In Search of Art: Now Showing in Munich

1-  Georgia O'Keeffe, "Life and Work" is at Kunsthalle (Der Hypo-Kulturstiftung on Theatinerstrasße 8) until 13. May (daily from 10.00-20.00)

This is the first major retrospective of artist Georgia O'Keefe in Germany.  Also shows 50 photographs by Alfred Stieglitz, Ansel Adams and others (she was married to Stieglitz, the famous gallerist and photographer of this time).  The show was organized with the Georgia O'Keefe museum in Santa Fe.  Lots of paintings of flowers and of her time in New York City (cool abstract city scenes of buildings which were surprising to me since I really only imagine her paintings of New Mexico scenes and flowers when I think of her).  This is a great opportunity to learn more about her amazing, and long, life as well as getting the chance to see her beautiful art up close. 
TIP!  Every Monday (that is not a holiday) you pay only half price for entry (full price is 11€).

Georgia O'Keeffe, 1935.  Photo by Alfred Stieglitz

2.  Gasteig:   "Blende auf!  Ein Foto- und Malprojekt für junge Menschen mit psychosomatischen Störunge" (until 15. April) AND Dieter Hinrichs Photography Exhibit:  1957-2007  (Showing now until 7. June)

I stumbled upon this FREE exhibit and really think it's worth a look, especially considering I just participated in a mixed media exhibit this month, so I found it particularly interesting to see how others combine mediums (eg, photography, paint, pencil), some works are totally abstract and some have recognizeable elements.  Just about all of the art is for sale, ranging in price from around €175-540.

Mixed Media photo from Blende Auf

The Dieter Hinrichs photos were not even on the walls yet when I was there sniffing around upstairs from the Blende Auf exhibit, but it definitely seemed like a worthwhile visit.  Dieter Hinrichs taught from 1981 to 1997 at the National Academy of Photographic Design in Munich and has curated over seventy photography exhibitions.  His work seemed mostly of landscapes (but still many were not out of their boxes yet) and I read its from his travels in Africa, China and U.S. over a period of five decades.

3.  One of my favorite off-the-beaten path galleries, located in Haidhausen, is the Home from Home British Contemporary gallery which is currently showing a really cool video installation by Daniel Kluge, called "ta*tack" sonic and video textures (now until 28. April).  The gallery's focus in 2012 is on the Communication Art & Design Master of Arts Course, at the Royal College of Art in London.  Don't miss this unusual sensory art experience!
TIP:  Free entrance and there are some cool cafes, restaurants nearby like Cafiko and Cafe Liebling with homemade goodies and friendly staff.

This screen cap from video is activated by sounds you make while viewing it!

4.  Following on the heels of Egon Schiele's exhibit (which I loved), comes Marcel DuChamp (which I have a feeling will also be quite a treat).  Turns out he spent 3 months in Munich 100 years ago and was even inspired by the work he saw at the Deutsches Museum.  Not one of my all-time favorite artists but he sure made me think a lot about what art is (and is not?!)
INFO:  From now until 15. July.  Open Tues-Sun 10.00-10.00, 8€ at the temporary exhibit hall for the Lenbachhaus which is being renovated until sometime in 2013, reachable by U-bahn stop Königsplatz

“Nude, Descending a Staircase, No. 2”- never displayed in Germany until now!

Post Mixed + Media Exhibit

I'm happy to announce that my participation in my 2nd Group Art Exhibit was an exciting and successful one for me and the Munich Creative Group.  I sold my first photos and mixed media artwork!  A belated 'Danke!' to all those who came out and supported us, I surely appreciate it and hope you enjoyed the show.

Here are some of the mixed media pieces I showed at Das Provisorium, a gritty, but supportive artsy bar here in Munich:

Müllersche Volksbad
My graphic image doesn't do this beautiful Art Nouveau building justice,
a beautiful swimming pool is inside and I hope to take some photos of the swimming area soon).

Corner of Rosenheimer Str. & Gasteig (SOLD)
I took this at night (I love night shoots!), did a negative of the image along with some other effects in Photoshop, and then combined it with a local map and acrylic paint.  This was fun!  (The # "102" actually has nothing to do with this, it's an ode to my Grandmother, who turned 102 years around the time of this show!)

Just A Tree (SOLD)
This is actually a special tree that seemed to be leaning over a path on a walk I took one day as if to ask, 'See me?!' And I liked how the path converged to somewhere unknown.  This mixed media piece uses a combination of photos, a Hebrew/English dictionary page, acrylic paint, and pencil.

Der Vogel (The Bird)
Mixed media:  photos, photo transfer, acrylic paint, pencil, old German schoolbook page.

A cool, new thing we did for this show was to include QR codes ("Quick Response") where people could scan the code with their smartphones and be taken to a website where we explain the process, technique, etc. about certain pieces of art displayed.  The QR codes I created sites with this info for are (it was fun, check it out!):
'Just A Tree' and 'Der Vogel'
'Contemplating the Truth About Aging'  (A personal piece I did in honor of my Grandmother turning 102 and also in contemplation of myself, having turned 40 this year- not even halfway to my Grandmother!)

Friedensengel  (SOLD)
One of my favorite sites in Munich to photograph, lucky for me it's right around the corner from where I live!

Käfer
Right across the street is one of the best restaurants and gourmet shops
in town, 'Käfer'- a dangerously expensive delight!
The street signs are the intersection where I live.

Thanks again for all the support, to see more of my work and creative explorations, visit my online portfolio:  kimsantomauro.carbonmade.com/ and my 'Scritch n Scratch' blog.  Check back for info on upcoming shows too!  Have any opinions, comments, questions or advice for me?  Leave it below and I'll get back to you!

A few more photos from the actual event (thanks, Lia!):

I did mention that the place (and walls) were a bit 'gritty' didn't I?!!

More Kunst for You: March 13 @ Das Provisorium

This Tuesday, the Munich Creative Group will hold another, hopefully just as fantabulous as last one, art exhibit consisting of a variety of mixed media artwork at a fine local establishment in central Munich, Das Provisorium.  It's very convenient to get to, near Sendlingertor on Lindwurmstrasse.

 Everything you need to know..right here:

Some other fun things you should know:

** Visitors with smartphones will be able interact with the artwork on display via QR codes, which will bring up additional information about a piece, such as a written description of the artist's thought process or a video of the artist actually creating the work- how cool is that?!  We'll be able to help you with this if necessary!

**Yelp is our sponsor for this show, this means everyone gets a free drink upon arrival simply by checking in on the Yelp app or by filling out our feedback card.  Some 'Yelpers' will be there to help with this process too!

** In case you can't make it on Tuesday, 13th, fear not!  The exhibition will also be open to the public 14-18 March, evenings from 20:00.


I'll be showing some new experimental work along with 7 other international artists, this is an opportunity for all of us to try some new things but some of us will also show work of our typical mediums like painting, drawing, photography..a little something for everyone with a techie-twist to it all!
Hope to see ya!