Gerrit Frohne-Brinkmann, Josefine Reisch
Paris Internationale
16.10 - 20.10.2024

For this year’s Paris Internationale we are excited to present works by Gerrit Frohne-Brinkmann and Josefine Reisch. Our presentation will include sculptural works by Gerrit Frohne-Brinkmann alongside new Birkin Bag paintings by Josefine Reisch.

In Gerrit Frohne-Brinkmann’s works, which reside at the intersection of sculpture and performative art, robotic cats rest upon ceramic snakes – juxtaposing a faithful mode of representing the natural world with a technologically mediated depiction or fantasy thereof. The sculptural assemblage – a forced friendship of form, techniques, and species – can be understood as simultaneously futuristic (with an apocalyptic aftertaste) and prehistoric in its figuration and symbolism. In a semantic play, the titles of the individual works form pairings of the words Prop, Protagonist, Prey and Predator, injecting new meaning and disrupting familiar associations.

To question the value and validity of a popularized cultural “heritage”, Josefine reassembles historical moments and figures into jumbled compositions. Josefine challenges the patriarchal subjectivity of mainstream and material culture to undermine conventional artistic depictions of femininity. Her new paintings are of her deconstructed Birkin Bags, the most famous, expensive and most counterfeited handbag of our time. Originally designed for the eponymous actress Jane Birkin, the bag symbolises different notions of femininity: objectifying and emancipating. With her paintings, the artist questions the character of painting as a fashionable luxury object as well as the representation of the female subject in celebrity culture.

Gerrit Frohne-Brinkmann lives and works in Hamburg, where he also completed his MFA in the University of Fine Arts in 2015. Recent solo exhibitions include Prey and Protagonist at Bittelvon-Jenisch (Hamburg, DE, 2024), Appeal to Nature at 14a (Hamburg, DE, 2023); Rattlesnake Retreat at Polina Stroganova Projects (Mexico City, MEX, 2023); Ready to Pair at Kunstverein Oldenburg (Oldenburg, DE, 2022), ILOVEYOU at Galerie Noah Klink (Berlin, DE, 2021); In the unlikely event of fire at Kunstverein Reutlingen (Reutlingen, DE, 2020) and You-Know-Who at Kunstpalais Erlangen (Erlangen, DE, 2019). His works belong to the collections of Bundeskunstsammlung (DE), Kunstpalais Erlangen (Erlangen, DE), Kunsthalle Bremerhaven (Bremerhaven, DE), ZKM Karls-ruhe (Karlsruhe, DE), and Hamburger Kunsthalle (Hamburg, DE).

Josefine Reisch lives and works in Berlin. She has completed her MFA at Goldsmith University of London. Recent solo and group shows include Pseudo at Gauli Zitter (Brussels, BE, 2024); Cupid‘s Bow at Bela Ami (Los Angeles, US, 2023); Viewing Room at Artothek (Cologne, DEU, 2023); Dowry at Galerie Noah Klink (Berlin, DEU, 2023); No Hard Feelings at Klosterfelde Editionen (Berlin, DEU, 2023); Berlin Bins at Museum of Modern Shopping (London, UK 2022); Therein/ Thereof/ Thereto at Standard (Oslo, NOR, 2021); Eifersucht at Parliament (Paris, FRA, 2020); Sphinx of Black Quartz, Judge My Vow at PALFREY (London, UK, 2020); Ei at Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden, (Wiesbaden, DEU, 2020). Josefine Reisch’s work is part of the collections Rothschild & Co (Zurich, CHE), Kistefos Museum (Oslo, NOR), Astrup Collection (Oslo, NOR) and Helaba Collection (Frankfurt, DE).