Stefan Strumbel is one of the  young shooting stars in the international art market.
He is playing with clichés and stereotypes, which he accelerates into absurdism. »Who killed Bambi?« oder »What the fuck is  Heimat?« are characteristic titles of his work.
Karl Lagerfeld is thrilled, and portayed himself with his Strumbel cuckoo clock for the magazine “Stern”

On the 18th and 20th of october Stefan Strumbel will show his artwork in Munich and Berlin, togeter with Dare, Toast and Blek le Rat.
Blek le Rat is worldwide called »Godfather of Stencil«. The 56 year old French is like  Banksy one of the most outstanding representatives of Stencilgrafiti.

On the 24th of October Stefan Strumbel is opening his solo show at pretty portal.

Stefan Strumbel
"What the fuck is heimat"
Exhibition  24.10. - 21.11. (monday - friday, 3 -7 p.m.)
Vernissage 24.10. 7- 11 p.m.
DJ Orson (Version)

For the exhibition dust RAS customized series, dust has produced a screenprint in a strictly limited edition of 20.

Hand pulled three-color screenprint on heavy paper.

The screenprint is a available in our Online-Shop.

Last friday the exhibition of dust RAS customized opened
and can be seen until the 17th of octobre at Pretty Portal
Business hours:
Monday to friday 15-18h

Here are some pictures from the gallery and the art.

The streetartist dust is visiting Pretty Portal in september/october for the second time. At his first Show in febraury this year he showed acrylic paintings on canvas with the title "Enter the funky world“ These paintings gave an insight into a fragile and organic microcosme.  Substance and surreal are mixing in front of the viewer to one image, to be desintegrated in the next moment.

Besieds his work on canvas dust is creating sculptures and designtoys. His Designtoy collection, „RAS“ (Radical Action Suite)was released in 2006 and could only be seen on some paintings in the beginning. The figurine RAS was released in spring 2007 in a limited edition and was sold out quick.

The great interest in the RAS motivated dust to produce another small edition( 12 pieces) of the designtoy,  to be customized by 12 international artists. These are case(ma´claim/Schmalkalden), Eliot(Berlin), Joey Potts(Chicago), Knix(stuttgart), Magic(D´dorf, Luzern), Miss Nuki(Freiburg), Mr. Slurg(Hamburg), Nychos(Wien), Tasso(ma´claim, Meerane) Tombrane(Freiburg), and Tricky(Paris).

Everyone of these artist created a painting on canvas, that is working together with the customized RAS. Pretty Portal Gallery is happy to present works of so many different artists from the international urban art and streetart scene in one exhibition.

Vernissage: 19.09. 19h - 23h
DJ Penelope (Royal Beat Club)

Exhibition: 19th of september – 17th of  october 2008 (monday – friday 15 - 19h)

From the 24th of october to the 21st of november Stefan Strumbel can be seen at the gallery Pretty Portal.

The concept of "Heimat" of "homeland" with all its manifold connotations is the leitmotif in the work of Offenburg artist Stefan Strumbel. His material are, on the one hand, cultural artifacts such as cuckoo clocks or the traditional custume of the Black Forest. On the other hand, he uses everyday objects such as treeshaped air fesheners and shopping carts, which he isolates and recontextualises. Giving his works titles such as "What the fuck is heimat", "Heimweh" (home sickness) and "Heimatdroge" (homedrug) Stfan Strumbel reflects upon the much discussed question of what "Heimat" might mean.

"Heimat" is a thoroughly German term that originally refers to the relationship of people to their immediate environment and that has many connotations and layers of meanig in German. But currently, this concept is desintegrating and this is the starting point for Stefan Strumbels artistic discussion.

Coming from the Graffiti and Street Art scene, the influence of these fields are still characteristics for Strumbel´s works. So he uses spray cans and silk screen printing, he creates objects and installations. In his works tradition meets Pop Art.

In the moment Stefan Strumbel is showing his works until the 21st of september at the "Altes Spritzenhaus" in Bahmlingen.

After this show he can be seen together with the swiss streetartists Dare and Toast in munich (18./19.October) and berlin (1./2. November). These shows are organized by the Gallery Springmann from Freiburg.

In the meantime Karl Lagerfeld discovered Stefan Strumbel.

We are proud to have Stefan Strumbel at Gallery Pretty Portal in October/November.

Stefan Strumbel on the web.

Stefan Strumbel

"What the fuck is heimat"

Ausstellung 24.10. - 21.11.

Vernissage 24.10. 19 - 23h

DJ Orson (Version)

Mr. Penfolds Screenprints are now also available at the Pretty Portal Online Shop.

In the shop you can also find screenprints from RuediOne, Pleasure Gäng, Smash137 and Slowboy .

Mr Penfold at  Pretty Portal Gallery

08.08.08.- 12.09.08
Vernissage 08.08. 19-23h
DJ Peatr Powerz

Mr Penfold lives and works in Cambridge, England. He is an artist who makes paintings, installations, prints and drawings. The paintings have strong linear elements. These are gracefully drawn outlines which work both with (and against) the ground. Much of the work features people he has observed in bars and pubs.

He uses screenprints, woodcuts and etching to make his prints. This is a natural extension of the work he does in a professional printmaking studio where he works with many well known artists.
He has also built a considerable reputation as a freelance designer working for record labels, promoters and clothing labels.

Mr Penfold is the brother of Drum 'n' Bass Djs Nu:tone and Logistics both of whom are signed to Hospital records, a label he has also designed for.

He has recently been working for German clothing brand '667' who are based in Düsseldorf.

This exhibition at Pretty Portal gallery is his first solo show. Earlier group shows have ranged from Los Angeles to London.
The title of the show 'Zup Kapow' reflects his interest in the world of pop culture and comics.
The show will consist of recent and old work ranging from silkscreen prints to paintings and digital work.

Expect to see some big, bold, bright imagery.

www.mrpenfold.blogspot.com

www.flickr.com/mrpenfold

www.theprintstudio.co.u

Starting next Friday Mr. Penfold visits Pretty Portal with his exhibition ZUP KAPOW.

This exhibition at Pretty Portal gallery is his first solo show. Earlier group shows have ranged from Los Angeles to London.

Mr. Penfold mySPACE

Artists blog

In the media area we added three photo galleries from the pleasure gang exhibition "we are writing history"

pictures from alexander wurm

pictures from bo gröper (exhibition / vernissage)

A lot of visitors came to our gallery to read the history writing of Düsseldorfs Pleasure gang.

Hannes took some nice pictures from the opening session, that can be seen here.

The Exhibition can be seen until the 1st of august, monday to friday from 11am to 6pm.

The show's title somewhat defies translation: A wordplay inbetween WE WRITE HISTORY and WE WRITE (a) STORY. Not wanting to be arrogant the PLEASURE GÄNG rather seeks out for the latter: To tell a good story, about the phenomenon Graffiti. Fanatically practised, romantically glorified, not thoroughly appreciated, hated and pursued: The PLEASURE GÄNG brings together oppositional perspectives and exposes the clichés and stereotypes that dominate the perception of Graffiti. Caution: The exhibition tells about Graffiti without really showing any – the PLEASURE GÄNG rather reports with a multitude of techniques, materials and images from the fascination and absurdity of a sub-culture that not only has become an inseparable part of the urban landscape, but also has been euphorically celebrated as the biggest art movement in history.

The PLEASURE GÄNG is a Düsseldorf-based collective of hyperactive autodidacts that has its roots in colorful productions on bricks and concrete but is venturing into the unknown.

PLEASURE GÄNG: We write History
27.06.08 - 01.08.08
Vernissage: 27.06.08, 19h DJ Roy Orbit

www.pleasuregang.com