Pabi Update

May

2012

The Getty Getaway

Posted by Pabi on 31 May 2012 / 0 Comment

”The Getty Getaway”. Acrylic and spray paint on raw linen canvas. 40”x 65”. 2012

The painting shows the Getty Museum blown up or ripped apart. Out of the white marble building comes a flying oil platform lifted by the power from the oil pressure. I have used raw linen canvas in order to show the real natural material and structure. I have kept the pallet in a gray scale except for the foundation of gold spray. In February 2012 I visited The Getty Center. The museum is located in the hills of Brentwood just outside of Los Angeles. It is built by the J. Paul Getty Trust founded by the oil mogul J. Paul Getty.(1892-1976). The center cost more than 1,3 billion dollars to build. It is designed by architect Richard Meier and opened in 1997.

“We are all affected by Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Aalto, and Mies van der Rohe. But no less than Bramante, Borromini, and Bernini. Architecture is a tradition, a long continuum. Whether we break with tradition or enhance it, we are still connected to that past. We evolve.” – R. Meier

Every year more than 1,3 million visitors come to the attraction and this makes it one of the most visited museums in The US. It has no entrance fee. The Museum is also well known for its architecture, its garden designed by Robert Irwin and the incredible collection of art. At his death Paul Getty was one of the wealthiest people in the American history. He was the first to own more than one billion dollars. By creating the Getty Museum, owned and driven by The J. Paul Getty Trust, The Getty Research Institute, The Getty Conservation Institute and the Getty Foundation. The Getty dynasty is now the wealthiest and most powerful organization in the American art scene. With an endowment of $4.2 billion, the Getty Trust is the wealthiest art institution in the world

“The beauty one can find in art is one of the pitifully few real and lasting products of human endeavor.” ― J. Paul Getty

No doubt that J.P Getty was interested in art and in making good conditions for the art. But under the generous surface there is also another reason for spending these large amounts of money. It is a “public secret” that the Getty empire every year saves a lot of tax money so they instead can spend it on the art world. From a democratic point of view I find this spectacular, because the public majority might not agree about spending that much money on art. Instead the money could go to education, the infra structure or health care to the benefit of more people. On the other hand, support for cultural and other extraordinary projects often need to come from private founding. Otherwise they would never become reality. I find this discussion about private and public founding very interesting because these organizations create the systems that the artists need to work within. No matter if the money comes from the government or from private donations. In USA there is a tradition for private founding and charity. In Denmark we just pay more taxes and then we have the feeling of given enough. In Denmark it is difficult to become really rich, but also difficult to be really poor.

It is all about values.

In my choice of material I try to make that contrast by using gold on top of the brown unprimed natural linen canvas, with fake poisoned gold spray paint on top, together with the white building and the black oil. I use the oil to represent progress and invention. But during the last couple of decades it has become a symbol for something negative and almost stupid. The oil is equal to pollution, abuse of power and war. It has become a symbol of a lack of development in technology and thereby the possibility to be independent as states. If a county as America became independent from oil, there would be fewer reasons to make wars. In this way I can argue that the Getty´s oil money take the art as its hostage. This brings me to another point. Most artists I know of are anti-capitalists, socialists and pro green innovation, but I have never heard of any artist who denied receiving any kind of financial aid from a company or organization with a bad reputation. Nor would they give their money away when they become extremely rich. For example is the expensive Swizz made double framed linen canvases I use sponsored by a donator from Texas. And guess where the money comes from? Oil! Yes, we are all hypocrites! My goal is actually not to state what is right or wrong, but to question all kinds of institutions that create our world, because there is always a backside. To me the art world is getting more and more organized and controlled by all kinds of interests because of the increasing values in art. In my opinion the result is the loss of freedom for the artists and an elite-controlled art scene. The art world is not what it used to be and so be it!

Aug

2010

PaGjö – a nomad gallery

Posted by Pabi on 19 Aug 2010 / 0 Comment

Together with my good friend and colleague, I will start up a new project named PaGjö this autumn. In Copenhagen there are a lot of empty and closed stores. We want to use these stores for short term exhibitions. The plan is to make the exhibitions in cooperation with the owners, so there will be benefits for all parts. I’m looking forward to see what oppurtunities will come up.

See the danish description below.

You will be informed!

PaGjö – et nomade galleri.

Projektbeskrivelse:

Hvorfor skal butikker stå tomme, når de kan fyldes med kunst?

PaGjö er en sammensætning af to professionelle kunstnere, som ønsker at bruge ledige attraktivt beliggende butikslokaler til midlertidige udstillinger. Tidsperioden er fra en weekend til en måned.

Der vil være en fernisering på åbningsaftenen og en bred skare af kunstinteresserede mennesker vil blive inviteret.

Projektet skal ses som et modspil til de etablerede gallerier, der ofte fremstår som kedelige og elitære. I modsætning til etablerede gallerier vil det midlertidige galleri give en dynamisk og energisk kunstoplevelse. Med direkte kontakt mellem kunstner og folk på gadeniveau.

Hvorfor indgå i samarbejde med PaGjö?

- Støtte unge fremadstormende kunstnere.

- Få liv i tomme lokaler.

- Undgå hærværk og graffiti på facaden.

- Få gratis fremvisning af lejemål med daglige åbningstider.

- Få et ægte PaGjö maleri som tak for samarbejdet eller procenter af det forventede salg.

Vi er naturligvis indstillede på at skræddersy hvert projekt efter behov, lave en kontrakt samt betale et depositum.

Vi er meget interesserede i at modtage gode ideer til gavn for projektet.

Pabi: Internationalt omrejsende kunstner, filminstruktør og

samfundskritiker. Måske den bedste kunstner i verden.!

Klaus Gjørup

Animator, illustrator og kunstner + Danmarks måske mest populære mand!!

Kontakt:

Pabi

pabi@pabi.dk

www.pabi.dk

+45 20428720

Klaus Gjørup

kgjoerup@gmail.com

-45 60464213

Aug

2010

Pabi Update #3 Summer 10

Posted by Pabi on 19 Aug 2010 / 0 Comment

The summer is coming to an end very soon. For me it has been a busy one.

Melbourne was a very big experience for me, and with a lot of artistic success. Two exhibitions and represented at the huge Melbourne Art Fair by Michael Koro Gallery. I also left a lot of paintings at Brood Box Gallery in the centre of Melbourne. The owner Daniel Bottros will take care of my business in Australia. Not to forget the odd crew at Blenders Studios. From one day to another, I was a part of the huge art scene in Melbourne, thanks to the their hospitality and openness. These guys really made my stay something special.

After returning from Melbourne I went to Sweden, to sail from Göteborg in west, by the Göta-Canal, to the East See. The first four days I had an amazing crew of friends on board. The following 14 days I was totally alone, sailing the boat through the 58 locks. The daytime I spent on the water in the fantastic Swedish nature and I spent the nights drawing for my next exhibition.

3 little island and d´big bad wolf!

Since July I have stayed on the island Avernakø. My old house is under total renovation and the deadlines are pushed all the time. So I´m still living and working in the old barn in the pig pen.

I also had my first exhibition here on Avernakø: I was invited to exhibit in “Den lille Kunst” from the 3. of july till 5. august. I have been coming to this Island my whole my life. So for me it was very exhiting to show the people that live here what I´m actually doing. There was a lot of interest and sales and I will be a part of the show again next year.

I will return to Copenhagen in the middle of September to start up the ambitious project PaGjö.

The Pig Pen

Apr

2010

Pabi Update #03: Exhibition x 2 this week

Posted by Pabi on 05 Apr 2010 / 0 Comment

Front of flyer from Off the Kerb

I’m having a great time in Melbourne and this week I am very busy finishing my selected artworks for 2 exhibitions. One, as I’ve already announced, is at Off the Kerb Gallery in Collingwood.

Exhibition information

The other one is at Brood Box Gallery, Melbourne CBD. Here 6 of my newest artworks made in Denmark will be exhibited. I have finished and framed them all here and I’m looking forward to see the reactions from the Melbournian artlovers.

"Oh Myself". 125 x 95 cm. Oil on raw canvas.

The exhibition runs from April 8 to 29. At Brood Box, 8 Rankins Lane Melbourne CBD.

http://www.broodbox.com.au/index.php

Hope to see you there!

Mar

2010

Pabi Update #2: Upcoming exhibition

Posted by Pabi on 22 Mar 2010 / 0 Comment

I’m very excited to announce that I have been selected for the exhibition “El Dorado” at Off the Kerb Gallery in Collingwood. I submit 2 new artworks that I’ve just begun creating. The exhibition will run from April 9 to 30, opening on April 9 from 6-9 pm.

http://www.offthekerb.com.au/

The theme for the exhibition fits me very well. In many ways the Danish well fare society seems like an “El Dorado”. As a Dane I can proudly say that I come from one of the richest and safest countries in the world. In several studies we have shown to be the happiest nation worldwide. But underneath or in between; “there is something rotten in the state of Denmark”. Just like Shakespeare said many years ago.

I question the cohesiveness in different structures of societies. When something is mythically perfect such as El Dorado, I question the truth of this infinity. I don’t trust the unscarred surface. I believe there must be something lying underneath that’s about to burst. Like a boiler that’s reached its limit. This will inevitably happen and when it does the imperfections will come crawling from every possible crack and ruin the image.

I’m looking forward to show my version of El Dorado.

See you off the kerb!

Mar

2010

Pabi Update #2: I’m in the Blender

Posted by Pabi on 22 Mar 2010 / 0 Comment

Big Mouth by D*face outside Blender Studios

It has now been 3 weeks since I first sat foot in the city that so far has turned out to be the perfect place to start up a new artist adventure. Through these weeks I have met many interesting people from the art world of Melbourne and visited a bunch of studios.I begin my journey as a working artist in Blender Studios in Franklin St. My space is only small but I comfortably find myself in the perfect surroundings among talented and open-minded colleagues. http://www.theblenderstudios.com/

Blender Studios has a long and interesting history. The space and the artists involved have played an important role in the acceptance of street art in Melbourne and Australia in general. Now the studio represents a colourful mix of creative people, all doing their own unique thing. I’m in a boiling pot of inspiring energy and I’ve just started swimming…

Feb

2010

Pabi Update #01

Posted by Pabi on 21 Feb 2010 / 0 Comment

Berlin vs. Avernakø/

The last year I have been traveling around after I left Berlin in June. I went to spend my summertime on the little island Avernakø south of Funen. Together with my family I have an old farmer house. Normally I stay there 2-3 months, but I ended up staying for over half a year this time. All by myself, but with deep thoughts and endless creativity. End december it got too cold and I went back to Berlin, to catch up where I left.

India

Then a trip with my best friends to India. Where especially Mumbai´s slum left a huge impression. There is definitely other ways to live your life than the danish welfare society. And of course it´s always a pleasure to taste the spices of Goa. I´ll be back!

Melbourne

The 28th. of February I move to Melbourne, Australia. I´ll stay there for the next three months.
I already have a lot of studios to choose between and some galleries that will make exhibitions with my art work.
The aussies seem to be really friendly and open minded, so I´m looking forward to a successful and inspirational stay in Australia.