GALERIE 10 presents:

Peter Gric, W E S S I, Luigi La Speranza & Amanda Sage
in a Group Exhibition:  31.May – 29. June 2007

Impressions by Amanda Sage:

‘The Future has begun’, was one of the many inspiring comments left in the Guest book at the opening on the 31st of May… There was something in the air, and I don’t think I was the only one that felt it.

Michael Scheer (owner of Galerie 10) and I came up with the idea to do this show last minute. The Gallery was scheduled to participate in the Viennese 1st district Gallery night that happens every 2-3 months, and to pep it up we decided to give Peter, Wessi and Luigi a call and see if they might want to hang a few works for the upcoming  evening. Nothing complicated, just an excuse so we could all get together again, with the thought that it could be a nice win/win situation for everyone… None of them had ever exhibited in the Gallery before, so it was devised as an introductory event. They all said they had time on the 31st, so the planning began, and what we thought would be a simple show turned into a full blown exhibition. 

I want to go back a bit and explain how this all came to be… there are some people that deserve some accreditation. Leo Plaw (visionary artist and web-designer behind beinart.org) was in Vienna for a month in December 06. We had met through one of the online community’s months before and I offered him a place to stay. He filled my ears and eyes with information and introduction to artists all over the globe that Jon Beinart and him were discovering by the day. When beinart.org went online in December I got to celebrate with the 2 creators as they cheered over the mass amount of visitors during the site’s first days of light. Leo also set up a little gathering the day before he left, as it had became apparent that we all knew of each other, Michael Scheer and I had never met Peter Gric, Luigi La Speranza or Wessi in person. So we met at Luigi’s Studio and after a few moments it became obvious that there was a lot to share as everyone seemed to be talking and wanting to listen at the same time. Strange how this meeting was initiated by an Australian who couldn’t understand why we had never met… and in Vienna of all places, one of the ‘birthing’ places of Visionary and Fantastic art. Peter, Luigi & Wessi (who we met later) all knew each other from the Viennese Art Academy while studying under Hausner, Lehmden and Brauer in the late 1980’s-early 90’s.

The GALERIE 10 has been well known for years as the only Gallery in Vienna who has consistently represented Artists since 1965 from the ‘Viennese School of Fantastic Realism’ specifically Fuchs, Brauer, Lehmden, Hundertwasser, Hausner, DEES and many more.  The founder of the Gallery was Michael Scheers father. An art dealer mogul of his time, he made sure that articles about the Gallery and it’s artists were regularly featured in magazines and newspapers worldwide, as well as traveling to the big Art Fairs in the US & Japan. In 1979 Manfred Scheers sudden death forced his wife, Dr. Lore Scheer into the director position which she upheld till 1996 when Michael Scheer, their son, took the reins. There are rows and shelves of history about this movement all documented in this gallery collecting dust, forgotten hype. Memories of the 60’s and 70’s, when the Fantastics were at their height, the parties were wild, and Vienna was where it was happenin’.

Now in 2007, I’ve observed in the international community, that people still revere Vienna and see it as this ‘center point’, mostly because such artists as Ernst Fuchs and many of his contemporaries originated here. But from my observation, the generations following them have had a very difficult time getting any limelight, and if so, anywhere else but here. But I sense the times are changing, the ‘movements’ aren’t localized anymore. Especially in this direction of art. The new Generations are being brought together through the Internet. It is a global movement, something that is being felt and expressed and shared through many different cultures, walks and talks. The greater curiosity in sharing visions of the ‘unseen’, narratives of haunted pasts and dreams of hopeful futures.  Offering possibilities to understand where we are coming from and where we are going, in humanity as a whole. ‘The Future has begun,’ and it is brewing here in Vienna as it is all over the world. This group exhibition in the GALERIE 10, is paving the way to fill the gaps, the sleeping time has past and it is time to wake up.

The excitement around Jon Beinart’s fresh book ‘Metamorphosis ’ and Claus Brusen & Marcel Salome’s book ‘Dreamscape’ are signals of reassurance. GALERIE 10 is planning a presentation of both books this autumn, and many more ideas are brewing. There are countless more initiatives, books, gatherings happening and being planned as I write this… knowing this fuels my initiative to follow the scent, it’s a scent that permeates deep into my bones, something I’m not sure I understand but I know is good… real good;) Thanks to all contributing, participating, supporting this new era/time/wave/whatever… to me it almost feels like flowering, birthing, conceiving and dieing all at the same time…

Cheers

Amanda Sage

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