Marc C. Woehr (pronounced [wöhr]; born December 29, 1973, in Heilbronn) is a German contemporary artist known for his sculptural wooden relief constructions and monumental city paintings. The former graffiti sprayer now exhibits in international galleries and art fairs. [1]
Immersed in the local skateboarding culture of Stuttgart Germany in the late 1980s Woehr began his artistic career as a traditional graffiti artist, tagging walls around the city. Moving from graffiti art to the studio in 2000 Woehr started to experiment with painting on canvas and constructing sculptural dioramas. Working in these modes of expression Woehr sought to capture the dynamism of the urban experience and environment. [2] Recognized for his artistic talent in 2010 Woehr was chosen, along with four other artists, to represent Germany in the Fine Art [3] international art exhibition, [4] an arts initiative and traveling exhibition created to celebrate the FIFA World Cup of the same year.
In 2013 Woehr sought new means to treat the city, his urban subject matter. His abstract images depict a bird's eye view, a vision which represents the fundamental essence of an urban experience Woehr eschews realistic depictions, alternatively restructuring and reshaping the streets and architecture of a particular city he has visited in a style reminiscent of the Russian Constructivists, like Kazimir Malevich, El Lissitzky, Vladimir Tatlin and the artists of the Bauhaus such as Lászlo Moholy-Nagy, from whom he draws inspiration. [5] By titling each work with a location's geographic or GPS coordinates, Woehr invites viewer participation, research and exploration of the subject city. While each work is a translation of the artist's personal connection with a particular city, the receding dimensionality of each multi-layer image leaves the viewer a conceptual space for her own interpretation. Although he works primarily in the studio, Woehr remains close to the urban landscape continuing to paint outside on city walls, buildings, trains and large-scale sculptures. These works achieve the same objectives as his sculptural reliefs, as he crafts the illusion of the three-dimensional space in these painted constructions. Painted on a monumental scale this work envelops the viewer, inviting her into a newly conceived urban environment and experience. [6]
Embracing technology Woehr employs computers to aid in the design and formulation of his complex relief constructions. Borrowing from contemporary industrial manufacturing processes, computer driven lasers are then used to cut the multiple layers of paper, cardboard or wood that make up each design. The artist then painstakingly constructs the three-dimensional space of each individual work, arranging and assembling each layer by hand. The finished work of art reflects a unique combination of the artist's hand and creativity together with the precision and clarity inherent in computer generated design and fabrication. When working with reclaimed wood Woehr differences his artistic process creating these sculptures freehand, respecting the inherent idiosyncrasies of found, reclaimed materials. [7]
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Marc C. Woehr (pronounced [wöhr]; born December 29, 1973, in Heilbronn) is a German contemporary artist known for his sculptural wooden relief constructions and monumental city paintings. The former graffiti sprayer now exhibits in international galleries and art fairs. [1]
Immersed in the local skateboarding culture of Stuttgart Germany in the late 1980s Woehr began his artistic career as a traditional graffiti artist, tagging walls around the city. Moving from graffiti art to the studio in 2000 Woehr started to experiment with painting on canvas and constructing sculptural dioramas. Working in these modes of expression Woehr sought to capture the dynamism of the urban experience and environment. [2] Recognized for his artistic talent in 2010 Woehr was chosen, along with four other artists, to represent Germany in the Fine Art [3] international art exhibition, [4] an arts initiative and traveling exhibition created to celebrate the FIFA World Cup of the same year.
In 2013 Woehr sought new means to treat the city, his urban subject matter. His abstract images depict a bird's eye view, a vision which represents the fundamental essence of an urban experience Woehr eschews realistic depictions, alternatively restructuring and reshaping the streets and architecture of a particular city he has visited in a style reminiscent of the Russian Constructivists, like Kazimir Malevich, El Lissitzky, Vladimir Tatlin and the artists of the Bauhaus such as Lászlo Moholy-Nagy, from whom he draws inspiration. [5] By titling each work with a location's geographic or GPS coordinates, Woehr invites viewer participation, research and exploration of the subject city. While each work is a translation of the artist's personal connection with a particular city, the receding dimensionality of each multi-layer image leaves the viewer a conceptual space for her own interpretation. Although he works primarily in the studio, Woehr remains close to the urban landscape continuing to paint outside on city walls, buildings, trains and large-scale sculptures. These works achieve the same objectives as his sculptural reliefs, as he crafts the illusion of the three-dimensional space in these painted constructions. Painted on a monumental scale this work envelops the viewer, inviting her into a newly conceived urban environment and experience. [6]
Embracing technology Woehr employs computers to aid in the design and formulation of his complex relief constructions. Borrowing from contemporary industrial manufacturing processes, computer driven lasers are then used to cut the multiple layers of paper, cardboard or wood that make up each design. The artist then painstakingly constructs the three-dimensional space of each individual work, arranging and assembling each layer by hand. The finished work of art reflects a unique combination of the artist's hand and creativity together with the precision and clarity inherent in computer generated design and fabrication. When working with reclaimed wood Woehr differences his artistic process creating these sculptures freehand, respecting the inherent idiosyncrasies of found, reclaimed materials. [7]
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
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{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)