EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA

Auf Einladung des Außenministeriums der Republik Malediven besuchte 1988 eine Gruppe von Künstlern den Inselstaat, um einen Kulturaustausch zu initiieren.

Meine Bilder und Grafiken sind Versuche, möglichst unabhängig von westlich geprägtem Vorverständnis diesem muslimischen Land zu begegnen und das zunächst Fremde künstlerisch umzusetzen; sie verzichten auf die Darstellung dessen, was allgemein als die „malerische“ Seite der Über- und Unterwasserwelt der Malediven empfunden wird.
Für mich sind diese Inseln nicht nur Freizeitparadiese, sondern Zeugen einer differenzierten Kultur, die von Arabien, Indien und dem Fernen Osten geprägt wurde und deren Gefährdungen schmerzlich erlebbar sind.

Konzept:

Zeichnungen und Skizzen, die vor Ort entstanden; ausgearbeitete Bilder und Grafiken nach diesen Eindrücken. Formale und inhaltliche Assoziationen führten zu übertragenen Bildfindungen und Kompositionsreihen.
Begleittexte.

Mein Projekt „EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“ zitiert eine Aufsatzreihe von H.C. Bell, der ab 1879 mit systematischen Studien zu Kunst, Archäologie, Land und Leuten der Malediven begann. Er dokumentierte Kulturgut, das mittlerweile Zerstörungen unterschiedlichster Art zum Opfer fiel.
Meine Zusammenstellung von Zitaten skizziert Facetten der maldivianischen Kultur, die in der gängigen Reiseliteratur kaum erfasst sind.

Manuskripte:

Ernst-Johannes Kläy:
zur Ausstellung „EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“ in der Galerie Goethe 53, 1993

Elisabeth Rößler:
„EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“, Zitatsammlung, 1993
„Lange Schatten“. Die Malediven im Spiegel der Presse. Sammlung von Artikeln und Aufsätzen, 1993

Mehr als die erwarteten Traumsonnenuntergänge und die Unterwasserwelt beeindruckten mich die einfachen und menschlichen Dinge:

Das Willkommen mit Kränzen aus Bougainvilleablüten und das Trinken aus frischgepflückten grünen Kokosnüssen. Die Palmblattgeflechte der Dächer, Zäune, Körbe, Seile.
Modrige Palmwedel wie Haifischgerippe, Palmbast wie Fischflossen – Korrespondenzen zwischen Land und Wasser.

Aufgeklappte, trocknende Fische auf Palmblattpritschen am Meer wie abstrakte Plastiken.

Die wenigen Zeugnisse der Vermischung von Kulturen an diesem Schnittpunkt östlicher und westlicher Einflüsse: Blau-Weiß-Porzellane, Seladone, islemer, reich ornamentierte Moscheen.

Die harte Arbeit auf kargen Inseln – Reihen von Lastträgern am Landesteg.

Und die Diskrepanz auf den Touristeninseln zwischen der islamischen Welt und den Gästen in spärlicher Hochsommerkleidung. Gemeinsam beiden das Schweben zwischen Himmel, Erde und Wasser in Hängematten und Strickschaukeln unter Palmen.

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EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA On invitation of the foreign ministry of the Republic of Maldives, a group of artists visited 1988 the insular state to initiate a cultural exchange. My paintings and graphics are attempts to encounter this Muslim country as independent as possible of preconceived Western ideas, and to transfer that which is foreign at first into art; they do not portray what is generally perceived to be the „picturesque“ side of the over- and underwater world of the Maldives. For me these islands are not only leisure paradises, but witnesses of a sophisticated culture, which was influenced by Arabia, India and the Far East, and the endangerment of which can be painfully experienced. More than by the expected dream sunsets and the underwater world, I was impressed by the simple and human things:The welcome with garlands made of bougainvillea flowers and drinking from freshly picked green coconuts. The woven palm-leaf roofs, fences, baskets, ropes.Moldy palm fronds like shark skeletons, palm bast like fish fins – correspondences between land and water.Expanded drying fish on palm-leaf rafts by the sea like abstract sculptures.The few witnesses of the mixing of cultures at this intersection of Eastern and Western influences: blue-and-white chinaware, celadons, islemer, richly ornamented mosques.The hard work on barren islands – rows of carriers at the landing stage.And on the tourist islands the discrepancy between the Islamic world and the guests scantily dressed in summer clothes. Both having in common floating in hammocks and knitted swings under palm trees. Concept: Drawings and sketches which were done on location; elaborated paintings and graphics based on these impressions. Associations of form and content led to transferred visualizations and series of composition. Accompanying texts. My project „EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“ (1988 – 1993) quotes a series of essays by H. C. Bell, who began to do systematic studies on the art, the archaeology, the country and the people of the Maldives in 1879. He documented cultural assets, which have meanwhile fallen prey to destruction of various kinds. My compilation of quotes outlines facets of the Maldive culture which are rarely to be found in common travel literature. Manuscripts: Ernst-Johannes Kläy: on the exhibition „EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“ in the Goethe 53 Gallery, 1993 Elisabeth Rößler: „EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“, quotation collection, 1993 „Lange Schatten“. Die Malediven im Spiegel der Presse. („Long Shadows“. The Maldives as reflected by the press). Collection of articles and essays, 1993

read english

EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA

On invitation of the foreign ministry of the Republic of Maldives, a group of artists visited 1988 the insular state to initiate a cultural exchange.

My paintings and graphics are attempts to encounter this Muslim country as independent as possible of preconceived Western ideas, and to transfer that which is foreign at first into art; they do not portray what is generally perceived to be the „picturesque“ side of the over- and underwater world of the Maldives.
For me these islands are not only leisure paradises, but witnesses of a sophisticated culture, which was influenced by Arabia, India and the Far East, and the endangerment of which can be painfully experienced.

More than by the expected dream sunsets and the underwater world, I was impressed by the simple and human things:The welcome with garlands made of bougainvillea flowers and drinking from freshly picked green coconuts. The woven palm-leaf roofs, fences, baskets, ropes.Moldy palm fronds like shark skeletons, palm bast like fish fins – correspondences between land and water.Expanded drying fish on palm-leaf rafts by the sea like abstract sculptures.The few witnesses of the mixing of cultures at this intersection of Eastern and Western influences: blue-and-white chinaware, celadons, islemer, richly ornamented mosques.The hard work on barren islands – rows of carriers at the landing stage.And on the tourist islands the discrepancy between the Islamic world and the guests scantily dressed in summer clothes. Both having in common floating in hammocks and knitted swings under palm trees.

Concept:

Drawings and sketches which were done on location; elaborated paintings and graphics based on these impressions. Associations of form and content led to transferred visualizations and series of composition.
Accompanying texts.

My project „EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“ (1988 – 1993) quotes a series of essays by H. C. Bell, who began to do systematic studies on the art, the archaeology, the country and the people of the Maldives in 1879. He documented cultural assets, which have meanwhile fallen prey to destruction of various kinds.
My compilation of quotes outlines facets of the Maldive culture which are rarely to be found in common travel literature.

Manuscripts:

Ernst-Johannes Kläy: on the exhibition „EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“ in the Goethe 53 Gallery, 1993

Elisabeth Rößler:
„EXCERPTA MALDIVIANA“, quotation collection, 1993
„Lange Schatten“. Die Malediven im Spiegel der Presse. („Long Shadows“. The Maldives as reflected by the press). Collection of articles and essays, 1993

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