by Dr. Barbara Aust-Wegemund, Art Historian

A spread of explosive gestic artworks surrounds the third edition of the Affordable Art Fair Hamburg (November, 13-16, 2014) with paintings and drawings by Iris Schelchen. Inundated with visual metaphors, collages, textile fragments and symbolic icons, her artwork appears in a tactile interplay of spaces, graphic lines and open color fields. In the heart of Hamburg, Affordable Art Fair showcases innovative contemporary art in an exclusive location of the Hamburg Messe Hall. The juried art fair is featuring an international slate of artists and 75 galleries. Global art lovers enjoy discovering this district and named it one of most hipp and stylish neighbourhoods in Hamburg.

Those, looking for something exciting at Affordable Art Fair Hamburg can not ignore the series of Iris Schelchen. Since many years nature has influnenced famous artists in making novels and paintings. William Faulkner uses the Mississippi River and Delta as the setting for many hunts throughout his novels. Working in a large refurbished shipyard with breathtaking views of the river Bille, Iris Schelchen is creating monumentally scaled works.

She values spontaneity and improvisation according the highest importance to process. Iris Schelchen studied Fine Art at Art Academy Berlin and was living many years in the artist community Frohnau in Berlin. She has exhibited in various exhibitions in Germany and worldwide, among them Altonaer Museum Hamburg, Fontane Building Berlin, Artist Community Frohnau Berlin, Gallery Medial Berlin, Gallery Marion Stoeter Hamburg, Maison des Arts Antony, Paris.

Every dimension of Iris Schelchen’s work exhibits some degree of an aesthetic conflict, whether form abstract versus figurative, tone (peaceful versus dangerous), or methodology (spontaneous versus disciplined). The final results are direct and spontaneous gestures on rough canvas, which give the paintings their inescapable explosiveness. It is her central motivation that contemporary art should be experienced in dialogue with the audience and community.

Iris Schelchen’s work is represented by Gallery Marion Stoeter Hamburg. No doubt, it is the tension that draws the viewer into the artwork, tapping into deep emotions. It makes you think, or it makes you comfortable, trying to reconcile the opposites and figure out what a piece is trying to say. Tension and spontaneity are the heart of Iris Schelchen’s aesthetic concept. The result is a multi-level streamed work that is actually quite lighthearted. Finally it is the river that flows in you.

LOCATION

Affordable Art Fair Hamburg
Hamburg Messe
Gate A 3 - Lagerstraße
20357 Hamburg / Germany

www.afffordableartfair.com/hamburg

OPENING PARTY

Wednesday, 12 November, 6-10 pm, by invitation only
VIP Preview: Access for VIP Cardholders & Press

FAIR HOURS

Thursday, 13 November,  11.00 am – 6.00 pm
Thursday, 13 November,  Late View, 6.00 pm – 10.00 pm
Friday, 14 November,  11.00 am – 8.00 pm
Saturday, 15 November,  11.00 am – 6.00 pm
Sunday, 16 November,  11.00 am – 6.00 pm

CONTACT GALLERY
Marion Stoeter Gallery
Elbchaussee 96
22763 Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49.(0)40.18071799
kontakt@galerie-marion-stoeter.de
www.galerie-marion-stoeter.de

CONTACT ARTIST
Studio Iris Schelchen
Hammer Deich 162
20537 Hamburg, Germany
Phone +49.(0)40. 25481372
info@iris-schelchen.de
www.iris-schelchen.de

CONTACT AUTHOR
Source/ Copyrights
Dr. Barbara Aust-Wegemund
info@arthistoryconsulting.de
www.arthistoryconsulting.de

About the Author:

Dr. Barbara Aust-Wegemund, born in Zurich/ Switzerland, is an Art Historian and Managing Director at Art History Consulting (AHC), based in Hamburg. She studied Art History at Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel (Germany), University for Foreigners Perugia (Italy) and London Guildhall University (UK). In 2002 she earned her PhD from University of Kiel with a Dissertation on Modern Sculpture: “Sources of Inspiration.The Meaning of Nature in Henry Moore´s Late Work.” Barbara is an art historian and art critic who has written widely on modern and contemporary art. Her essays have been featured in monographs, exhibition catalogues, e-zines, journals and the online editorial department of Goethe Institute Inc.