The fascination of the sea, reflected in maritime art 47th
Hamburg International Boat Show at the Hamburg Fair site and hanseboot harbour from 28 October to 5 November 2006 hb 10 / 27 October 2006
The sea is a challenge to artists. There is hardly any element that is so often depicted in works of art as water. The sale-exhibition of maritime art at the 47th Hamburg International Boat Show displays a wide selection of graphics, paintings, water colours, models and sculptures from 30 marine artists, model builders and gallery owners.
This sale-exhibition is held on the upper floor of Hall 10, right next to the 22nd art maritim, where the main focus this year is on maritime art from Turkey. This year’s art maritim partner country presents 130 valuable exhibits from Turkish museums and collections, supplemented by exhibits from the International Maritime Museum Hamburg directed by Prof. Peter Tamm. Marine painting started out as depiction of sea battles, and has in the course of time developed into an art form that includes every kind of portrayal of the sea and ships.
The items exhibited at the hanseboot art forum depicting the sea, ships and watersports, are not only for viewing, but also for sale. Visitors can choose between pictures of historic sailing ships, naval vessels, lighthouses and seascapes with beach and waves.
One of Germany’s best known marine artists is undoubtedly Uwe Lütgen. Born and brought up in Hamburg, he trained as a theatre set painter at the Schauspielhaus in Hamburg before specialising in maritime art. His paintings give a particularly dramatic rendering of classic yachts and regatta scenes. Uwe Lütgen often paints in oil, and also uses some older, difficult techniques such as painting behind glass (Hall 10 UF, Stand 02). Klaus Schneidewind is an independent artist from Dönkendorf near Lübeck. He creates oil paintings exclusively with his finger tips, and describes his highly individual style as “seismographic painting”.
His beach paintings and lighthouses are full of emotion. He may for example allow the clouds to billow out beyond the borders of his picture, or allow the mudflats to spread beyond the limits of the main picture. hanseboot visitors can witness a live painting demonstration by the artist (Hall 10 UF, Stand 25). Frauke Klatt has an unmistakable style.
This well known artist from Lübeck-Travemünde developed her own style some ten years ago, merging material and motif. She became known from her “water colours on sails”, painting her pictures directly onto the remainders of old sails. And her powerful acrylics, often representing dramatic regatta scenes, are also very impressive. Frauke Klatt now exhibits her works throughout the world, and her success confirms the unique character of her pictures (Hall 10 UF, Stand 01). Half models have accompanied shipbuilding for centuries now.
Jürgen Oltmann from Bremen paints his maritime art objects realistically, keeping accurately to the original plans. For more than 20 years, he has also been building full models of historic ships, brand new yachts, and design models of the future. He attaches particular importance to accuracy of detail, turning tiny aluminium winches on a lathe, and plaiting the finest of threads to two-coloured ropes (Hall 10 UF, Stand 06).
The designers Margrit Moehlen and Mechthild von Salmuth from Hamburg are celebrating their hanseboot debut. They create their art from sailcloth, ranging from light spinnaker cloth to thick Dacron fabrics. Their pictures give the impression that the cloths are swelling out before a storm sky painted in oil, or else they are passing a city scene in digital printing technique. They are both real sailing enthusiasts. They make only one-off pieces, normally to customer commissions, which may involve one- or two-part works (Hall 10 UF, Stand 11).
The marine artists at this year’s hanseboot are not only from Germany. Andrej Tron is from the Free Gallery St. Petersburg, Russia, and has now been exhibiting at the Hamburg Boat Show for twelve years. He creates refined and accurately executed watercolours. The artist has received a Russian order of merit for painting; his work is much appreciated not only by the Russian President Vladimir Putin, but also by the Duke of Edinburgh (Hall 10 UF, Stand 13).
The artist and restorer Tadeusz Molga from Warsaw, Poland, has made landscapes and still life the main motifs of his painting. He studied the history of art, and appreciates traditional painting; he experiments with old painting techniques when adapting motifs of historic periods for his own compositions (Hall 10 UF, Stand 30).
Ed.: Angelika Schennen, Tel.: +49 40-35692440, e-mail: angelika.schennen@hamburg-messe.de INVITATION: Media representatives are cordially invited to the vernissage of the 22nd art maritim, to be held in Hall 10, Upper Floor, of the Hamburg Fair at 10.00 am on Saturday 28 October (Please obtain accreditation beforehand, at the Press Centre, St. Petersburger Str. 1).
