
Each of Florian Pelka’s paintings tells its own, tricky story – and not all of them are as easily understood as Sleeping Beauty’s Dreams. As described in the Brother Grimm’s fairy tale, the young lady wakes up, the glass coffin shatters, the blood red rose hedge opens up to make way for the young man who is to wake her up with a kiss. Yet, where is the young man? And what does the gnome with a pointed cap want? What about the shady figures with their wide eyes and long ears? And, most of all: why is the poison-green frog the central character, although he plays only a minor role in this story? Well, the scene is, as the title instructs us, a dream of the young lady, and dreams follow their own logic.
The figures and objects in Florian Pelka’s paintings are, by themselves or in their combination, often irrational and fantastic. The principal consternation, however, is caused by the colouring. Colours dominate the scenery. They are bold, shrill, psychedelic; they seem to be inspired by colour TV or neon signs. A fiery red and a fresh blue are contrasted by a vivid green, a sunburnt yellow. These colours demonstrate their own value, not only as palpable paint material on the canvas; they have detached themselves from physical things and are objects on their own. They snake, as three-dimensional ribbons, through the pictorial space, wind as living creatures between objects and figures and question all realism.

Colour, which – in contrast to subjects or styles – is „eternal“ in a way, supports the aspect of the timelessness which is already given by Pelka’s fabulous, mythical issues: the artist names his works Venus, Leda, Sleeping Beauty, or Night and Fame. At the same time, the paintings are completely contemporary, rooted in today’s world, and here, too, paint plays a major role, with its special colouring and the way it is handled: the expressive gesture is always shaped by the moment of its origin. It is this combination of timelessness and complete presence that characterises the paintings. One can sense the artist’s endeavour to contrast the hectic present time, the ephemeral moment with something that remains. And the recognition that this cannot be achieved, precisely because everything must pass away, gives the works a certain melancholy.
For further information please visit the artist’s homepage: Florian Pelka.
Works
Biography
biography
1971 | born in Berlin |
1990-91 | West Africa |
1991-97 | Studies of philosophy and literature at the Free University Berlin (First State Examination) |
1993-94 | DAAD grant for the University of Paris VIII, philosophy, aesthetics (Licence) |
1994-2001 | Studies of the visual arts at the University of Arts Berlin (First State Examination), class of Georg Baselitz; Master student |
1999-2001 | Assistent in art history, University of Arts Berlin |
2001-05 | Lecturer for visual communication, Mediadesign Hochschule Berlin |
2006-07 | Lecturer for painting at the Berlin Technical Art Academy |
2011 | Head of a painting class at Schloss Rotenfels for the Culture Academy, Foundation Baden-Württemberg |
Solo exhibitions (selection)
2016 | „Die Tiere sind unruhig“, Kunstverein Kaponier, Vechta |
2015 | “Raubzug“, Städtische Galerie and Kunstverein Wesseling, Cologne |
2014 | “LoveMeOrHateMe”, Galerie Tammen, Berlin “Klippo”, Kunstverein Schloss Altranft, Freienwalde |
2013 | “Zweifel und Wunder”, Städtische Galerie Wollhalle, Güstrow „Love Lights“, Galerie Kramer, Bremen |
2012 | „Der Faun des Königs“, Kunsthalle Schloss Seefeld, München „Geräusche im Garten“, Galerie Tobias Schrade, Ulm „ist zwîfel herzen nâchgebûr“, Galerie Greulich, Frankfurt „Tierschichten“ (mit Volker März), Galerie Lake, Oldenburg |
2011 | „Similis – Affe sein“, Galerie Souterrain, Berlin |
2010 | „edel.hilfreich.gut.“, Galerie im Tulla, Mannheim „Beim Verlassen der Ebene“, Galerie Greulich, Frankfurt |
2009 | “Die Sieben Todsünden“, Tammen Galerie, Berlin „Schmelz, Schaum und Schande“, Galerie Tobias Schrade, Ulm „Isometrie und Chaos“, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin |
2008 | „Florian Pelka“, Galerie Arthea & Lauth, Mannheim „The Seven Deadly Sins“, Gallery Artbank, Seoul, Korea „Polymerisation“, Robert-Koch-Institute, Berlin „Trug und Trophäe“, Kunsthalle am Ammersee, Stegen „Der Schamane“, Galerie Greulich, Frankfurt |
2006 | „Florian Pelka“, Tammen Galerie, Berlin „Florian Pelka“, Mainforum, IG Metall headquarters, Frankfurt „Interferenzen“, Kunstverein Cottbus, Stiftung spi „Landschaften“ (with Igor Oleinikov), Noack, Mönchengladbach |
2004 | „Colorado“, Galerie Tammen & Busch, Berlin |
2002 | “Junge Positionen zeitgenössischer Malerei” (with Jörg Sticher), Galerie Tammen & Busch, Berlin |
Group shows (selection)
2015 | „animal turn“, Galerie Greulich, Frankfurt |
2014 | “berlin@oderbruch“, Falkenberg/ Schinkelkirche Cöthen “Stille Nacht”, Kunstverein/ Schlosskirche Schwetzingen |
2013 | „P’art“, Symposium, Laffert Kuria, Budapest /Dunaharaszti, Ungarn “Jetzt machen wir hier die Witze”, Museum verwandte Kunst, Köln |
2012 | “Renaissance der Gesichter”, Philipp-Johnson-Haus, Berlin |
2011 | “Color & Style”, Kunsthalle M3, Mengerzeile, Berlin “Shadows of the Bright”, Galerie berlinartprojects, Berlin |
2010 | “Tierparade”, Galerie Lake, Oldenburg “Fundstücke”, Galerie Arthea & Lauth, Mannheim |
2009 | “Tatort Kunst_reloaded”, Ausstellungsmanufaktur Hertzer, Berlin “Schauseiten der Materie”, Galerien Tammen und Gaulin, Berlin |
2008 | “Mensch-Raum-Landschaft”, Willy-Brandt-Haus, Berlin |
2007 | “Accrochage”, Tammen Galerie, Berlin |
2006 | “Sammeln und Entdecken”, Galerie Blashofer, Karlsruhe |
2005 | “Berlin meets Teheran”, Tammen Galerie, Berlin “131”, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin |
2004 | “Luxus”, Löwenpalais, Stiftung Starke, Berlin “all about…berlin 2”, white box, Kultfabrik, München |
2003 | “Zeitgenössisch”, Königliche-Porzellan-Manufaktur, Berlin |
2002 | “Kunstpreis 2002”, Preisträger, Schloss Gifhorn |
2000 | “Schaustelle 5”, Galerie Giesler und Partner, Berlin |
1999 | “Schaustelle 4”, Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin |