This piece by Axel Bottenberg is an ode to German legendary Joseph Beuys, who has been a heavy influence on Bottenberg's oeuvre over the years: "In my childhood, Joseph Beuys reigned supreme in art. The nice cultured people, who my family circulated in, loved him and the tabloid press hated everything he did. To grow up in a German environment and not be influenced by Joseph Beuys is impossible." - Axel Bottenberg
- Dimensions: 81 x 55 x 5cm
- Price: £3700.00
This piece by Axel Bottenberg is an ode to German legendary Joseph Beuys, who has been a heavy influence on Bottenberg's oeuvre over the years. This piece is inspired by a visit to a Frankfurt museum, where Bottenberg saw some of Beuys' film work. This painting depicts a film still from one of these pieces, where Beuys is captured mid clashing-cymbals. Painted in monochrome onto plywood, Beuys is armed with a red clown nose, in typical Bottenberg fashion. The addition of the red nose brightens the overall piece visually, whilst conceptually reflecting Bottenberg's deep obsession with the Ronald McDonald clown and McDonald's as a cultural phenomenon. Bottenberg is renowned for inserting himself into artworks painted as the iconic clown, generating humour and irony, combined with a cultural awareness. Bottenberg views Beuys as an "art god" - it's only natural that he would dedicate an artwork to this cultural icon, particularly when considering his own German roots. These art historical and pop cultural references are prominent throughout Bottenberg's oeuvre; they make his works instantly recognisable and accessible to a wide audience. “The red nose that I’ve stuck on him, in many ways, is kind of a medal” Bottenberg's works actively challenge the contemporary sphere of art, provoking his viewers and providing social commentary with a totally unapologetic attitude - this piece being no exception. Bottenberg's obsession with art history is evident within this piece, reflecting his time studying in the 1980s alongside the YBAs (Young British Artists) at the Royal College of Art. This environment inevitably impacted Bottenberg's practice, which is imbued with irony and social commentary. Graduating with a degree in printmaking, Bottenberg's practice has blossomed and developed into an unusual and exciting body of work, tackling a variety of subject matter through a variety of materials. Bottenberg’s artworks seek to provoke a response and shock factor, whilst the pop culture references maintain a familiarity - his works are endlessly entertaining and full of vigour -perfect for any contemporary art collection, business space or home.
Axel Bottenberg is a mixed media artist who works to create bright, compelling compositions which blur the boundaries of painting and sculpture. Born in 1961 in Darmstadt, Germany, Bottenberg studied Fine Art and Printmaking at the Canterbury College of Fine Art, and later Printmaking at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. Bottenberg is now based at Bankley Studios in Levenshulme, Manchester, and is renowned for challenging the sphere of contemporary art through his practice. Bottenberg's oeuvre is imbued with entertaining pop culture and art historical references, and his works often reject art tradition through juxtaposing high and low art iconographies. Bottenberg is heavily inspired by 1960s Pop Art and its resurgence in the 1990s, which he portrays through his own eclectic lens and bold colour palette. Bottenberg's researched approach gives scope for sardonic appraisals within a varied, eccentric body of work. Any piece from Axel Bottenberg's oeuvre would be a valuable and compelling asset to any contemporary art collection, business space or home.