Robert Knoke is in town. The German artist has a show opening tonight at NP Contemporary Art Center in the Lower East Side. We met previously at Scope New York, following with a brief interview. If you follow Robert’s trail, you’re in for exciting times. From the art scene to fashion and even art-house films. You can see his work in person or meet the artist tonight during the opening of Robert Knoke: This Is Not, showing from March 10-May 1st, 2011.
NP Contemporary Art Center
131 Chrystie Street
New York, NY 10002
Using scent as an inspiration for making a film is not something you would normally hear. Commissioned by Six Scents, a group of filmmakers and artists collaborated with the perfumers Givaudan to create short films based on their childhood memories involving their sense of smell. I had a brief chat with Kaya Sorhaindo, one of the founders of Six Scents, during the Series Three launch party, where he expressed a profound interest in “figuring out new ways for people to engage with fragrance on a more personal level.” Film is definitely a very personal experience, but even more interesting are the bundling of an eclectic group of creatives including designers, perfumers, taste-makers, and artists (Robert Knoke, whom we featured previously, did the packaging art). The selected filmmakers for series three are Alia Raza, Lucas Michael, Olaf Breuning, Sue de Beer, Rainer Judd, Tim Richardson, Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard, Heather Sommerfield, and James Widegren.
It has been quite a catch-me-if-you-can exchange between me and Robert Knoke. When I met Robert during the Scope Art Fair this past February at Lincoln Center he was standing in the center of a dimmed exhibition space surrounded by life-sized black ink paintings. Dressed in complete black, Robert looked as if he belonged in one of his paintings. Though the raw lines and strokes of his work are awe inspiring, Robert made an impression on me for a different reason. Standing faithfully beside his art during the fair the artist chatted passionately about it to any passerby who caught his eye. At first Robert’s childlike enthusiasm didn’t seem to match his somewhat menacing portraits. His distinct choice of subject and the impact of a single traditional medium used with tireless effect, earned him recognition from both the art and fashion world. Trotting between Berlin and New York, I briefly caught up with Robert while he was in town for the release of his latest book project “Black Material.” Continue Reading More »
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