I went to hear the talk by Lothar Goetz, the artist-designer
of the Dance Diagonal mural, on his artistic journey … where I felt slightly
out of my depth (understatement) – but the brain ticks over and will continue
to do so.
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| Lothar as the mural started off .. c/o Eva Eastman Towner Gallery |
Lothar took us on the path from his childhood artistic talent
to his approach to the Towner’s commission.
How his Eastern European upbringing really frustrated his creative
talent … which was classified as degenerative art …
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| Map of Iron Curtain area |
… once the “Iron Curtain” came down he was able to explore
artistic boundaries in western Europe, eventually settling in England.
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| Bauhaus emblem |
… his interests spread across many disciplines … theatre
/dance / architecture / interiors /gardens / different styles … he already had
a special interest in the German art school: Bauhaus …
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| Stairway Scene 1932 by Oskar Schlemmer |
He mentions in the article (interview link below) that he preferred
abstract art but was deeply affected by the turbulent history of the Bauhaus …
… mentioning the influence of Oskar Schlemmer (1888 – 1943) –
the German painter, sculptor, designer and choreographer … who had been hired
as Master of Form at the Bauhaus
theatre workshop …
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| Costumes from Schlemmer's Triadic Ballet |
… Schlemmer’s most famous work is the Triadic Ballet – which
saw costumed actors transformed into geometrical representations of the human
body in what Oskar described as a “part of form and colour”.
I started to learn so much as Lothar explained to us, that
though he was an artist, he also needed to respond to ‘physical space’ – hence
his interest in ‘wall painting’ … which enhanced his love of abstract art …
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| Towner before its transformation |
Back to the Towner … they are celebrating ten years in the
new purpose built gallery … so decided to take the bold step of commissioning a
mural for its outside façade.
They
elected to recruit a mural company and separately appoint an artist … so the
two creatives would need to work together, yet separately …
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| During its artistic progression |
The Towner commission is the largest sculpture design Lothar
has done … and he was delighted that they chose the more radical of
his two entries … and we are too – it is so striking …
In his talk, with lots of slides, he had taken us through the reasons why he decided to
concentrate on abstract rather than figurative work … he loves to draw, has
always painted – but felt the need to respond to something …
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| Dance Diagonal |
… the Towner’s architects (Rick Mather Associates) had been
influenced by its setting … site, sea and waves, chalk cliffs, … hence the
architect’s use of curves, balcony havens/niches, fenestration …
Lothar realised too that the optical effects of being near
the sea, the Downs, with the English weather – blue skies, sometimes wispy or
pluffy clouds, grey rainy days – would all influence the mural …
… it was important that his work complement the building’s
design …
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| Wrap around art at the reverse side of the Towner |
... and the wrap-around artwork (3 sides including the nooks and crannies of its
architecture) would need to be sympathetic … as the visually transformed pure
(white painted) Gallery would change the energy of the building … and boy has
it done so!
Isn’t it amazing how much the 'skin change' has affected the
look of the building … from ‘pure white’ to Dance Diagonal’s specifically
chosen colour palette …
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| The Birley Centre - a new building as part of Eastbourne College ... opposite Dance Diagonal - see other photos! |
He was asked about his colour selections … and advised that
he spent a lot of time considering the tones to be used … referencing the
coastal light …
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| The NCS colour system is based on the three pairs of elementary colours |
… while by necessity being limited to the Weather Shield
range of colours offered under the National Colour System through Brewers Decorator Centres, who had sponsored the
project. (This selection has 1,933
colours.)
The top panel, which I call mulberry … reminding me of an English dessert: berried fool - summer fruits and cream … Lothar called purple – interesting
isn’t it – how we all see colours differently.
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| Nooks, crannies and fenestration - along with the mulberry curve |
He doesn’t design using a computer – it’s all free drawn and
hand coloured … he doesn’t fixate over a building with as many irregularities
as the Towner has … the niches, balconies, the curve et al …
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| Back and side of the Towner |
The Gallery had sent various drawings, images and plans of
the exterior which would become the mural …
... and every time Lothar looked – he
saw another ‘anomaly’ to the building … particularly when he considered the
back of the building facing the tennis courts …
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| Not the best ... but a view looking east along the Grand Parade, past the turquoise tiled bandstand over to the pier then beyond across to Pevensey Bay and Hastings |
He talked to the space … to get its response – he spent quite
a lot of time in the town checking it out, seeing the Gallery in its setting –
near the Grand Parade, which runs along the sea-front.
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| Poster of Eastbourne seafront with Red Arrows |
Once he’d been given the commission he was then able to concentrate
on tying down the diagonals around the architecture to finalise the mural.
When the painting began he was there to supervise the actual
design of each segment … and then see
some of the early decorating …
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| Dancing Diagonals |
... later he noted that as kids walked by the green,
pink and yellow diagonals: they became animated jumping up and down – he said
he was delighted to see their reaction …
So that is our Dance Diagonal mural at the Towner Art Gallery
– it is a major talking point in the town and around … and I suspect will be
one of Eastbourne’s best assets – it has certainly garnered a great deal of
support …
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| Reflections in the Birley Centre over the road |
… Lothar talked about designing wall art works knowing that
in a specific period of time they’ll be painted over – he says he accepts that
fact … it’s only when the time frame is very limited he feels it more …
… we’re meant to have the mural for a year – but there’s
already requests for that time frame to be extended … in my humble opinion
‘Dance Diagonal’ will be hard to beat …
I love it!!
A few links:
… Studio International’s article about Lothar’s monumental
mural for the Towner … they show his original sketch … more (professional)
photos of the mural … and Lothar’s explanation as to his ‘raison d’être … so,
so interesting …
Artnet News … Triadic Ballet Bauhaus …see the Surreal Costumes
Hilary Melton-Butcher
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