ADAA 2015 Park Avenue Armory New York: Marcel Odenbach

Dear Friends,

It is our great pleasure to invite you to The Art Show (March 4 – 8, 2015). This year, our gallery will present a solo exhibition of works on paper by the German artist Marcel Odenbach. 

The centerpiece of the presentation is 08/08/08 (China Collage), a monumental-size paper collage depicting Tiananmen Square on the day before the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Viewed at a distance, the work depicts an immaculate and serene public square set up as a flower market. Upon closer inspection, the image breaks apart into hundreds of images relating to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre and issues of freedom of expression. A tension occurs in the juxtaposition of the enticing overall image, and the complexity of the underlying social issues. Two smaller diptychs, a triptych, and a single work will complement China Collage.

Odenbach culls collage materials from a vast personal archive of press clippings and photographs. He photocopies the original materials onto acid-free watercolor paper, paints each piece of paper in a wash of watercolor, and sorts them into piles according to hue and theme. With the overall image plotted out in advance, Odenbach’s assembly of the work is similar to a ‘paint by number’ process.

Odenbach’s work focuses on social issues and human struggles that resonate with his own personal history. Continuing themes include German history, German-Jewish culture, civil rights, social justice, and freedom of expression, among others. 

If you wish to receive further detailed information on the works please feel free to contact us. We look forward to seeing you at Booth C13.