. And .. What’s your Story … Philip Emde

Philip Emde (b. 1976, DE) presents his fifth solo exhibition . And .. What’s your Story … with Ruttkowski;68 in Düsseldorf.

Steiff animals – as the protagonists of Emde’s work – lead through the show and are presented within their habitat inside the artist’s studio in Cologne. His most recent works pick up where previous shows left off, continuing their stories in different angles, changing perspectives and fleeting intersections with the viewer’s contribution. This time, the plush actors give up their seats in front of the paintings to become objects of contemplation instead of spectators, allowing an unhindered view on their depicted comrades.

Inviting button eyes gaze back, initiate an exchange between the work and the viewer, provoking an interaction that is guided by personal memories and imprints.

Between collections and orders, systems and compartments, a culture of remembrance is uncovered, inciting a mutual exchange of unfolding stories.

In formats ranging from miniature portraits to wall-filling pieces – both depictions and backdrops – the animals coexist in a morbid playfulness. In their painterly translation, they incorporate an autonomy that tells the story of their creation. Technique, materiality, and subject herein combine to a narrative that potentially may be a never ending one.

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