Timebreaks
Exhibition with paintings of Marianne Gielen and sculptures of Hella Horstmeier Laudation on 17 July 2009 (excerpt)
[…] In this location one inevitably becomes concious of a symbol of even “more present” “timebreaks” – those relating to german history – the bridge of Glienicke (Glienicker Brücke). It does not seem far-fetched to me that this object finds entrance into art. With Marianne Gielen it becomes a colourful arrangement through twice exposed photography, standing in contrast to a equivalent whole of colours of those four pictures “Brücke” 1-4 (“bridge” 1-4). The pattern, painted with graphic black and reminding on the steel girders (of the bridge), are coherent. Luminous red, rich in contrast, dominates and is contrasted by a brilliant yellow at the same time. These coulours vitalize each other on the surface of the pictures – there is no calmness developing, but an inner eagerness arouses. Breaks of colour become visible – changes can be associated.
The “diaries of Glienicke” (“Glienicker Tagebücher”) were the base of these pictures – it is a watching document, comparable to the knowledge of the complexity of past and present, in the process of rapproachment between east & west. The diaries consists of pages filled with handwriting, forming scriptoral examples, which have been collected over a long period of time and have just been published. They become symbols themselves by the patters of black, red and yellow. The artists’ very personal experience to be able to mirror the place “bridge of Glienicke” – also from the perspective of Potsdam, being the place she is living now – the ability to not just see but also experience the beauty of the landscape, surrounding her, integrate into her illustrations which disclose themselves as a whole through coloured constellations.
All nature immanent worlds act inspirational – let it be landscape as environment, frenetic vegetation or constructed gardens. The colour palettes, contained, lead to Marianne Gielens style of painting as well as to different emotions about the own excistence. Sometimes it is the original allegation, that is the motive, or the aura, experienced, that spark her creative work. To unfold to colours seems as natural as the description of mood and physical condition – during the painting process she conrasts this with compositional and gestural strictness.
The works exhibited, prove that Marianne Gielen is able to enhance the internalisation of experiences as subjects of her painting. The colours of the paintings titled “Refugium” (“hideaway”) are of an restrained, earthy mood – there is some quiet poetry emanating from them, creating amotions of longing. The shining whloe of colours next to it traces back to the coloursful splendour of collectional and exhibitional gardens, celebrated by human hand.
The picture “botanischer Garten” (“botanic garden”) is a glimmering, bright ensemble, consisting of overlaping spots of colour and filled with rhythmically placed lineage. It appears as though they struggeled with each other, gentle but powerful. They form a tableau of pulsative colours standing in conrast to the deciduos surroundings of the location.
The lustrous colour palettes of the pictures “Übergänge/Transitions” and “in Bewegung” (“in motion”) are based on the course of the river Havel – a situation in which the elements water and earth merge and create a fluvial topography. In a melodical canon of colours “motives of the subliminal” reveal themselves. Visual worlds emerge, which are a symbol of the soul. The inside and the outside exist likewise in circular mirroring and reflection.
“panta rhei” – everything flows – may be an allegory for it. There is no consistent existence, but just the progress of change and overcoming the established things. […]