Bologna-based MAGMA gallery opened a couple of weeks ago an excellent exhibition called “A Matter of Form” consisting of works by three internationally acclaimed artists; Jan Kaláb (Czech Republic), Rafael Gerlach (Germany), Stephen Smith (United Kingdom).
A Matter of Form focuses on the diversity of styles between the three artists, a synthesis of a broad and concrete vision of urban abstractionism. The new body of work, was created specially for the occasion and consists of a series of paintings where shapes and geometry based works that are built and reworked following a process of abstraction capable of creating a dialogue between the geometric patterns and the compositional surface of the canvas. In the works of the three artists there is a perfect balance between compression of the forms and minimalism, able to generate surprising effects of depth and dynamism.
A Matter of Form runs through January 12 at the gallery located on Via Santo Stefano n. 164, Bologna, Italy.
www.magma.gallery
Jan Kaláb (Prague, 1978) is one of the most important artists of international urban abstractionism. In 2018 the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens in Florida dedicated a retrospective entitled “Soul of Graffiti”, with a focus on sculpture. In 2017 in Krakow, Poland, his works are exhibited through the public project Abstract Forum, along with those of other big names such as Nelio, Moneyless and Remi Rough among others, offering to the public a broad look at the current evolution of urban abstract art. In the same year MAGMA gallery presented his first solo show in Italy, entitled “Zooom”. In 2015 he exhibited at the MAXXI in Rome, Italy, participating in the collective “Et Cetera”, an exhibition dedicated to contemporary Czech post-communist art. In 2011, after taking part in the first “Biennal de Graffiti Fine Art” at the MUBE Museum in São Paulo, Brazil, he exhibited at the MASP museum in the same city.
Rafael Gerlach (La Victoria, Venezuela, 1977) since the beginning of his career stands out for the quality of his research, taking part in historical exhibitions dedicated to urban art as “Urban Disciplines” in 2002 in Hamburg, alongside artists such as Os Gemeos, Daim, Banksy. His works are part of the prestigious collection of the Urban Nation Museum, opened in Berlin in 2017; in 2016 he took part in the famous Plastic Murs festival in Valencia. In 2014 he took part in the important and exclusive Biennale Artmossphere in Moscow. In Italy we find SatOne in the first exhibitions dedicated to street art as “Urban Signs” at Palazzo Fogazzaro in Vicenza in 2005 and at the Civic Museum of Bassano del Grappa with the collective “INFART 3” in 2008, while his murals colored all the world, from New York to Paris.
Stephen Smith (United Kingdom, 1976) has exhibited his works at important international institutional spaces including the MU in Eindhoven, Holland, at the Baltic Center for Contemporary Art in England and at the Nam June Paik Center in South Korea. He has been selected for important artistic residences at the Plymouth Arts Center, United Kingdom, in 2016, at the California Institute of the Arts in 2014 and 2011 at the Russian Space Center for the project “Unknown Fields Division” focused on Chernobyl. In 2008 he won the British Council Visual Arts Awards and in 2006 the Arts Council of England Visual Arts Award.
Author: Fran
Founder and editor of Urbanite. Street Art lover who after the finishing her MA thesis on the Mexican and Norwegian muralist movement in the 1920-50s, developed a fascination for street art and graffiti that eventually led to collaborations with different art blogs, including the creation of this one.
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