Portraits without faces and sneakers made of paper – what appears contradictory at first glance characterises Juewen Zhang’s unconventional artistic signature. On Friday 30 May, the exhibition ‘Bitte Schuhe ausziehen’ [Please take off your shoes] opens at the Goldstein Gallery, presenting the work of the Frankfurt artist. His works have already been shown in numerous exhibitions – including at documenta fifteen and most recently at Art Düsseldorf.
Juewen Zhang’s large-format charcoal pictures, drawings and paintings are characterised by a special form of naturalistic precision. Zhang draws attention to parts of the body and objects that are often overlooked as inconspicuous details in everyday life. In his art, for example, the crown of the head becomes the main motif that creates identity. With subtle humour and conceptual acuity, he questions the tradition of classic portraits and breaks with the centuries-old enthronement of the face as a measure of identity and individuality.
The title ‘Bitte Schuhe ausziehen’ refers to Zhang’s great passion for Vans – ‘the most beautiful shoes in the world’, as he says himself. In the exhibition, an oversized, four-metre-long Vans shoe made of paper literally confronts you.
WHERE Goldstein Galerie, Schweizer Str. 84
OPENING Friday, 30 May 2025, 7 pm
RUNNING TIME 31 May – 12 July 2025
MORE info here
FURTHER PROGRAMME 2025
Selbermann: Die Grellung
26 July – 6 September
Opening 25 July | 7 pm
Selbermann pursues an interdisciplinary overall design of his environment. This has resulted in an impressive wall design in the Arp Museum Bahnhof Rolandseck. Such a collage of numerous techniques and formats is being created with new works for the Goldstein Gallery.
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Tina Herchenröther: Alle sollen schweigen
27.9. – 8.11.
Opening 26.9. | 7 pm
Following the exhibition ‘love love’ 2023, Tina Herchenröther has expanded the theme of love for herself: on large-format canvases, the artist explores same-sex and polyamorous love.
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Group exhibition
29 Nov – 20 Dec
Opening 28 Nov | 7 pm
The Goldstein Gallery celebrates the end of the exhibition series with works by all the artists that have been created over the year.
