Lot 34 D

A painting from a serie of 7 works of this theme.

As a central figure of German post-war avant-garde, Albert Oehlen created a pioneering reflection on the possibilities of painting and deconstructive considerations in the art of the 1980s with this work from 1985. The interlocking, perspective-distorted, geometric forms in shades of grey, black and beige seem to grow out of the picture surface and refer to Oehlen's characteristic play with space and illusion. With the terms ‘the Alma Band’ and ‘hell’, the work builds a bridge between the visual language and the postmodern concepts of the time. The founding members of ‘The Alma Band’, which included Oehlen himself and Martin Kippenberger among others, used the Band as a platform to break with conventional forms of expression and to comment ironically on the sub-culture of the time. The terms could be understood both ironically and literally, pointing to a confrontation with the music scene, everyday culture or existential themes. Oehlen's expressive brushstroke is contrasted by the grid of architectural forms. This duality between spontaneous gesture and geometric rigor makes the present piece a key work of the 1980s and a representative example of Oehlen's ongoing interest in exploring the boundaries of painting. Oehlen deconstructs the traditional painting and opens up the canvas to new interpretations of form and content. The work demonstrates the complexity of perception and the indissolubility of visual and textual levels and emphasises the powerful combination of abstraction and figurative allusions.