The sculptures are stacked on top of each other in a balance that seems so fragile that a gust of wind could tear the entire structure apart. The impression of instability is accentuated by business deviance.
The sculptures designed by German artist Thomas Schönauer, collected in Galeria Dahn, in the capital, São Paulo, are surprising due to their interplay of appearances. Behind the lightness and fragility of the rollers lies the hardness and resistance of stainless steel.
“Illusion is one of the main themes in my work,” says Schooner. “For me, life is an illusion. Some people are afraid of that realization, but I’m not. In fact, that’s what my poetry is about.”
His interest in the illusory aspects of matter arose during the period when the artist studied philosophy at the University of Düsseldorf.
“I need a theme to express my artistic vision and this theme comes a lot from philosophy. I think it is difficult for an artist without a concept to produce high-quality work. The beginning of artistic production is exactly the concept.”
In addition to philosophy, Schooner’s works are in dialogue with architecture, especially with Brazilian modernism. This can be felt, for example, through the convex sculptures that evoke the domes of projects designed by Oscar Niemeyer. “I was very influenced not only by his work, but also by the work of Roberto Burle Marx. The Brazilian landscape has a great influence on my production.”
The German relationship with Brazil is long-standing. In 1978, he established a studio in Macacos, Minas Gerais, where the artist still owns a farm today. Since then, he gradually moved closer to the country until he married a Brazilian woman, with whom he had two daughters. In addition to Düsseldorf, he maintains a studio in Futurantim, within São Paulo.
Everyone who enters the artist’s studio feels like they are in a factory because of the industrial equipment. This factory atmosphere contrasts with the aura of romanticism so associated with artistic ateliers. By appropriating industrial processes, Schooner breaks with the idea of sanctity that still characterizes artistic creation.
“Many artists think they are creating a new paradise with their work,” he says. “We don’t need that.” “I work with materials for industry as a form of political expression.”
This is evident in “The New Complexity of the World”, the sculpture that gives the exhibition its name and which shows the collision of various steel discs. It is as if the work is the result of a clash between opposing forces, a metaphor for the conflicts pitting countries across the world.
“I express my interest in community development through this sculpture. Everything about it is difficult and complex, including the production process itself.”
The interaction between different objects is at the heart not only of this work, but also of the artist’s other works, says exhibition curator Fabio Magalhães. This is felt through the union of materials of different sizes and levels of opacity. “Thomas works with the idea of relationship. It is the essence of everything, including social connection and life in the universe.”
These relationships are also created between the works and the lighting of the gallery environment. This is because the sculptures reflect light from the surrounding areas, so that the bright spots appear to dance on the metal surface. “It’s like a luminous symphony,” Magalhaes says.
In addition to sculptures, the artist collected paintings produced from a mixture of industrial glue and pigments used in automobile bodies. The result is tower-like paintings and blood vessels, creating friction between the small and the large.
“This perception varies from one person to another. Although I can explain the work, the interpretation remains with the audience.”