In the Middle Ages, both sides of consciousness – towards the world and towards the inside of man himself – lay under a common veil, dreaming or wide awake …
In Italy this veil first fades into the air; it awakens an objective contemplation and treatment of the nation and of all things of this world in general; next to it, however, the subjective rises with full power; man becomes spiritual individual and recognizes himself as such.
The Manifestation of Volumes references this era and seeks to create a space of perception that bridges the gap between this period and what is still an ongoing pre-configuration of the world we live in today.
Sen-Giotto – The Manifestation of Volumes is an art installation that explores parallels between the work of Italian Renaissance artist Giotto di Bondone and today’s prevalent visual messaging techniques. The installation juxtaposes Giotto’s system of illustrating biblical passages as sequential depictions of deities with the continuous image streams that surround us daily.
The exhibit integrates 3 elements:
Joachim‘s Life (instant)
frieze of 6 plates, each: pigmentprint with gold leaf, 59,4 cm x 42 cm
Joachim‘s Life (change of perspective)
frieze of 6 plates, each: Thassos marble with inlays of smoked oak, gold leaf, wooden frame, 30cm x 30cm x 2cm
Presentation (change of perspective)
oil on hardboard, 220 cm x 200 cm
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Joachim‘s Dream is a fresco in the Cappella degli Scrovegni in Padua. It is part of a 36-part fresco cycle created by the Italian painter Giotto di Bondone in 1303-05, commissioned by Enrico Scrovegni. Günther released the picture figure of Joachim from the fresco, gave it a 3-dimensional body, “biometrically” captured and digitally reproduced as “souvenirs”. A “souvenir” that recalls a story that began about 700 years ago. ….
Joachim’s Dream
free 3D-replica of the pictorial figure, styrodur, acrylic paint, hight: app. 24 cm
Joachim’s Dream – Souvenirs (shades)
pigment prints, diff. sizes
Joachim’s Dream – Souvenirs
digital multiple, 3D-print, polymere plaster, hight approx.: 12 cm
Joachim’s Dream – Souvenirs (colours)
digital multiple, 3D-print, polymere plaster, hight approx.: 12 cm
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In a dream Joachim is told that his wife Anna will soon give birth to a girl. … Joachim … comes into contact with the angel twice, once in his waking state and once in his sleep. … It is clear that the dream has a purpose here, because it is the medium of the sacred. What does the viewer really see when he looks at Joachim’s Dream of Giotto? …
The SOMNIUM-scetchbook (pdf_german) you will find HERE.
SOMNIUM is a project by Arthur Engelbert and Detlef Günther
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The 21st Century – Confessio (The 700-year-old Dream)
Installation, mixed media (draft 2017)
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… The observer sees himself or herself watching as he or she takes up visual offers and thus switches off seeing, while agreeing to believe everything – whether dependent or independent, profane or sacred.
Mirror in Mirror (Joachim’s Dream)
Media-Installation – Box Space (draft)
Mirror in Mirror (Joachim‘s Dream) – chamber version
Media-Installation for moving canvas, stereo sound and sculpture
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A little more than seven centuries ago, the Italian painter Giotto painted frescos in the Arena Chapel in Padua. Since then, imagination has been imprisoned in a box-like room. Every observer of the reality around them knows they are surrounded by pictures. Pictures are instructions for the story line, so to speak, and their story isn’t over yet. …
Read the full text by Arthur Engelbert (pdf_german/english)
