MICHAEL BAUER
PORTAL SECTION CURATED BY ALESSIO ANTONIOLLI
STAND E105
Within the Portal section of miart curated by Alessio Antoniolli, Federica Schiavo Gallery presents a booth dedicated to Michael Bauer.
In his works, Bauer constructs anthropomorphic and zoomorphic shapes through winding lines and bulbous protrusions that overlap on the painted canvas, transforming his compositions into dynamic abstractions through the use of various techniques and vibrant colors.
In the paintings from the Pool Party series (2016), the eye and mind try to distinguish and reconstruct the possible hidden shapes: hands, feet, faces, but also objects like masks, boots, gloves, and tubes. A strong figurative sense constantly emerges: the artist's gaze focuses on the figures but with the intention of reinventing them. However, in the painting process, these gradually lose their definition, transforming into something that could be interpreted as a landscape or simply as a combination of colors.
The series of paintings created in 2024 for the latest solo exhibition titled Helmeted Towards Dawn ranges from larger, swirling, and psychedelic formats to smaller, more intimate works. The large-scale pieces serve as a sort of prequel to the smaller paintings, where the figures, which in the earlier works sank into a vortex of entropy, now face the consequences. Abandoned themselves, they wander alone in undefined landscapes filled with a melancholic mood and a sense of peace. For their creation, Bauer immersed himself in the works of science fiction writers such as Clark Ashton Smith, Samuel Delany, David Bunch, and Jack Vance, particularly his Dying Earth cycle.
Michael Bauer was born in Erkelenz, Germany, 1973; he lives and works in New York.
PREVIEW 3 APRIL
4 - 6 APRIL, 2025
ALLIANZ MICO, VIALE LUDOVICO SCARAMPO, MILANO
Image: Michael Bauer, Dawn Of The Frog, 2024, oil, acrylic, pastel on canvas, 47,8 × 62 × 5,5 cm (detail), photo: Giulia Pietroletti
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