ART EXHIBITION: A reference to transience
I’ve been to several art exhibitions, but I’d never experienced a guided tour until recently. I found the idea intriguing—a chance to delve deeper into the art beyond my own interpretations and historical context. Bringing along a friend, we arrived an hour early for the guided tour through the exhibition. To our surprise, we were allowed to walk through the exhibit beforehand. This prelude gave us a chance to reflect and discuss, forming our own interpretations before the guided tour. I'd highly recommend this approach. The guide encouraged everyone to share their thoughts and questions while providing background on the artist and the art's context.
Cornelius Völker Buchkanten, 2019
The exhibition, a collaboration between Kunstpalast Düsseldorf and the Museum MORE in Gorssel, curated by Maite van Dijk and Kay Heymer, was an immersive experience.
It was thrilling, largely due to Völker's vibrant color palettes. He focuses on everyday items often overlooked, portraying them with such detail and freshness that they offer a new perspective on the canvas. Cornelius Völker, born in 1965, studied at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and currently lives and works there. As a professor of fine art at Kunstakademie Münster, he developed a powerful, figurative painting style characterized by realism, complex use of color, and revealing surprising facets of familiar objects.
Völker embodies the avant-garde, leaving strokes untouched, emphasizing them without further manipulation. This term, originally French, refers to art that pushes boundaries, reflecting originality and radical ideas. The exhibition showcased Völker's artistry brilliantly, offering a diverse range of paintings that highlighted his unique style. With 85 oil paintings and 50 works on paper, it provided an encompassing view of his creative phases.
Leaving the museum, I was captivated by the detailed depictions of seemingly ordinary scenes that Völker had transformed with his rich color palette and unique perspectives. Even after leaving the exhibition, you'll find yourself noticing Völker's depictions in everyday scenes.
Paintings by Cornelius Völker, Private ownership, © VG Bild-Kunst Bonn, 2023
Photos by Fatima Sami