In a new series of works, on display at Berlin’s Contemporary Fine Arts (CFA) Charlottenburg until October 1, Peter Böhnisch creates portraits in a medium better associated with kitschy souvenirs than with fine art — sand.Böhnisch combines sand with colored pigment, carving into this the outlines of his subjects, creating works that take portraiture down to its basest elements: a likeness of a person captured at a certain moment before that image is lost in the sands of time. The artist's portrayals include those of musicians such as John Lennon and George Harrison of the Beatles or jazz drummer Poogie Bell, alongside less well-known figures such as 8th century Islamic mystic Rabia Basri.Discussing Böhnisch's use of sand in a press release, CFA notes that since the Renaissance, artists have added sand to their paint – this is known of, amongst others, Vermeer, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt, who liked the fact that “the paints gained volume which therefore didn’t have to be created through illusionist perspectives.” The medium was also popular with the Cubists, who “used it for its tactile qualities, and later [Antoni] Tàpies and [Jean] Dubuffet were not the only artists who were enthusiastic about the versatility and ephemerality of this material.”However, it is another former Cubist from whom Böhnisch’s works seem to draw inspiration, with his certain marks and elegant minimalism reminiscent of Picasso’s sparser works as a draughtsman — particularly his “Vollard Suite” of etchings. Like Picasso, Böhnisch’s works also show a deep level of experimentation with the medium of choice; he effectively takes sand art away from the beach and into the Berlin arts scene.“Peter Böhnisch: Portraits” runs through October 1 at CFA Charlottenburg.
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