On the second of March, another Gallery Quest took place. Again we visited the exhibition Nostalgia at Chertlüdde where American artist David Horvitz plays with momentum and at Kraupa-Tuskany-Zeidler the very contemporary works by young artist Andrea Crespo (see this blog). But this time we kicked off and ended with two new art spots: Ashley Berlin and Xavier Laboulbenne.

Ashley Berlin is a young experimental project space in a courtyard behind the Oranienstraße. We explored the exhibition Der Mottenrat/the Moth Council, with works by Swedish artist Albin Looström (1984).

In the middle of the room there was this island (or is it a table) with books, (funeral)vases and a lot of insects flying around. The insects look like dragon flies and upon closer inspection they are made of shoe soles, glue, ty ribs, glitter and beads. Around this installation, paintings on paper hung on the wall, presenting very colourful, comic-like nature scenarios.

Remember those photo’s of swarms of grass hoppers devouring acres of lands? Plagues have been a problem since biblical times. But what if this is ending? The current threat is not a surplus but the diminishing numbers of insects.

This Gallery Quest we ended in the amazing space of gallery Xavier Laboulbenne, with a series of drawings by Spanish artist Francisco Berná.

Being diagnosed with some type of schizophrenic disorder, this series was made during his stay for treatment in a medical facility. Drawing with whatever was available (bic pens in red, blue and mostly black) the drawings function both as a point of focus as well as therapy.

The series are like an alternate self portrait, made in a period when ones identity is fragmented, falls apart and then slowly comes back together.