New Gardens, Angelus Novus, 2014

 

Photography and Poetry on Rice Paper

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“Since 2011 Sou Vai Keng and Martin Zeller have developed their substantial work series New Gardens with its three parts Angelus Novus, Diana and Fire and Earth. Both the overarching title and the individual titles make reference to antiquity, mythology, religious history or philosophy. What we observe, without any prior information, is neither picture nor representation, just the pure surface. An iridescent curtain of colour, structure, and texture captures the gaze. The viewer is tempted to believe it might be an informal painting but at the same time is confused. What we see is what we ‘believe to comprehend’, which has nothing to do with the images and the title New Gardens. There are no real images of gardens, only seemingly non-representational, spherical imaginary landscapes.”

Barbara Straka, excerpt from the introduction One key opens all, Berlin, 2012

 

The project includes 59 images. Inkjet printing and ink on rice paper.