Page 110 - Art-Addiction

GÖtZ dIerGarteN

1963 born in Mannheim; new york, usA
lives and works in Kaiserslautern and Frankfurt am Main, germany

In my previous work I dealt with the painting-like impact of details out of banal fades – mainly from the
Fifties and sixties. I found this motives all over germany – later also in switzerland and France. Thereby I reali-
zed slightly differences in the architecture and the usage of color, although there are quite a lot of similarities.
The fades of a house have to be closed in order to create the above described pictorial effect. I don’t want
to be a voyeur and I don’t want the recipient to feel like one. If the shutters are not or only partly closed you
become interested in the individual who lives behind the fade. But I’m rather interested in the society or the
group of people who create this “pictures” – especially because the same people pass by these buildings
absolutely indifferent, they don’t realize the pictures in the banality. Almost two years ago I got interested in
holiday homes in the Cotentin / northern France. After “ravenoville” I took two more series of other holiday
houses along the beaches of northern France. since I had realised the slightly differences in the “design” of
fades in germany, France and switzerland, I got very much interested in a comparison of holiday houses along
the coast and the specific atmosphere of seaside resorts. These buildings are built for the most delightful time
of their owners: their holiday – only a few weeks per year. The effort and interest to create something really
“beautiful” is often confronted with financial, ecological (nature reserve) and climatically (wind and water along
the coast) restrictions. due to these facts the small buildings often appear somehow a bit strange. neverthe-
less, with their shutters and doors closed and their pastel colors their owners also create unconsciously “pic-
tures”. For me this work is like an intimate portrait of the people of different countries. each fade has his own
characteristics, his own face; each building also works as a witness of times. Often there are regimentations for
small holiday homes along the coast. These rules and laws how to build or paint your house creates a common
basis, a possibility to compare and also look behind the closed fades.
(THe PHenOMenOn OF HOLIdAY HOMes / ALOng eUrOPeAn COAsTs)

 UNTITlEd (GOUVIllE, paMNOraMa), 2002 c-tyPe Print 30 x 180 cM. / 12 x 71 in., edition 8

UNTITlEd (GOUVIllE, sINGlE HOUsE), 2002 c-tyPe Print 100 x 100 cM. / 39¼ x 39¼ in., edition 8 
UNTITlEd (GOUVIllE, sINGlE HOUsE), 2002 c-tyPe Print 100 x 100 cM. / 39¼ x 39¼ in., edition 8 
UNTITlEd (GOUVIllE, sINGlE HOUsE), 2002 c-tyPe Print 100 x 100 cM. / 39¼ x 39¼ in., edition 8 
UNTITlEd (GOUVIllE, sINGlE HOUsE), 2002 c-tyPe Print 100 x 100 cM. / 39¼ x 39¼ in., edition 8 
UNTITlEd (GOUVIllE, sINGlE HOUsE), 2002 c-tyPe Print 100 x 100 cM. / 39¼ x 39¼ in., edition 8 
UNTITlEd (GOUVIllE, OVErVIEw), 2002 c-tyPe Print 100 x 100 cM. / 39¼ x 39¼ in., edition 8 
CoUrtesy oF galerie thoMas Poller, FrankFUrt aM Main, gerMany

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