As a silversmith Christoph Altenburg respected the constraints involved when working with an expensive material and forming it to fulfil particular functions. A ring, once conceived, formed in wax and cast in a mould still requires detailed finishing. Connecting with the Australian nationalist silver working tradition that got going in the 19th century he used Australian fauna and flora as motives in this work.
Paintings, included in this exhibition, present us with quite another Christoph: his exuberance when using paint, unconstrained approach to subject and unmannered construction of composition connects with that particular spirit of the 'modern' which can be traced back to Die Brücke (The Bridge) formed in 1905 by Kirchner, Heckel, Schmidt-Rottluff, Nolde and Pechstein in Dresden. These artists celebrated the 'primitive'. They abandoned the academic particulars of drawing and painting and let go with direct, abandoned gestures, their brushes loaded with full strength colour. They collected and respected as true art works the sculptures produced by non European cultures, and these formed a background to wonderful studio photographs of themselves and friends dancing naked. 'To hell with the narrow European tradition' is what they were saying.
This spirit was carried forward by Christoph, and it may be seen as the basis for the remarkable Iron Corroborees at his place, Anningie beside the Shoalhaven River outside Braidwood. At these events a unique spirit of free expression was evidenced in the ironwork produced and in the relaxed atmosphere generated by people having fun. This is a fine exhibition by an individual who discovered freedom through making art.
Email a friend