Cover with Kraftwerk
Hardbook
KOMETENMELODIE - Kraftwerk cover: He Wei
Publisher: Primo Marella Gallery
Dimensions: 30,2x24,5 cm
Pages: 111
Dimensions: 30,2x24,5 cm
Pages: 111
€ 45.00
KOMETENMELODIE
HE WEI
The catalog Kometenmelodie delves deeply into the work of Chinese artist He Wei, focusing on his 2024 solo exhibition Kometenmelodie at Primo Marella Gallery, Milan. The exhibition offers an insightful exploration of German culture from the 1920s to the 1980s, reinterpreting pivotal moments in the country's artistic and cultural history. The catalog serves as an in-depth analysis of He Wei’s creative process and the visual language he employs to merge history with modernity.
Kometenmelodie takes the viewer on a captivating journey through different historical periods, beginning with an homage to the Bauhaus movement of the 1920s and 1930s, which revolutionized the relationship between art, design, and architecture. He Wei’s works in the exhibition pay tribute to this influential period by reimagining the iconic "Half Face" logo designed by Oskar Schlemmer, transforming it into a three-dimensional sculpture that symbolizes the dialogue between music, art, and history.
The exhibition also delves into the emotional and decadent aspects of German culture, particularly through the lens of classic films like The Blue Angel (1930), which evokes the melancholic elegance of the era. He Wei captures this aura in his paintings of iconic female figures from the period, blending hyperrealism with distortion to create portraits that embody both beauty and an underlying unease.
In the 1950s and 1960s, He Wei continues his exploration of German cinema, focusing on the work of directors such as Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. This period is characterized by a sophisticated visual style, which He Wei interprets in his art through the meticulous depiction of male characters dressed in elegant, tailored suits. The artist captures the psychological complexity of these figures, whose external poise often masks deeper inner turmoil.
The narrative deepens as He Wei engages with the music and aesthetics of the Krautrock movement, particularly the work of pioneering bands like Kraftwerk. The artist incorporates the hypnotic rhythms and experimental soundscapes of the era into his visual compositions, which blend abstract and figurative elements, while evoking the spirit of the time.
Throughout Kometenmelodie, He Wei explores the intersection of beauty and unease, combining vivid colors and bold brushstrokes with a contrasting monochromatic palette. His works create a dynamic tension between order and chaos, harmony and dissonance, questioning the boundaries between the exterior and the interior, the visible and the hidden.
This catalog provides an extensive visual archive of He Wei's work in the exhibition, offering a deeper understanding of his artistic journey and the cultural influences that shape his art. It is a reflection on the complex history of Germany in the 20th century, seen through the eyes of an artist who bridges tradition and avant-garde in a contemporary dialogue with the past.
The catalog is available in two different cover designs, each featuring a unique image. Both editions contain the same content.
(The book is both in Italian and English)
