u-haft-all-about-love-sample-08

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Comment by Juan Petry on October 6, 2024 at 10:13pm

It is a long story how the works of art in this series came about. This story began in 2018, with an exhibition with the theme "all about love". Before that, I had invited people in different countries to paint together. Many works were created, some painted by 6 or more people together in an intensive work process, on canvas, 80 x 60 cm in size.

I had given out thin plywood sheets as work aids. The colors were mixed with these before application. In the end, I collected the works. They have been shown in many places in Europe.

But I also collected these plywood sheets. I knew the day would come when I would need them.

Today was that day (2024-10-06).

I was looking for an artistic answer to the rejection of an exhibition in the remand prison in the street Weberstrasse in Quedlinburg (Germany). Today I found it.

I took a lot of photos there during the tour. I had also taken photos of the plaster on the door panels. I saw drawings there, probably scratched into them. I saw the will, even under these circumstances, to express oneself creatively, to communicate.

These references to the people who had been incarcerated at that time (pre-trial detention was used from 1847 to 1970) had probably not been noticed by anyone. I thought they were important even then during the guided tour.

I digitally reworked one of these scratches and made a stamp out of it. I divided the plywood panels into small areas, approx. 60 mm x 40 mm.

The edges were cleaned and painted orange. Then each piece was stamped.

The plywood panels, painting aids in the art events surrounding the "all about love" project, bore the colors that are on the works of art created at that time. The authors of the works had previously meditated on the topic of love... and only then painted together.

All the feelings of the inmates of this pre-trial detention center cannot be put into words, and probably not into works of art either. But one can remember something that miraculously connects these people in Weberstrasse in Quedlinburg and their will to survive with the authors of the pictures from the “all about love” project: love.

I dedicate this series to my father. This day was his birthday (88 years). And what connects him to this series is his never ending love for people. Thank you for that.