Peter Martin
Contemporary German Art: The New York Experience
March 23 - April 13, 2010
Reception:
Thursday March 25, 2010 6-8 PM
Press Release
Divinely spiritual figures loom out from an ashen darkness with piercing eyes. Lean, feminine figures in dynamic poses peer back at us unequivocally, splaying out graceful wings and sharpened horns. Yet, beneath their provocative posturing they exude a veiled benevolence and hope. Enter the world of visionary artist, Peter Martin, a painter who revels in the crossroads of divinity and evil, beauty and horror. His work is profoundly expressive, employing a fiery palette and dramatic stylization rooted in his early interest in Caravaggio. References to Sumerian, Greek, and Judeo-Christian lore abound. There is a raw, primeval quality to the works speaking not only of the supernatural but of ageless questions. "Must not one sometimes show evil in order to facilitate the good?" he implores. Martin works with mixed media or acrylic creating large artworks that loom over audiences, signifying power and unearthly experience. Martin has exhibited his distinctive breed of art in his native Austria, Germany, Poland and the United States. He resides in Linz, Austria.
Artist Statement
I have an abiding interest in themes of mythology and spiritual symbols. My work has often included representations of characters from ancient myths, who act both in their ancient role and are invested with modern meaning. A key recurring trend in my current work is that of angels. The angels in my work are human as well as divine. Crucially, they offer hope, help and comfort, just as I hope that my works will have a positive influence on those who see them, causing them to pause and reflect but ultimately to find solace in the sight and in their own resulting reflections.
Invitation to the exhibition
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Artists in this exhibition
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