Florian Borkenhagen 'TransSakrales'    Nov 19 - Feb 26, 2010

November 19, 2009 – February 26, 2010

gabrielle ammann // gallery in Cologne presents a solo exhibition by the artist Florian Borkenhagen entitled „TransSakrales“ from November 19, 2009 until February 26, 2010.

Continually in motion, while searching for anchorage. With the exhibition „TransSakrales“, Florian Borkenhagen, a Hamburg based artist, devotes himself to discover the solution to this apparent conflict in a highly unique manner. He combines traditionally sacred elements together with locomotive constructions and through these amalgamations he accomplishes, merely by using simple materials and means, new mobility devices and precious religious gems.
Reminiscent of heavy loads that were once carried by handcarts, the new barrow-inventions by Borkenhangen also rely upon the physical strength of the user. Among other creations, he converts a wheelbarrow into a palanquin, by replacing the load box with a chair so that one may be seated while being transported. He gives the traveling priest, pastor or preacher a customized, portable church (or mosque) and, thus, transforms the original rigidity of these sanctuaries.The clear contradiction between a world continuously striving for an innovative, transient, globalized society and the human yearning for time, movement, and omnipresent spirituality assumes concrete form in the objects of Borkenhagen. The artist addresses his subjects anew and therefore makes the spiritual, which would otherwise have remained elusive, tangible. His work is a continuation of the Arte Povera tradition in which the banal becomes an artwork and, through the transformation of the simplest of materials, a deeper meaning arises.

Florian Borkenhagen (*October 27, 1959) completed his studies at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg. Since 1982 he has exhibited in numerous galleries and museums throughout Europe and the United States. After his participation in the documenta 8 in Kassel (1987) and his projects in Rome, Paris and Hamburg, he lived and worked from 1990 until 1995 in Como, Italy and while there founded the „Labora¬torio Como.“ The work that emerged during this period was devoted to the theme of „industrial archeology.“ In 1997 he was co-initiator of the project „First Aid for Bad Art“ and between 1998 and 2000 he received worldwide attention for his interactive project entitled „travel a head“ in which he sent a head sculpture which was four-meter high on container ships for a journey around the globe.

Since 2005 Borkenhagen has been a Professor of Design with an emphasis on Design Methodology and Product Development at the Akademie Mode & Design in Hamburg.