The new "boys" of the Landsberg artist guild

Created: 05/11/2022 18:21

By: Susanne Greiner

Vincent Göhlich's works can also be seen at the artists' guild annual exhibition until November 20th.

© Greiner

Landsberg – Hanging pictures on exposed concrete in a school corridor is always a risk.

While some fit in perfectly due to their color and style, others seem out of place - which often results in a special attraction at the annual exhibitions of the Landsberg artists' guild in the vocational schools.

At the current 86th annual exhibition, the works of the "boys" in particular fit the school's early 1980s design.

However, due to the relatively small number of exhibits – 88 out of 40 artists – some of the works are lost in the large space.

Guild chairman Axel Flörke sees the fact that rather few artists are taking part this year - some are afraid, some do not want to exhibit - as one of the problems that have caused art associations to create problems in the last two years.

Other problems have existed for some time, as Flörke made clear in his opening speech with quotations from the 1950s, 1960s and 1980s.

An evergreen problem: too few people buy art.

Which is why Flörke appealed to the deputy district administrator Margit Horner-Spindler to possibly mediate between companies and artists.

And also to encourage the mayors to acquire art for the municipal sector.

Another problem: obsolescence.

Which is why Flörke is happy to take up the offer from headmistress Marion Rüller to cooperate with young people from the FOS design department in the future.

The guild has already been opened up to younger artists: all those under the age of 25 are allowed to exhibit, are not judged like some other applicants and do not have to pay a membership fee.

The works of these “boys” can be seen in the back part: Vincent Göhlich's spray works showing graffiti artists at work.

Or Janik Metzger, whose “Growing up” depicts young people in an alienated Landsberg – with heads of flowers or plants.

Katharina Geyer exhibits brightly colored watercolors, the motifs of which are city and landscape.

There are also new ones among the “big ones”: Susanne Rieder incorporates realistic sea creatures into abstract environments: a turtle in graphically resolved coral, an octopus on a flat, iridescent rusty red.

Renate Bardohn's photographs show slush in large format, the spray of the Lech or stone structures - extremely aesthetic in terms of color and composition.

Oskar Imhof places two trees in his “Bolero”: the bark of an apple tree as a cloak for the inside of an oak tree, roughly carved in human form.

The 86th guild exhibition is the first that the new headmistress Rüller is allowed to welcome as 'landlady' – an event that “enlivens our school building”, she says in her welcome speech.

Since 1987, the guild has found a home for its annual exhibition in the vocational schools.

The guild itself, on the other hand, is 88 years old.

Flörke said at the opening that it was noted in its statutes that the guild wanted to serve the artists, the city and the general public – it is also the first annual exhibition for him as the new chairman.

"Serving" might not be quite right anymore, according to Flörke.

But still, art should please and touch the general public.

But the chairman also warns that there may be too many exhibitions in the region, and it is not for nothing that he often sees the same visitors.

threat of oversaturation.

Opening times: Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.