New exhibition at the Helvetia Art Foyer

The Helvetia Art Foyer in Basel is currently displaying works by Klodin Erb. The well-known Zurich artist has created a scenography in the Swiss insurer’s exhibition space which cleverly plays with the interaction of visual irritation and familiarity.

3 July 2018, author: Margrith Mermet, photos: Victor Kolibàl/Daniel Bossart, movie: Art-TV

The artist flanked by two of her paintings. They are brightly painted canvases. — The large, colourful paintings by Zurich artist Klodin Erb are reminiscent of advertising posters.

Delicate, cloud-like shapes in blue Chinese ink cover a row of four white canvases. — The monochrome colour combination allows lots of scope for interpretation: “Miraculous propagation”, 2018, Ink / canvas, 150 x 300 cm, courtesy Lullin+Ferrari, Zurich

Blue, heavy looking velvet curtain in front of a green painted wall. — “The curtain”, 2018, Blue velvet, lining, mechanical action, wood, 350 x 200 x 100 cm, courtesy Lullin+Ferrari, Zurich

Three brightly painted canvases. — Billboards: “We know who you love” (left) and “Monkey see, Monkey do” (centre), both 2018, courtesy Lullin+Ferrari, Zurich

The large, colourful paintings by Zurich artist Klodin Erb are reminiscent of advertising posters.

The monochrome colour combination allows lots of scope for interpretation: “Miraculous propagation”, 2018, Ink / canvas, 150 x 300 cm, courtesy Lullin+Ferrari, Zurich

“The curtain”, 2018, Blue velvet, lining, mechanical action, wood, 350 x 200 x 100 cm, courtesy Lullin+Ferrari, Zurich

Billboards: “We know who you love” (left) and “Monkey see, Monkey do” (centre), both 2018, courtesy Lullin+Ferrari, Zurich

Art-TV shows a contribution about the exhibition.

The latest exhibition by Klodin Erb, entitled «A Long Day», is devoted to themes that plague today's society. «In this day and age, it's all about relentless optimization of the self. Faith and spirituality are taking a back seat, and our society is increasingly angst-ridden», explains the artist. The reason for this, she believes, is that people lack a reference system. «The rules of social life have to be redefined.» Klodin Erb's images are deliberately thought-provoking. Their content is not instantly discernible «but things start to fall into place when you look at them for a while.»

Countering media image overload

Klodin Erb's paintings are reminiscent of advertising posters. They are colourful, large «billboards» which the artist uses to question how painting can remain relevant when we are not only bombarded with media images, but those images have a short shelf life. «I've been experimenting for a long time with these billboards, which have an immediacy that grabs people's attention.» Erb says she is not interested in moralizing. «But I get a thrill when I succeed in addressing, in a playful way, issues that directly affect people.»

Idealized landscape as a three-dimensional spatial experience

As well as the billboards, Klodin Erb is presenting a video, a large installation with a blue velvet curtain and a four-part, abstract wall piece which takes on fresh guises depending on the angle from which it is viewed. Viewing the video piece is like being in a train travelling through a paradisiacal landscape. The film shows a 21-metre long glass showcase, in which Klodin Erb painted a landscape on three levels. The work is entitled «A Long Day» and gives the exhibition its name.

Helvetia's art collection includes numerous works by Klodin Erb. Andreas Karcher, Head of Helvetia's Art Department, regards her as one of Switzerland’s most interesting artists. «We're delighted to play host to her first solo exhibition in Basel, here at the Helvetia Art Foyer.»

Klodin Erb: «A Long Day»
Until 4 October 2018
Thursdays, 4-8 p.m.
Helvetia Art Foyer, Steinengraben 25, 4051 Basel
Free admission.