Heinrich Denke

Unorte - a different view of Paris

ABOUT THE ART

The focus in the works of Heinrich Denke is the relation between space and men. Paris is the starting point of the artist’s new exhibition. With innovative artistic methods he makes visible our relationship to the urbane environment in deeper layers . Beyond the aesthetics of the art Heinrich Denke makes it lpossible in an entertaining way to question our own relationship to our living space.

Mr Denke describes with the exhibition „Unort“ [uncommon places] the sector of capitals which on one hand are build for people but on the other hand do not fulfil expectations of quality of life. Due to multiple utilities a hyper function occurs at these places with an atmosphere of its own which is contrary to human needs in the environment. Despite the central position - often in the heart of downtown or nearby the city – the “Unorte” are ignored and avoided from users or pedestrians because of the unattractive and dismal character and remain therefore unnoticed. Highway intersections, convoluted undercrossing and crossovers, multi-storey car park as well as fallow lying space are accepted silently as a necessary evil and are passed unobserved.

In Europe and Metropolis like Hong Kong and Oakland the artist generated themes for the exhibition “Unorte”, but in Paris Heinrich Denke was able to find the source of urban places or “Unorte”. There is hardly any other city in which the contrast between dedicative perception and suppressing images plays such a major role. Expectations and the wilful decision of the control of the cognition and the wandering blind spot of the tourists and inhabitants make this metropolis a valuable object of examination. In such a famous city like Paris “Unorte” obtain a high explosiveness. The examination of the Eifel Tower is in the focus of the Parisian art series. Mr Denke sees in the Eifel Tower the birthplace of the industrial “Unort”. Heinrich Denke uses the existing aesthetic of the Eifel Tower to show and question the place with its fractures, perspective breaks and growth like a labyrinth and its non-function and hyper function of this figure.

Digital photography is the source of the works from Heinrich Denke. Denke chooses only motives which are normally not recognised from passing people but which are sometimes quite visible for him. By combination of artistical and digital technique the anatomy of these special places are elucidated. The artist is able to dissect the places with deconstruction, cutting of architecture elements, reflection and opening of dimensions. Due to the change of colour and space a new accessibility can be achieved and a new metaphysical space for experimentation occurs. The style of the pictures varies from surrealism to cubism up to the aesthetic of pop art. Denke selects a fine line between abstract and representational display. The attractive form and color inspire to a creative debate with the theme. As the pictures make one curious it is possible to suppress the reflexes which normally let us not see the “Unorte”. Therefore the viewer is able to see the “Unorte” under a new light and can see them differently.

The subject of the “Unorte” is very versatile and the questions vary from the individual relationship to the theory of the complex systems and to questions about globalisation. Which places are knowingly or unknowingly not seen in our daily routine? What happens with the users of these places while the attention is elsewhere? Why are we going physically to these places which are avoided psychically? If there are “Unorte”, which places receive our full sympathy and attention and how is the quality of these places defined? If the awareness from others does also not exist at these places are we there as a group without that anyone is actually present? As these places are unnatural and empty will Mother Nature tolerate such a vacuum or will she cover it? If she would cover it will anybody notice? Why do we let we these places come into existence even if we avoid the “Unorte”? Is it an inevitable effect that these places occur as a by-product of purposeful room use? How do the “Unorte” describe our relationship to space and our spirit of time? Are the “Unorte” the other side of the coin of our complex global Metropolis world? And what exactly means the increasing spread of these places?

The questions which arise from “Unorte” in Heinrich Denke’s works bear upon our space-time relationship. They open a door to a world which is normally invisible for our awareness. Many of these questions are already part of our present reality. The viewer is invited to an expedition in this “Terra Inkognita”!

READ MORE ABOUT THIS ART
More about Heinrich Denke's art is available in „Zeiten - Sprünge“ a paper from Dr. Herbert von Bose published by Schnell Steiner (ISBN 978-3-7954-1954-7).

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Heinrich Denke was born in 1974 in Schlesien / Preiskretscham – German part of Poland. His farther worked as entrepreneur and his mother as Ceramicist. Due to his German roots his childhood was especially marked by conflicts with the communist system and its breakdown. Very early Heinrich Denke became curious about uncommon places like destroyed bunkers from WWII which were like a big playground for him. During the period of the cold war and the iron curtain his family (mother, father and sister) fled to Western Germany when he was 11 years old (1985). They left under the excuse to visit the grand mother who lived in Germany with nothing but a kind of camping car. Heinrich Denke used the new freedom won for him and his family for his artistic development. During his schooldays he worked as photographer and later as chief editor of the school’s magazine. Mr Denke was also involved in the Media administration for teenagers. His artistic achievements during this period were assigned from the school commission. The fascination for uncommon places remained and his first artwork confrontations with industrial spaces in Mannheim arose. After high school he had to join the military and succeeded his training as sapper. After the training he was promoted to the staff and fulfilled the period of service as military photographer. The time in the military was overshadowed from the Balkan War and therefore the training was as realistic as possible (“unorte” of special kind). After the time in the military Mr Denke’s wish to devote himself fully to creativity was fulfilled by studying at a private art university. The fascination for uncommon places still remained during the studies and he was able to use the knowledge about photography for his first worldwide photo art projects (e.g. Egyptian necropolis) . Due to the very good performance during these projects he could finish his studies faster and received his diploma certificate as artist. Master studies in graphics followed. He then worked as an industrial photographer, in art Gallerys, in design agency and managed cultural and art events. Despite the bad world economic situation he founded his own Gallery and art agency in 2002 and later his own school of fine art. The gained independency is always used for Heinrich Denke’s own art at the “uncommon places”. Together with an PhD art historian he wrote publications, portraits of artists and organized exhibitions. During this work the theoretical fundament for the “Unorte” arose. By travelling through Europe, Asia, Africa and New Zealand he subject of the “Unorte” is considered under global point of view. In addition to numerous exhibitions Heinrich Denke published scientific papers with “Unorte” as main topic.