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Galerie Lausberg’s New Location in Miami
Galerie Lausberg's new space in Miami. 1929 NW 1st Avenue. Miami Wynwood Art District, FL.
Galerie Lausberg/Lausberg Contemporary, with venues in Düsseldorf (since 2003) and Toronto (since 2006), will open a new location in the city of Miami on November 27th 2010. ARTDISTRICTS spoke with its directors, Bernd Lausberg and Brian Torner, about the gallery’s trajectory, the artists represented, and plans for the new Florida space.
By Raisa Clavijo
Raisa Clavijo - I visited your space in Toronto and I have seen your exhibitions at various fairs. I believe that your new space in Miami will enrich and diversify Wynwood Art District’s expositive offering. Why did you choose Miami as one of your venues? What potential did you see in the city and what motivated you to move here?
Brian Torner- We have attended Art Miami for almost 10 years and have a long history with PalmBeach3 as well. Our client base in Florida is enormous. Due to our intense presence in Florida we always have to store artwork in between fairs and for additional client appointments. In the past we connected successfully with local dealers who did their best to represent our international program. Finally, we decided to open up our own space in South Florida with solo and group exhibits to last 6 weeks to 2 months generally plus a large inventory to meet the needs of our local and international clients.
R.C.- Tell me a little about your gallery’s trajectory. How and when did you start in the art business?
Bernd Lausberg- We started about ten years ago with a small gallery space in my hometown Düsseldorf and thrust ourselves into the midst of the international art fair scene by doing Art Toronto and Art Miami after a few months in business. We were already familiar with both cities, as Brian is native to Toronto. To have an international focus was our intention from the beginning.
Brian Torner and Bernd Lausberg, directors of Galerie Lausberg/Lausberg Contemporary.
In Düsseldorf, we soon upgraded the gallery space after the second year of operations, moving into a wonderful three-tiered space next to the world famous Kunst Akademie. Four years ago, we opened the space in Toronto. It was the first time in Canadian history, to our knowledge, that an international gallery opened a satellite in Canada. 2010 seems right for a 3rd location in Miami, and we are grateful to have the use of one of the foremost gallery spaces Wynwood has to offer: the sensational former Facchini Gallery (Miami New Times, Best Gallery award 2000).
R.C.- Which artists do you represent?
B.L.- Our roster of artists is very large: we currently represent 35 artists from 17 countries. We carry masters like Carlos Cruz Diez, David Simpson, Carlos Estrada-Vega, Camill Leberer, Udo Nöger, Rafael Barrios, Harald Schmitz-Schmelzer, Klaus Staudt, Manfred Mohr, and many others. More than 90 percent of the gallery program is in the minimal and optical art field. Photography is the one exception.
R.C.- Are you open to discovering and representing local artists?
B.T.- Most definitely! Rafael Barrios is already part of our international gallery program. This is part of our profession: to search for artists that fit the gallery mandate, or to discover new talents.
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Michael Burges, Reverse Glass Painting No. 32, 2010, 59.1” x 47.2”
R.C.- Many of your artists use painting as the starting point of their work, but then expand the possibilities and limits of the medium itself, crossing traditionally pictorial boundaries into other media like sculpture, installation, video, photography, and new digital technologies. Do you have a special interest in creators who experiment with “expanded painting”? Could you explain why?
B.L.- Your impression is absolutely right. We have several exponents utilizing traditional media like oil on canvas. Much of the Lausberg aesthetic is recognizing artists who create utilizing new media or materials. It is my personal aesthetic that makes the difference and the gallery program of Lausberg Contemporary unique. Transparent and translucent materials like glass and Plexiglas are great materials to create stunning three-dimensional wall sculptures, full of depth and texture. Important to the Lausberg aesthetic is always being able to discover something new depending on the source of light or time of day. We are fortunate to be surrounded by art of Lausberg Contemporary for over ten years now. I never get bored, I am constantly inspired. Every moment, we discover the artworks in a different way and this guarantees a continuous, sensitive exchange/ dialogue. For me, this quality is the most important criteria to include an artist into my program.
R.C.- Will you participate in any of the December fairs?
B.T.- We are frequent visitors at Art Miami- for almost 10 years. This year, Lausberg Contemporary arrives with an even larger presence than ever before. Besides the booth (A28 @ ART MIAMI) there will be a solo space of Regine Schumann (A26 @ ART MIAMI) titled Black Box Glowing, with three-dimensional Plexiglas works that glow in the dark due to blacklight. This will be a definite must for all Art Miami visitors, as will be the installation of Achim Zeman.
Zeman will have created a large wall mural called Spin made from colored adhesive tape. Unfortunately, plans for the largest outdoor installation from Israeli– American artist Doron Gazit– could not be realized this year.
Herbert Mehler, WVZ 745, 2008,Corten steel, welded, patinated, 24.4” x 69.4” x 59.4”
R.C.- During the year, you participate in various art fairs, not only in those that constitute your natural market such as those celebrated in Central Europe, Canada, or the United States, but you also go to others such as KIAF and Art Moscow. Would you agree that, even though fairs constitute an excellent platform on which to promote the work of artists and to broaden the network of collectors, there are too many fairs at the moment? What would be your recommendation to young gallerists with regards to choosing fairs at which to promote their artists?
B.L.- Yes, unfortunately, every midsize city in North America and Europe is anxious to promote its own art fair. This leaves an overwhelming landscape and choice for gallerists and collectors. To be sure, fairs in NYC, Chicago, and Miami are the most important inside the U.S. L.A. has great potential, Palm Beach is a unique environment, and Santa Fe has a long, specific history. It is hard to predict what the future landscape of fairs will look like when, keeping the global picture in mind, it is essential to select the fair(s) carefully. Fairs are expensive and full of risks.
R.C.- What plans are you bringing to Miami? What exhibitions will inaugurate your schedule of presentations?
B.L.- Lausberg Contemporary, Miami opening November 27th will feature two German artists: Michael Burges’ newest spectacular “Reverse Glass Paintings” and for the outdoor sculptures, Lausberg will present the amazing cortend steel sculptures of Herbert Mehler “Curved.” Show runs to January 15. We expect many visitors to the gallery and are looking forward to terrific audiences at our booth A28 at Art Miami from December 1-5 with many of our well-known international exponents as well as new additions to the program. We are so excited and hope to see everyone at the fair and at the new gallery location of Lausberg Contemporary! Thank you for your interest!
R.C- Good luck and thanks for your time.
Raisa Clavijo is an art critic and curator based in Miami. She is the editor of ARTPULSE and ARTDISTRICTS.
