Adrian Ghenie showcased new artworks at Pace Gallery in New York City, indicating a departure from his previously dark color schemes. Ghenie, born in 1977 in Baia Mare, is a prominent member of Romania's Cluj school of figurative artists, alongside contemporaries like Sergiu Toma, Mircea Suciu, and Serban Savu. His earlier pieces often portrayed the grim realities of life during Ceaușescu's regime. The exhibition introduced a palette filled with vibrant hues, contrasting sharply with his earlier work. Key pieces included 'The Alpine Retreat' and 'Moloch,' both created in 2016, as well as 'Degenerate Art,' which alludes to the Nazi's modern art exhibition. Ghenie's collage approach blends digital components, forming fragmented pastiches that challenge modernist conventions.
Key facts
- Adrian Ghenie's exhibition at Pace Gallery ran from January 19 to February 18, 2017
- The show was held at 510 West 25th Street in New York City
- Ghenie was born in 1977 in Baia Mare, Romania
- He is considered the figurehead of the Cluj school of figurative painters
- Other notable painters from Cluj include Sergiu Toma, Mircea Suciu, and Serban Savu
- Ghenie's earlier work depicted life under Ceaușescu during Soviet communism
- The 2017 exhibition featured bright colors, marking an aesthetic break from his past
- Paintings included 'The Alpine Retreat' and 'Moloch', both referencing Hitler's Berghof
Entities
Artists
- Adrian Ghenie
- Sergiu Toma
- Mircea Suciu
- Serban Savu
- Francis Bacon
- Vincent Van Gogh
- Pablo Picasso
Institutions
- Pace Gallery
- artcritical
Locations
- New York City
- United States
- Baia Mare
- Romania
- Cluj
- Bavarian Alps
- Germany
- Nuremberg