GENE MANN: a solo exhibition on the joy of freedom
For many of us, we think of freedom as not being locked up in prison. While that's certainly one form of freedom, for French artist Gene Mann, freedom is foremost about authentic connections with others. This connection brings hope and strength, which helps us through challenging times. This solo exhibition of mixed media paintings, monotypes, and collage provides a snapshot of Mann's work on this subject over the past ten years.
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For many of us, we think of freedom as not being locked up in prison. While that's certainly one form of freedom, for French artist Gene Mann, freedom is foremost about authentic connections with others. This connection brings hope and strength, which helps us through challenging times.
This solo exhibition of mixed media paintings, monotypes, and collage provides a snapshot of Mann's work on this subject over the past ten years. Stylistically and conceptually Mann is close to European abstract expressionists like Dubuffet, Klee and Matisse. She is also influenced by Eastern writing systems, which give a calligraphic movement to her line. It is the masterful fusing of Western and Eastern aesthetics that lend her works a timeless quality capable of transcending cultural borders.
Mann's major work in this exhibition, "Destinées nomades" 2016, is a grand narrative about migration (human as well as birds). Mann admits that there are elements relating to the refugee crisis in the work, but says it is not a political comment. Instead, she asks the question: "What would happen if we all reached out to one another?".
Another work, "Promesse de printemps" 2005 (Promise of Spring), was created for an international painting prize at Hygo Perfectural Museum of Art, Kobe, Japan in commemoration of the Kobe earthquake. It represents the rebirth of hope and life after the devastation which left almost 6,500 people and 68 children orphaned. Mann's approach to this particular subject could have been a morbid focus on the extensive trail of devastation. However, she always returns to a compassionate view of humanity and the belief that freedom delivers us hope, rebirth and togetherness.
On a daily basis we are saturated with world news of violence, upheaval and uncertainty. Mann's works show us that hope is more powerful than fear, and that we are stronger through connection than isolation.
Gene Mann lives and works in Geneva, Switzerland. She has exhibited with important galleries in Europe, Japan and the US, as well as at Art Basel, Art Basel Miami, Armory Show, Drawing Now Paris and Outsider Art Fair Paris.
This solo exhibition of mixed media paintings, monotypes, and collage provides a snapshot of Mann's work on this subject over the past ten years. Stylistically and conceptually Mann is close to European abstract expressionists like Dubuffet, Klee and Matisse. She is also influenced by Eastern writing systems, which give a calligraphic movement to her line. It is the masterful fusing of Western and Eastern aesthetics that lend her works a timeless quality capable of transcending cultural borders.
Mann's major work in this exhibition, "Destinées nomades" 2016, is a grand narrative about migration (human as well as birds). Mann admits that there are elements relating to the refugee crisis in the work, but says it is not a political comment. Instead, she asks the question: "What would happen if we all reached out to one another?".
Another work, "Promesse de printemps" 2005 (Promise of Spring), was created for an international painting prize at Hygo Perfectural Museum of Art, Kobe, Japan in commemoration of the Kobe earthquake. It represents the rebirth of hope and life after the devastation which left almost 6,500 people and 68 children orphaned. Mann's approach to this particular subject could have been a morbid focus on the extensive trail of devastation. However, she always returns to a compassionate view of humanity and the belief that freedom delivers us hope, rebirth and togetherness.
On a daily basis we are saturated with world news of violence, upheaval and uncertainty. Mann's works show us that hope is more powerful than fear, and that we are stronger through connection than isolation.
Gene Mann lives and works in Geneva, Switzerland. She has exhibited with important galleries in Europe, Japan and the US, as well as at Art Basel, Art Basel Miami, Armory Show, Drawing Now Paris and Outsider Art Fair Paris.