Gerhard Mantz - The Assassin No. 5, 2018
Gerhard Mantz – The Assassin No. 5, 2018
Modern digital art. In this dramatically staged composition, Gerhard Mantz breaks with the tranquillity of his earlier works and creates a cinematic scene full of political explosiveness. In the centre, a young girl in a red corset sits stoically on a massive desk, she is holding a pistol in one hand, while in the foreground, a lifeless figure, a figure draped in the US flag, an overturned lamp and scattered documents bear witness to a violent upheaval. Props such as the red telephone and the US flag symbolically locate the action at the centre of power, reminiscent of the Oval Office in the White House. A historical battle painting in the background serves as a bitter commentary on violence as a historical continuum. Mantz uses the aesthetics of computer-generated worlds for a disturbing political allegory that reflects on themes such as the collapse of state order, the loss of authority and violence in the digital age. The contrast between the “innocent” physicality of the assassin and the gravity of the act creates a profound ambivalence. Size: 160 x 140 cm. High-quality digital print (inkjet) on canvas. From the artist’s estate.
Gerhard Mantz (*1950, Neu-Ulm – 2021) recognized the artistic possibilities of computer technology early on and was able to use it for his works with talent. Mantz studied at the Karlsruhe Art Academy from 1970-75 and moved to Berlin in the 1980s, where he also had many exhibitions. In his early years, Mantz still created real objects, sculptures made of acrylic, MDF, wood and other materials. In order to expand the limited spectrum of tangible reality, he increasingly focused on virtual objects in the 1990s and 2000s and mainly created digital art. This led to dematerialization. The artist also gained international recognition for his digital art. His works have been exhibited throughout Europe and the USA.
Among others, 1985 Künstlerhaus Bethanien, 1988 Georg Kolbe Museum Berlin, 1989 Contemporary Art Center Osaka, 1990 Karl Bornstein Gallery, Los Angeles, 1999 Brandts Klædefabrik, Odense, 2008 P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center – Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York, 2014 Rosier Gallery, Berkeley, 2016 Galerie Hammelehle und Ahrens Köln in St. Gertrud, and most recently increasingly at the Till Richter Museum in Buggenhagen Castle with his last impressive work cycle “Avatars”. These figures are often depicted as adolescents or adolescents and often show them in surreal scenes. The undressing of the figures serves to emphasize their vulnerability; they remain encapsulated in emotional situations and implied stories. Some of the pictorial compositions borrow from art history, referencing Caravaggio, Jan Vermeer van Delft, Antonio Mancini or the controversial artist Balthus. More detailed biography on the artist’s homepage www.gerhard-mantz.de
Gerhard Mantz – The Assassin No. 5, 2018
Modern digital art. In this dramatically staged composition, Gerhard Mantz breaks with the tranquillity of his earlier works and creates a cinematic scene full of political explosiveness. In the centre, a young girl in a red corset sits stoically on a massive desk, she is holding a pistol in one hand, while in the foreground, a lifeless figure, a figure draped in the US flag, an overturned lamp and scattered documents bear witness to a violent upheaval. Props such as the red telephone and the US flag symbolically locate the action at the centre of power, reminiscent of the Oval Office in the White House. A historical battle painting in the background serves as a bitter commentary on violence as a historical continuum. Mantz uses the aesthetics of computer-generated worlds for a disturbing political allegory that reflects on themes such as the collapse of state order, the loss of authority and violence in the digital age. The contrast between the “innocent” physicality of the assassin and the gravity of the act creates a profound ambivalence. Size: 160 x 140 cm. High-quality digital print (inkjet) on canvas. From the artist’s estate.
Gerhard Mantz (*1950, Neu-Ulm – 2021) recognized the artistic possibilities of computer technology early on and was able to use it for his works with talent. Mantz studied at the Karlsruhe Art Academy from 1970-75 and moved to Berlin in the 1980s, where he also had many exhibitions. In his early years, Mantz still created real objects, sculptures made of acrylic, MDF, wood and other materials. In order to expand the limited spectrum of tangible reality, he increasingly focused on virtual objects in the 1990s and 2000s and mainly created digital art. This led to dematerialization. The artist also gained international recognition for his digital art. His works have been exhibited throughout Europe and the USA.
Among others, 1985 Künstlerhaus Bethanien, 1988 Georg Kolbe Museum Berlin, 1989 Contemporary Art Center Osaka, 1990 Karl Bornstein Gallery, Los Angeles, 1999 Brandts Klædefabrik, Odense, 2008 P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center – Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York, 2014 Rosier Gallery, Berkeley, 2016 Galerie Hammelehle und Ahrens Köln in St. Gertrud, and most recently increasingly at the Till Richter Museum in Buggenhagen Castle with his last impressive work cycle “Avatars”. These figures are often depicted as adolescents or adolescents and often show them in surreal scenes. The undressing of the figures serves to emphasize their vulnerability; they remain encapsulated in emotional situations and implied stories. Some of the pictorial compositions borrow from art history, referencing Caravaggio, Jan Vermeer van Delft, Antonio Mancini or the controversial artist Balthus. More detailed biography on the artist’s homepage www.gerhard-mantz.de
