Helmut Middendorf : Over the Under the Over

Solo exhibition by German artist Helmut Middendorf, who was born in Dinklage, Germany in 1953 and studied at the Berlin School of Fine Arts under K.H. Hödicke. At the start of his career he focused on expressivity in painting, in contrast with the then dominant conceptual art. His work is characterised by its variety and its attempts to overturn stereotypes, seeking new means of expression, in order to startle both viewers and the artist himself. The exhibition presents a portion of his work from the previous decade and falls into four groups. The first contains the so-called PM paintings (from the words printed matter and pentimenti). These are works from the period 2007-2008 using collage, where abstract painting motifs dominate. The second group, entitled “Daily tabloid press” contains 16 small new works, collage on canvas, where the black frame constitutes part of the composition. The third group includes images from the history of art, illustration and comics, works linked by the multi-level manner of composition and their use of editing. Finally, the fourth group includes a selection of works from the past decade, which combine abstract fields, motifs, collage, painting, logos etc.

Helmut Middendorf
Over the Under the Over