Werner Büttner
HELLO CRUEL WORLD
16.01. – 20.02.2005

HELLO CRUEL WORLD, there is no hiding, this is a clear statement, no cautious approach, no consideration, no political correctness. Werner Büttner, born in Jena in 1954, professor at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg since 1989, does not hide. He confronts the visitor directly with his work. Painting, collage, text are without consideration. They are present. They come across as intense and direct. No false modesty, expressive in style, heroic in impetus, but melodramatic? At first glance, it may seem so. Pathos announces itself in the title, in the style of painting. But then? The viewer doubts. At second glance, the interplay of text and image distances the work from the audience’s expectations. Expectations are not met, and the viewer remains unclear about the supposed political message. Rationality is of no help here.

Around 1980, a new form of painting emerged. It had existed before, but had been largely ignored, and it still exists today, although it is almost history. This form of painting gained greater attention around 1980. Expressive, connected to both the abstract and the representational, it ended the dominance of minimal art and conceptual art. At the same time, it put an end to the emphatically intellectual, analytical attitude in the tradition of modernism, which relied on analysis to bring about social change. Analysis of society continued, but now it was paired with spontaneity, emotion, expressiveness, and irrationality. An end to theory. No explanatory comments, no program. Punk in art, direct impact, postmodern painting under the collective term “Neue Wilde” (New Wild Ones) developed its social impact.

However, a collective term is a collective term. It is vague. It does not do justice to individual artists, or even entire groups of artists. Take, for example, the Hamburg artist group Martin Kippenberger, Albert Oehlen, and Werner Büttner. What distinguishes these artists to a large extent from others in the collective term was and is their ironic, socially critical attitude. Pathos does not tolerate irony. Their revolutionary attitude flows into their art, their sharp view of society is unclouded, an anarchic tradition provides the intellectual freedom of lateral thinking, but the skeptical, ironic exaggeration gives the pictures freedom, allows the viewer to breathe, makes viewing possible. And, surprisingly, painting takes on its own significance. For Werner Büttner, painting is not only a means to an end, but also an end in itself. More recent paintings are on display at the Kunsthalle.

Kai Kähler

Curated by Jürgen Wesseler.