Beyond Fame, NRW Forum, Artists and their winding paths

Dusseldorf, 17 August 2023

Beyond Fame, The Art of the Stars. The new exhibition at the NRW Forum.

Artists and their winding paths

Singer and artist Peter Doherty

Peter Doherty: I am a Stranger in my Own Skin Courtesy of Janinebeangallery

Düsseldorf, 17 August 2023: Is every star also an artist? Whether this is generally the case is of course questionable, but in any case stars are a magnet for visitors. There has rarely been such a big buzz at a press conference. At the NRW Forum, Alain Bieber, Artistic Director of the NRW Forum, has just presented the exhibition Beyond Fame, The Art of Stars to the press audience. Visitors will find works of art by: Bryan Adams, Meret Becker, Tim Bendzko, Carlito (Cro), Samy Deluxe, Anna Delvey, Lea Draeger, Peter Doherty, Harald Glööckler, Grimes, Josephine Henning, Anton Hofreiter, Isis-Maria Niedecken, Edi Rama, Jean-Remy von Matt, Michael Stich, Laura Tonke and Gedeon Schenkt.


Beyond Fame

Alan Bieber promised that it would be the most unusual exhibition of the year, for which the curators have gathered 18 stars. He promised that almost all the stars would be present on opening night tonight. 


What was important in the selection of the artists? 

Alain Bieber said that one had to distinguish marketing gags from art in the selection. The artwork by Britney Spears was not that convincing. Almost all the artists selected were self-taught. But Michael Stich, the German tennis player, had studied art.


Why are many artists self-taught?

Alain Bieber said that people have many talents, but life paths are intertwined. Not everyone had the opportunity to study art at a young age. However, one had to wait and see whether all these works would find their way into the art canon.


Then none other than superstar singer and artist Peter Doherty took the stage. He had travelled from London together with his gallery owner Janine Bean. Those who still remember him as a rocker were surprised, because he entered the stage in a classic English tweed suit with tweed cap, together with his dog, which he let run freely across the stage. The only rebellious element in his outfit were his red shoes. When asked what inspires him, he replied, "A tiresome question. What inspires you?" However, he then confessed that he found old films and old texts inspiring, but especially the work of the German expressionist George Grosz.


When asked what he thought of digital painting, he said, "I'm the wrong person to be asked about digital things; I haven't had a phone for 4 years."


Fame

When he was very young, he said, he was in search of fame and thought he had found the answer when he had it. He would have a strange relationship with fame. With fame he would feel a stuckness but also the happiness of control.


Dohertie's artworks

Peter Dohertie's artworks take up a large area of the lower left entrance area. One immediately gets the feeling that one is dealing with a profoundly sensitive person. One finds works of art up to sculptures, a woman dressed in an oversized English flag, one finds guitar sculptures. Again and again, the element of calligraphy appears in his artworks. Doherty is also said to have a very large collection of typewriters.


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So Alain Bieber was right. Visitors can expect a truly fantastic exhibition. The opening is tonight, at 8 p.m. it is open to all visitors. Maybe a few stars will be there too


nrw-forum.de

©Katja Illner

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