From 7 – 10 March 2019, von Bartha participates for the third time in The Armory Show, New York. The gallery presents a dynamic exchange between three modern artists: Jesus Rafael Soto (Venezuela, 1923 – 2005) László Moholy-Nagy (Hungary, 1895 – 1946) and Antonio Calderara (Italy, 1903 – 1978), and five contemporary artists: Imi Knoebel (Germany, b. 1940), Landon Metz (US, b. 1985), Terry Haggerty (UK, b. 1970), Karim Noureldin (Switzerland, b. 1967) and Anna Dickinson (UK, b. 1961). Commissioned specifically for the fair, a unique textile work by Noureldin serves as both artwork and decorative object on the floor of the booth. Handwoven in the increasingly rare ‘Panza style’ – a technique unique to a small village community about 40 minutes’ drive from Jaipur, in western India – the work was created in collaboration with Stefan von Bartha. Glass sculptures by Anna Dickinson indicate the artist’s dedication to craftsmanship, creating exquisite vessels in a range of colours and shapes, often combined with metal or other materials. Highly skilled and attuned to the properties of glass, she perceives and pushes the limitations of the material, blurring the boundaries between glassware, ceramics and sculpture. A specially curated section of the booth displays works on paper exploring works by artists including Calderara and Moholy-Nagy - a key member of the Bauhaus movement, which marks its centenary year in 2019. These are shown alongside contemporary pieces from artists such as Noureldin, whose design, geometric compositions and fine textures also reflect Calderara’s geometric vocabulary, refined colour palette and precise measurements. In turn, Haggerty’s recent works oscillate between flat and two dimensional space, as well as positive and negative elements, to convey a dynamic and sculptural appearance - shown here alongside site-specific paintings by Metz, the works similarly explore theoretical approaches to colour, form and surface. Finally a highlight of the booth is a large work by the leading German artist Imi Knoebel. Known for his theoretical approach to colour, form and surface, Knoebel’s powerful use of colour combinations work to reveal the physical potentialities behind often rudimentary materials. Through a career spanning over 50 years, he has revisited these themes and materials in various pioneering ways.
About von Bartha Since opening in 1970, von Bartha has exhibited modern and contemporary artists across historically significant movements such as Zero, Arte Concreto and Arte Madí. Representing over twenty-five artists and estates, the gallery’s programme presents contemporary artists in a dialogue with the history of Concrete and Kinetic art. As one of the longest-running international contemporary art galleries, von Bartha continues to support the careers of influential artists such as Camille Graeser, Bernhard Luginbühl and Olle Baertling. Building on these foundations, the gallery has established a contemporary programme, representing an international roster of artists working across a diverse range of media: Imi Knoebel, Superflex, Terry Haggerty, John Wood & Paul Harrison, Felipe Mujica, Sarah Oppenheimer and Landon Metz. The gallery nurtures new generations of artists, whilst supporting the continually evolving practice of their established artists. Initially co-founded by Margareta and Miklos von Bartha, since 2008 the gallery has been under the direction of Stefan von Bartha. The gallery’s relocation and expansion to a converted garage in Kannenfeldplatz has allowed for full-scale exhibitions, including large-scale installations, retrospectives and performances. In 2006, von Bartha opened a second space, located in S-chanf in the Engadin Alps; the white cube space, in the site of a former barn of an old patrician house, is used for focused projects and site specific installations. Von Bartha publishes books, exhibition catalogues and its own newspaper, featuring commissioned essays and interviews.
