Nottingham 11. Juli - 11. August 2002

Usually billboards are made to present advertising. One look - an you know, what the billboards message is. Here we have the opposite. Art on billboards challenges our world of media in a particular way: where normally big posters catch the eyes of the passer-by, the artists display their original work. Every painting ist individual and different in style, message and the way to be made.

Art on billboards startet in May 1988 and all over the years the subjects changed. New artists - for example from France - joined the group. They made different series of paintings, for example about the 19th century poet Heinrich Heine or about the "Preludes" of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Some pictures of these series are to be seen in this exhibition. So if you like, let's go for a little walk an look around the paintings:

Every painting is 260 X 360 cm, all together 15 paintings. And all of them are originals, painted on a wooden ground. The paintings left their traditional locations like museums or art galleries and meet now the public "on the green meadow".

As you see the paintings are very different in style. The artists arrange every exhibition in a new way. This time let us start with the painting of Werner Schmidt. He worked directly with the wooden ground. The little wholes are like the language of a computer or of a traditional music box - and like notes of music as well. The light, which come through this picture makes every time a new artificial work of it. It is mathematics and music in the same way.

Karl Vollmers painting has to do with lines and mathematic as well. He makes music like a picture to be seen. He transformed music of the acustic materia to an optical materia. Because music is similar to mathematics and logical as well his painting is very clear, logical and geometric. It is easy as well.

Angela Ulrichs painting is calles "Walhalla" It has to with Wagners music. The painting was made for the serie "Preludes" but the artist prefere Wagner - so she made a painting abaut "Walhalla" the place where the dead heroes are.

The next picture is called "Green leaves" and it is very beautifull here in the parc. And very interesting as well. The leaves on the picture seem to have somthing like a discussion with the leaves on the trees around. All over the day, when the light changes the green leaves look different. There is life in the painting.

Gabi Streiles painting is called "Preludes" as well. But in the words meaning she thought "for-play" So you can see, which kind of "preludes" it is...

The next picture is made from Rainer Braxmaier. It is very reduced, quiet and peacefull. But there is a contraction as well. The boat he made is parted in two parts - similar like the wooden billboard, which is parted into three pieces. The boat has a line like the billboard. the colours are calm, the water in which the boat lies is quiet. Beautifull.

Helmut Wetters painting has to do with water as well. But here is much movement in the water. The water seemes to move up an down and the woman, who swimms in this water is dynamical. The artist like movement, especially from people in the water. For his studies he made several fotos of swimming persons. Both the swimming lady and the boat are perfect arranged together.

The next two paintings are from Jürgen Zimmermann and Angela Junk-Eichhorn. Both are from the serie "Heinrich Heine", The 19th century poet lived in France and Germany. He was an mediator between the two countries. And he had two souls .. one french and the other german, which has to be kept in balance: one bound to earth, the other carrying away by dreams 

Jürgen made first an eagle. Later he put the colours of the flags of Germany and France over the eagle. You can still see the eagle and the national colours of the two countries - but not in the normal way...

Angela made a poetical painting. She works with a special form, which is mirrored in different ways. She used oppisite colours as well like green and red.The painting is clear and logical in the form but light and poetical on the other hand. Like the two souls of Heinrich Heine. The name of the painting is "Dream of a summernight"

If you turn round you see a beautifull arrangement of two paintings which are very nice together with the old castle of Nottingham behind them. The pictures are on the right place...

The next painting from Uwe Lindau is made especially for England. The title is "The Birth of the Anglican Church". You see a church window in the middle of the picture and beside a clerical person combined with the union jack colors.

Germain Roesz lives in Strasbourg, France. He is a writer and a painter. His painting is philosophically. You see the blue dress of an "perhaps" angel. Maybe there are angels. Maybe there is God or maybe there is something which help us to survive.. perhaps.

Koho Mori Newton was born in Japan. He lives in München. His painting is one of the Preludes-serie. He is philosophical as well. "War Bach in Venexia" "Was Bach in Venice" he asked. You see a gondola and the dark water. It is trist but the pink colour is bit ironical. And the painting has something like japanese kalligraghie.

Now we leave the pictures alone. They have to be strong enough to be unaffected by the beautfull castles ground here around. And they have strong enough to be unaffected by the british climate. The paintings are all of a good quality. They play their own game with the surrounding area: With the trees, the squirrels, the wind, the rain an the visitors. You will realize these paintings in many different ways.

Jutta Wellenreuther