ANDREAS BLANK

Galerie Christian EhrentrautFriedrichstr. 123

D-10117 BerlinTel/Fax +49 30 44 03 83 85

mail@christianehrentraut.comwww.christianehrentraut.com

artist profile

Anatomy of words, Galerie Choi&Lager, Köln. 2013

Group showGalerie Christian Ehrentraut. 2012

Shadows of Words SpokenGalerie Christian Ehrentraut. 2013

Ansicht #1

Shadows of Words SpokenGalerie Christian Ehrentraut. 2013Ansicht #2

Andreas Blank„SHADOWS OF WORDS SPOKEN “

LAST EXHIBITION

Andreas Blank vereint in seinen Skulpturen sowohl abstrakte und

gegenständliche als auch konzeptu-elle und handwerkliche, technische Praktiken. Auf allen Erdteilen sucht er nach oft seltenen Steinen, bearbeitet sie in aufwendigen Arbeitsprozessen und setzt sie mal zu stilisierten, mal täu-schend echt wirkenden Alltagsobjek-ten zusammen.

In den präzise inszenierten Raumins-tallationen wird die temporäre Natur der abgebildeten Gegenstände in monumentale Permanenz überführt. Wurden Marmor, Alabaster oder Por-phyr in der Bildhauerei historisch meist benutzt, um politische oder religiöse Aufgaben zu erfüllen, erhalten Blanks skulpturale Objekte dagegen einen scheinbar beiläufigen und fragmenta-rischen Charakter. Die geographische und kulturelle Identität des Arbeitsma-terials und die Denkmal-Funktion der Steinskulpturen verweist auf die Wer-tigkeit der Gegenstände. Blank hin-terfragt das Sichtbare und überführt traditionelle Bezüge und Wertvorstel-lungen auf das Alltägliche und Ge-genwärtige.

Andreas Blank (geboren 1976 in Ans-bach) hat an der Staatlichen Akade-mie der Bildenden Künste in Karlsruhe bei Prof. Klingelhöller studiert und am Royal College of Art in London seinen Master gemacht. Er war Stipendiat der Deutschen Studienstiftung und Finalist des New Sensation Award von Chan-nel 4 und der Saatchi Gallery 2009. Blank lebt und arbeitet in London und Franken.

In his sculptural practice, Andreas Blank combines the abstract and

the realistic, the conceptual as well as the technical. He sources stones from quarries from all over the world, carves them with elaborate delibera-tion and assembles them in sometimes consciously stylized, and other times deceptively realistic objects of the everyday.

In his precise installations, the appar-ently ephemeral objects achieve monumental permanence. Whether marble, alabaster, or porphyry, mate-rial historically used to serve religious or political functions, has in Blank’s hands acquired a seemingly casual and fragmentary character.

The geographical and cultural identity of the stone and the memorial func-tion of stone-sculpture in general re-fer to the value of each object. Blank questions the obvious and transforms traditional ideals and values on the or-dinary and present.

Andreas Blank was born in Ansbach in 1976. He attended the Karlsruhe State Academy of Art (Staatliche Akad-emie der Bildenden Künste) and was Meisterschüler under Prof. Klingelhöller. He held a scholarship with the Ger-man National Academic Foundation and received his MFA from the Royal College of Art in London. In 2009 he was a finalist for the New Sensations Award by Channel 4 and the Saatchi Gallery. Blank lives and works in Lon-don and Franconia.

Shadows of Words SpokenGalerie Christian Ehrentraut. 2013

Ansicht #3

AUSGEWÄHLTE WERKESELECTED WORKS

Planes 6 [2013]

Andreas Blank68 x 39,5 x 24 cm

marble, limestone

marble, alabaster

Untitled [2013]

Andreas Blank87 x 41,5 x 29 cm

Still life 13 [2012]

Andreas Blank27 x 35 x 23 cm

alabaster, marble, serpentinite

Untitled 2012 [2012]

Andreas Blank44 x 35 x 2 cm

marble, onyx

Element I [2012]

Andreas Blank85 x 70 x 133 cm

agate, basalt, gypsum, limestone, marble, quarzite, slate

Floorpiece with Boots [2012]

Andreas Blank27 x 52,5 x 45,5 cm

marble, limestone, porphyry, sandtone, slate

Untitled 2012 [2012]

Andreas Blank40 x 32 x 7 cm

serpentinite

Element 2 with Healing Frame [2012]

Andreas Blank45 x 33 x 33 cm / 30 x 23,5 x 2,5 cm

limestone, marble, lepidolite

marble, sandstone, soapstone

Box with brackets 2 [2011]

Andreas Blank24 x 21 x 15 cm

Still life 6 [2010]

Andreas Blank70 x 100 x 75 cm

slate, marble, dimensions variable

Still life 11 [2010]

Andreas Blank6 x 10,5 cm (diameter)

alabaster

Monument 5 [2010]

Andreas Blank20 x 16 x 5 cm

marble, alabaster

PRESSEARTIKELPRESS RELEASES

Wöller, Marcus: Der Künstler als Mineralfetischist. Die Welt, 16 Juni 2012, S.28.

Woeller, Marcus: Der Künstler als Mineralfetischist. Die Welt, 16. Juni 2012, S.28.

Koch, Philip: Alabaster und Onyx. Tip Berlin, Nr. 12/2012 41. Jahrgang, S.67.

Koch, Philip: Alabaster und Onyx. tip Berlin, Nr. 12/2012 41. Jahrgang, S. 67.

Ackermann, Tim: Schöner Wohnen, aber alles aus Stein. Tim Ackermanns wöchentlicher Streifzug durch die Berliner Galerien. www.morgenpost.de, 27. Mai 2012.

Ackermann, Tim: Schöner Wohnen, aber alles aus Stein. Tim Ackermanns wöchentlicher Streifzug durch die Berliner Galerien. www.morgenpost.de, 27. Mai 2012.

Simkover, Rachel. Andreas Blank, „Schadows of Words Spoken“ Christian Ehrentraut Re-view. www.bpigs.com, 22. Mai 2012.

In preparation for a work included in his solo exhibition, “Shadows of Words Spoken” at Galerie Christian Ehrentraut, sculptor Andreas Blank was in an uncomfortable situation in an Italian quarry. There were only five pieces left of the good quality alabaster stone that Blank needed to execute his project. It is difficult to find a large stone that is a single, pure color, and since the quality of the rough surface is so different than when it is carved and polished, it takes an expert eye to identify the particular stones he seeks, ones without the “kitschy” veins. He had gotten into an argument with the quarrier about the weight of the stones. The quarrier insisted that they were each over 100 kilos, and they were not going to be leaving the quarry any time soon. If Blank could prove that his desired stone weighed less than 100 kilos (and was therefore something he could physically move on his own) then the fate of the stone was open to negotiation. So Blank found himself, nervous and sweating, surrounded by the quarrier’s nephews eagerly waiting the verdict. Blank bent down to attempt to pick up the stone, and while getting a proper grip, the backside of the stone was exposed, revealing “62 kilo” etched on the surface. The proud Italian let him have the stone free of charge.

Andreas Blank works exclusively from stone. Stories like these come with most of the materials he uses because the particular qualities of the stones (hardness, color, texture) that he needs to properly execute his ideas are rare and only found in specific parts of the world; he can’t exactly find unblemished green onyx on Ebay. The search involves a lot of travelling and a lot of phone calls. Not only do the stones have Blank’s stories surrounding them, but they also carry the history of the location. This is seen most obviously in a rare piece of black serpentine stone that has million year old snails embedded within. The full story behind each material is not something that is revealed while viewing the work; also, the titles of the works don’t provide any indication of where the stones came from or how they were collected. However, the specificity and special qualities of the materials themselves indicate that each stone carries a unique story; the physical material carries the metaphysical message.

The materials themselves are so magnificent, that one would almost just be content being in their presence as polished rocks. But of course there is so much more to them; Blank has expertly sculpted these stones using traditional stone carving and coloring techniques to produce something contemporary and refreshing. Many artists outsource their labor, but in this case, the artist’s immersion in every aspect of production is essential for its development. The stone is given new meaning as it takes the form of everyday objects from the office and domestic spheres and objects on display in the art gallery. The amount of care and detail that has been put into the development of each work results in incredibly convincing objects.

What I feel are the most intriguing objects are the more recent abstract sculptures. These

Andreas Blank, "Shadows of Words Spoken" @ Christian Ehrentraut Review Tue, 2012-05-22 11:02 — Rachel Simkover Credits: Text by R. Simkover and pictures by Galerie C. Ehrentraut

Simkover, Rachel. Andreas Blank, „Schadows of Words Spoken“ Christian Ehrentraut Re-view. www.bpigs.com, 22. Mai 2012.

objects that either hang on the wall or rest on pedestals (solid marble pedestals to be exact) take the form of a cloth that has been draped over paintings and sculptures. In fact there is nothing hidden, the objects are solid all the way through. Also, the text piece in the back corner of the installation nicely ties together the ideas behind the work; it is a piece from the quotation “seeing things that are too big to see.” The text is too big for the viewer to read, and Blank's work embodies things that are too big to see, such as simultaneous pieces of the world’s landscape, the history of the materials, and the history of art.

Der Steinbildhauer aus der Oxford Street, Westmittelfranken, 25-26. Juli 2009.

Lentaki, Alex: Saatchi makes case for young art. New Sensations prize highlights most striking talent in Britain. The Evening Standard, www.standard.co.uk, 9. Okto-ber 2009, S.26.

Look on the bright side: Optimistic Art. The Independant, 20. Oktober 2008, S.16-17.

Look on the bright side: Optimistic Art. The Independant, 20. Oktober 2008, S.16-17.

Education

2001 - 200620072008 - 2009

Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Kuenste Karlsruhe with Prof. Harald KlingelhoellerHochschule fuer Bildende Kuenste Hamburg, guest student with Andreas SlominksiRoyal College of Art London

Grants and Awards

20102009

200820072005

The Catlin Prize, LondonFinalist, New Sensations 2009, London Land Securities Studio Award, LondonConran Foundation AwardScholarship for Great Britain, Studienstiftung des Deutschen VolkesResidency, Stiftung Vorwerk, HamburgScholarship Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes

Solo Exhibitions

2013

2012

Landscape Metaphor, Benrimon Contemporary, New York Anatomy of words, Galerie Choi&Lager, Köln Sir Peter Blake. Things I Love At The Fine Art Society, The Fine Art Society, LondonShadows of Words Spoken, Galerie Christian Ehrentraut, Berlin

ANDREAS BLANK

Born 1976 in AnsbachLives and works in London

Group Exhibitions

20132012

2011

2010

The Scene changes to an empty room, De Fabriek, EindhovenCarving in Britain from 1910 to Now, The Fine Art SOciety, LondonRecasting the Gods, Sumarria Lunn Gallery, LondonEin weißes Feld, Sammlung FIEDE, AschaffenburgDividing Line, High House Gallery, OxfordshireMemory. International Contemporary Sculpture, Palazzo Arti Napoli (PAN), NaplesOh, Plastiksack!, Gewerbemuseum WinterthurStillstehende Sachen aus der Sammlung SOR Rusche, Museum Abtei Liesborn, Wadersloh-Liesborn13, Galerie Christian Ehrentraut, BerlinStressing Spiritual Needs Even When Selling Ice Cream, DNA-Galerie, BerlinMemory, Rosenfeld Porcini Gallery, LondonPlease Write, Posted Projects, LondonTranscending, LARMgalleri, CopenhagenNew German Art/Neue Deutsche Kunst, German Embassy, LondonCocktail, Galerie Frank Schlag, EssenKeep Me Posted, Posted Projects, LondonThe Land Securities Studio Awards 2010, SW1 Gallery, LondonChristian Achenbach, Andreas Blank, Nicola Samorì, Galerie Christian Ehrentraut, BerlinThe Catlin Prize, LondonWe Can Understand The Meaning Better Without,

2009

2008

2007

St. Pancras Parish Church Crypt, LondonNew Sensations, Rochelle School, LondonGalerie Alfred Knecht, KarlsruheAbschied und Ankunft, DB Museum, NurembergAfghanische Botschaft, BerlinOptimism, Hannah Barry Gallery, LondonBasement Project, Fred Gallery, LondonAllen & Overy, LondonLichtfeld 8, BaselRegionale 7, Projectspace 54, BaselLichtfeld 7, BaselSculptureproject, Osterburken

2012

2010

2009

2008

Woeller, Marcus: Der Künstler als Mineralfetischist. Die Welt, 16. Juni 2012, S.28.Ackermann, Tim: Schöner Wohnen, aber alles aus Stein. Tim Ackermanns wöchentlicher Streifzug durch die Berliner Galerien. www.morgenpost.de, 27. Mai 2012.Simkover, Rachel: Andreas Blank, „Shadows of Words Spoken“. Christian Ehrentraut Review. www.bpigs.com, 22. Mai 2012.Mclaughlin, Rosanna: The Quiet Theater: An Exhibition in Print, London 2012, S. 36-45.Corrieri, Claudia: Andreas Blank. In: Land Securities Studio Awards 2010. London 2010, S.10-11 (Katalog hrsg. v. Land Securities anlässlich der gleichnamigen Ausstellung in der SW1 Gallery, London, 10.06. – 26.06.2010).Lentati, Alex: Saatchi Makes Case for Young Art. New Sensations Prize Highlights Most Striking Talent in Britain. The Eve-ning Standard, 09. Oktober 2009, S.26.Butler, Thomas: Artist’s Statement. Salon Contemporary, 2009.Dorment, Richard: Venice Biennale 2009. Prize Collector’sLeap of Faith. www.telegraph.co.uk, 08. Juni 2009.College Students Selected for Saatchi. www.eca.ac.uk, 15. September 2009.Miller, Phil: Scottish Art School Graduates among Saatchi’s Sensations. www.theheraldscotland.com, 17. September 2009.Der Steinbildhauer aus der Oxford Street. Fränkische Landeszeitung, 25.-26. Juli 2009.New Work. www.artworldmagazine.com, Oktober/November 2009.Look on the Bright Side: Optimistic Art. The Independent, 20. Oktober 2008, S.16–17.

Articles in magazines, catalogues and internet.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

EDITIONS

andreas blank «shadows of words spoken» 2012edition of 400 signed and num-bered copies

Galerie Christian EhrentrautFriedrichstr. 123D-10117 Berlin

Tel/Fax +49 30 44 03 83 85mail@christianehrentraut.comwww.christianehrentraut.com