.Emdiland.. Philip Emde

Philip Emde’s art is under permanent observation: Jocko, Lora or Coco are the names of the viewers (or are they strict critics?) of his works on paper who do not leave the artworks alone at any time but sometimes seem to merge with them.

Shimmering, abstract graphite surfaces with individual wiping gestures form the non-objective antithesis to the rapidly drawn close-ups of the artist’s large collection of Steiff animals. Emde declares the fluffy little friends – from unplayed to well-used – to integral parts of his artworks who take the viewers into their midst.

The constant companions and helpers in childhood become critical observers who react to the art in various ways: sometimes they concentrate on the works, sometimes they turn away appalled. Another time they seem to applaud enthusiastically or to be engaged in lively discussions. Thus the artist creates a clever balance between figuration and abstraction and playfully combines opposed elements of minimal art and gestural painting.

The well-balanced game between explicit and implicit messages, impersonal image processing and individual interferences, closeness and distance gets especially tangible, just like under a burning glass.

.Emdiland.. brings different facets of the artist’s studio into the gallery and invites the visitor to settle down in it and watch them closely. At the same time they expose themselves to the observation by Jocko, Lora, Coco and Co. Thus the visitors go right into a Mise en abyme, similar to an infinite reflection…

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