FROM THE TABLE TO THE WALL – PLATES À LA STEFAN MARX
Handling porcelain is a challenge that requires a lot of experience. Contemporary artists also take on this task for KPM Berlin. Stefan Marx is one of them. Today Marx has a permanent job in the KPM master painting department, where he deals artistically with the white material. A selection of the results of his work with porcelain can currently be admired in his fourth solo exhibition RIDICULOUS DRAMA in the Cologne gallery Ruttkowski;68. We'll tell you more...
The Berlin illustrator and KPM Berlin have had a close friendship for two years, which began as part of a joint project with the Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin. Further collaborations and visits to the factory followed. Today Marx even has a permanent job in painting, where he brings the white KPM porcelain to new life with his drawings, which are known all over the world. The results of his work with porcelain could be admired, among other things, in his solo exhibition ANOTHER WEEKEND. In spring 2019, he presented porcelain vases he had painted in the Paris branch of the popular Cologne art gallery Ruttkowski;68. He didn't choose just any model, but one of the most prominent from KPM Berlin: HALLE by Marguerite Friedlaender-Wildenhain. The messages and colors in different gradations are in dialogue with the colored canvas works, which are reminiscent of signs and protest posters - and have the recurring monotony of a weekend as their theme.
This year Stefan Marx celebrates his fourth solo exhibition for Ruttkowski;68. This time he presents a selection of his typical melancholic musical typography and his caricatures. A generous installation of his version of the wall plate, reinterpreted on KPM porcelain, can also be admired until March 22, 2020 as part of the Ridiculous Drama exhibition in Cologne.
About Ruttkowski;68
The art gallery Ruttkowski;68, with offices in Cologne and Paris, was founded in 2010 by Nils Müller. The gallery focuses on a wide range of practices within contemporary art, including painting, media art, sculpture and installations, taking a non-hierarchical approach to diverse scenes and artistic backgrounds. Because there should be no distinctions made between art, fashion or music, nor between supposed high or low culture, insider knowledge or the masses. You can find out more about Ruttkowski;68 here .
Stefan Marx and KPM Berlin
Stefan Marx is particularly fond of the iconic URBINO series. He has been staging his well-known “Sundaayyyssss” motifs on it since 2017. For the artist, the drawn dog embodies his personal aversion to Sunday, which he fights against with his humorous drawings.
For the first edition in winter 2017, Marx chose the espresso items from the URBINO series. In the summer of 2018 he dedicated himself to coffee service.
After designing each piece of porcelain by hand for the first two joint KPM+ Sundaayyyssss editions on coffee and espresso under the guidance of the KPM master painters, he quickly became a permanent guest and was soon part of the interior of the capital's painting department. During his visits, the two creative partners were quickly able to convince each other of the conscientious working techniques , experiment together and discover synergies that inspired creativity. This laid the foundation for the third KPM+ Sundaayyyssss Edition: The Tea Time Edition , which - in keeping with the autumn-winter season and driven by the artist's passion for Japan - invites you to high tea with URBINO porcelain .
KPM Berlin is very pleased to be able to support Stefan Marx as a partner for his Ridiculous Drama exhibition and congratulates on the successful exhibition.
Photos: Holger Talinski (vase HALLE and tea vessels Urbino) and Galerie Ruttkowski;68 (Ridiculous Drama exhibition)
