Thomas Scheibitz at Sprüth Magers
Nicola McCartney, Friday, 17th September 2010
Sprüth Magers, London, is hosting the first solo show of new works by the German artist Thomas Scheibitz in over two years. Presenting a selection of his recent drawings and sculpture, ‘A moving plan B – chapter TWO’ is an intelligent hanging of works that makes these rather thin and graphical pieces appear carefully considered, meticulously planned and fully realised.
What Scheibitz’s work lacks in depth is made up for in his flawless compositions and satisfying colour palette. The focus of ‘A moving plan B – chapter TWO’ is a large frieze of stimulating drawings (marker pen and paint) on canvas, framed but not stretched. These are bright and dynamic but contain a secret language of symbolism. While they reminded me of Kandinsky’s later work, the viewer would be better equipped to read Scheibitz’s frieze had there been more from which to construct a dictionary of reference. However, it cannot be denied that Scheibitz has a particular skill for attention to detail; I very much enjoyed the cylindrical plinth and installation divider because they dissolve into the architecture of the gallery yet also, very cleverly, compliment the shape of the work they are supporting.
The preliminary drawings on show demonstrate that Scheibitz is just as much a designer and constructor as he is an artist. Whether these storyboard drawings eventually manifest themselves as gold sculptures, geometrical marker-pen paintings or a candle-lit installation seems irrelevant, and the variety of media doesn’t detract from the overall coherence of his work in the exhibition.
‘Thomas Scheibitz: A moving plan B – chapter TWO’ is at Sprüth Magers, London, until 30 October, 2010.
Image credit: Thomas Scheibitz, A moving chip, 2010. MDF, resin, metal composite. Courtesy of the Artist and Sprüth Magers Berlin | London
Previous
ShareThis | LATEST NEWS & COMMMENT
Collectors’ focus
Wood carving flourished in Southern Germany in the late 15th century onwards, resulting in exquisitely crafted devotional sculptures. Today, these figures and reliefs may be found for as little as £5,000, though the best examples command high prices.
Comments
There are currently no comments for this article.
Post a comment