THOMAS HUBER: On Perspective. Selected works from 2012 to 2020.

KROMYA Art Gallery presents Thomas Huber's solo show, On Perspective.

From 24 October to 9 December, twenty iconic works by the acclaimed Swiss artist will be on display in Lugano, offering an overview of the main themes he has covered in the last decade. The artist will also be honoured by MASI with an exhibition at its LAC venue.

On Perspective. Selected works from 2012 to 2020 in collaboration with Ditesheim & Maffei Fine Art of Neuchâtel, features a selection of works including oil paintings and watercolors, two techniques that Thomas Huber has employed since the outset of his career. Since the early 1980s, Huber has developed a practice that can be seen as a visual narrative devoted to painting itself. Although Thomas Huber's aesthetics may seem immediately 'accessible', he leads the viewer into a dreamlike, imaginary and extraordinarily realistic world, establishing a unique interaction between this world and the viewer.

Architecture plays a key role in the artist's creative process. Indeed, Huber depicts spaces that evoke both the classical and the utopian, imbuing them with a mystical aura and enhancing the viewer's experience. There is more to perspective than simple visual rendering, depth, and point of view. It is an integral part of the work, not just a tool for spatial representation. In keeping with Besucherandrang (Am Horizont series, 2015) - the work that is the 'manifesto' of this exhibition - perception and perspective are intertwined. In large paintings, the same architectural section is repeated three times, true to its own design, but never the same to the viewer.

On Perspective reflects on the perception of perspective, as well as the vision of perspectives. In his work, Thomas Huber often explores the idea of his studio as more than just a simple workspace. As a result, the theme is given life and legitimacy by the artist. This is done by selecting a viewpoint from which the studio is represented or from which the artist wishes the viewer to consider it. KROMYA's exhibition illustrates this theme with a number of examples. One of the most emblematic is the oil on canvas Atelier Negativ (2015), which reveals the artist's studio in Berlin. Within this 

painted space, Huber introduces two canvases, creating 'paintings within a painting'. In this way, the artist challenges the viewer to explore duality and perspective within his work, highlighting his ability to create complex visual narratives. The exhibition provides an opportunity to explore these narratives through several watercolors depicting the artist's studio from different perspectives.

There is more to the story, however, if one asks which places are most conducive to the presentation of art. Once again, the painted space dominates the physical space in relation to artist exhibitions.

"I always ask myself what is the ideal place to exhibit my works”, writes Thomas Huber. “And in the end, I always come to the conclusion that it doesn't necessarily have to be an exhibition space. Rather, the works can express themselves best when they flourish in their natural element, that is, when they are also presented within a painting ".

This concept comes to life on the large canvas exhibited at KROMYA Art Gallery: Massgaben (2013). The work depicts a room full of paintings: from floor works that Huber has actually created in the past or present, or he is working on for the future. The artist has painted small doors on the three visible walls to provide observers with an escape route to ceiling, including the walls. These are should they feel overwhelmed by this space, which, like others of his less recent works, is characterized by a kind of tension.

Reflecting on art spaces, Thomas Huber also focuses on the theme ‘Aushub’ (lit. excavation), to which several of his most iconic works are devoted. The watercolors Aushub im Atelier (14 July), created in 2014, and O.T (Untitled), created in 2015, will be on show. The paintings depict the artist's atelier and empty easels. There are also piles of varying dimensions, similar to those found on construction sites. As a counterpoint to these works, there are two other watercolors in which the mounds have disappeared and there are now canvases on easels. The mounds represent the material resulting from this excavation in Thomas Huber's vision: canvases are spaces that can be excavated, because they have infinite depth and can therefore be excavated. They are the ideas, creativity, dreams and visions of the artist. Once these are brought to life on the canvas, the mounds are no longer visible, while we observe the 'appearance' of the paintings on the easels.

The exhibition, curated by KROMYA Art Gallery, also features a significant number of works that relate to a theme very close to the artist's heart: water, and how it can reveal otherwise hidden details through reflection. It is also the water of Lake Maggiore, to which the artist has dedicated his latest work. On display are two emblematic watercolors from 2020: Glockenklang and Intérieur mit Schiff. The latter depicts Thomas Huber's lakeside residence from both the inside and the outside. It is an early example of the Lago Maggiore series, created between 2021 and 2023, on show at MASI Lugano until January 2024.

KROMYA’s exhibition will be inaugurated on Tuesday, 24 October, at 6p.m. The gallery will be open to the public on the following days and times: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10a.m. to 4p.m., Wednesday and Saturday by appointment (T. +41 919 227000, tecla@kromyartgallery.com). Admission is free. For information, visit www.kromyartgallery.com. 

BIO

Thomas Huber was born in Zurich in 1955, the eldest son of an upper-middle-class Protestant family. As architects, his parents were closely associated with the intellectual and artistic milieu of the time. Huber completed his studies in Zurich and decided to pursue his artistic passion.

In 1977-78, he attended the Basel Kunstgewerbeschule, during which he developed his artistic skills. As a result of his thirst for knowledge and his desire to explore new perspectives, he continued his education at internationally renowned institutions, entering the Royal College of Art in London in 1979. From 1980 to 1983 he studied at the Staatliche Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf, under Fritz Schwegler.

During this period, Huber studied with other influential emerging artists, including Thomas Ruff, Katharina Fritsch, Thomas Schütte, and Andreas Gursky. His distinctive aesthetic, which challenges artistic conventions, was a result of this formative phase. In 1984, his path reached a decisive moment with Kasper König's invitation to participate in the group exhibition Von hier aus in Düsseldorf. This event opened the door to international recognition for Huber.

Since then, a number of prestigious institutions and museums have exhibited his work. Huber has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Kiefer Hablitzel Prize in 1984, the Prize for Young Swiss Artists of the Kunstgesellschaft Zürich in 1993, the Heitland Foundation Prize in 2004 and the prestigious Meret Oppenheim Prize in 2013. He has also held prominent positions in the art world: he served as director of the Centraal Museum in Utrecht in 1992, as professor at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Braunschweig from 1992 to 1999 and as president of the Deutscher Künstlerbund from 2000 to 2002.

He was selected to present his project Dawn / Dusk in the Art Unlimited section of Art Basel in 2023 (Galerie Skopia, Geneva), confirming his status as a leading artist on the international stage.

In 2023, Thomas Huber is featured in two exhibitions in Lugano: Thomas Huber. Lago Maggiore at MASI and On Perspective. Selected works from 2012 to 2020 at KROMYA Art Gallery.

ABOUT

Founded in 2018, KROMYA Art Gallery is located in the heart of Lugano, Switzerland. The gallery is housed in an elegant early-20th century apartment in the park of Villa Saroli, a small botanical jewel with a charming orangery. In 2020, a second location was opened in Verona, Italy, a strategic and culturally important center. A few steps separate the gallery from the Arena di Verona. Through a dynamic program of art, education and hospitality, the gallery aims to build bridges between nations and generations.

KROMYA exhibits and presents the work and research of Italian and Swiss artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, both established and emerging. Through exhibitions, presentations and conferences, the gallery offers opportunities for cultural exchange to a wide cross-section of the public. 

The exhibition activity is divided into two sections, namely "Camere" and ".YOUNG". The first focuses on historical masters and authors with a structured curriculum. The second is dedicated to young artists identified through careful research and scouting.

KROMYA has so far presented more than 30 'Camere' to date: each exhibition corresponds to a particular 'Room', in homage to the German tradition of setting up art galleries in apartments after WW II. With this type of set-up, it is possible to construct intimate, domestic itineraries where each artist has a dedicated space, both during solo and group exhibitions.

KROMYA Art Gallery opened a new section in May 2019, entitled ".YOUNG", which aims to explore new languages, deepen the knowledge of new generations of artists, and support and enhance their creative potential.

In addition to presenting a dynamic exhibition schedule, the Gallery has participated in numerous art fairs, including Roma Arte in Nuvola, ArtVerona, SWAB Barcelona Art Fair, Miart, and WopArt Fair. It also, it collaborates with GAL (Associazione Gallerie d'Arte Lugano) to offer museum-quality exhibitions to a wide audience.

Further information: www.kromyartgallery.com.

TECHNICAL SHEET:

Thomas Huber. On Perspective. Selected works from 2012 to 2020

KROMYA Art Gallery

11 Viale Franscini, Lugano

24 October – 9 December, 2023

Opening: Tuesday, 24 October, 6p.m.

Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 10a.m.-4p.m., Wednesday and Saturday by appointment. Admission is free.