.

Kind, gentle and fully dressed | Exhibition photos

181126_ALEX-DIAMOND_KINDGEN TLEANDFULLYDRESSED_EXHIBITIONVIEWS_3371.jpg

Wow. The show is open. On Saturday, Nov 24 we had a tremendously wonderful Vernissage!! I couldn’t have wished for a better night for this! THANK YOU!

Below are some installation photos from the complete show. Hope you like them! They are also on my facebook, if you are still using that. There are some words about the exhibited work series here.

The exhibition is on display at the heliumcowboy artspace until January 20, 2019. If you wish to visit, please drop me a note or contact the gallery. And of course Follow me on instagram, I’ll post all valuable info and opening times there too.

There is a (german language) podcast out where I talk with Andreas O. Loff about the new work and the exhibition, you can find it here:

heliumtalk.com | Spotify | iTunes / Apple Podcast

KIND, GENTLE AND FULLY DRESSED | Solo-Exhibition opening Nov 24

November 24 - January 20, 2018:
KIND, GENTLE AND FULLY DRESSED
Solo-Exhibition at heliumcowboy, Hamburg

Vernissage Saturday, November 24, 7–11 pm

Follow me on instagram to see updates from the work in progress towards this exhibition

There is a (german language) podcast out where I talk with Andreas O. Loff about the new work and the exhibition, you can find it here:

heliumtalk.com | Spotify | iTunes / Apple Podcast

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

For „Kind, gentle and fully dressed“ Alex Diamond (Jörg Heikhaus) retreated into the solitude of the rural north and produced a very personal new series of work. He looked at our society from the distance to the restlessness of the City, our social-media driven cohabitation and the oversaturation of our daily life. The artworks – a mix of woodcut and painting - were created intuitively and dynamic in a spontaneous process.

This series consists of flat wooden boards instead of the layered, stage-like constructions of Alex Diamond’s major work of the past years. The results are unique woodcuts that are abstract, graphic and figurative at the same time, interspersed with quotes and text fragments from music and film.

At first glance these new artworks seem to account for the assumed lightness of the impulsive work process in the studio. Their stories unfold when taking a closer look, when following the numberless cuts into wood – in some works amounting to thousands of carvings – and when putting the text fragments into context with current events. Doing so you can discover the intensity and complexity of the paintings and their subjects.

There is an underlying political and social discomfort in this new oeuvre, like in most of the work of Alex Diamond. As an artist he takes responsibility and comments through his medium and craft and in his very own, intimate way. There is anger, rage even, but also hope and encouragement. This depth in regard to the content however isn’t pushed into the aesthetic and thus visible foreground, but develops more like a good song, by engaging into melody and rhythm, harmony and disharmony, lyrics and voice.

ABOUT ALEX DIAMOND

‚Alex Diamond‘ was initiated as a stand-alone art project by Jörg Heikhaus in 2004. Although it outlived its original intent around 2009/10, it has become Jörg‘s stage name as an artist since.

Essentially being a determined and straightforward storyteller, most of his artwork can be seen as an exploration of contemporary culture and its recurring social recognition patterns, with strong references to popular content and aesthetics.

Jörg has been an exhibiting artist since 1987. He founded the heliumcowboy gallery in 2002 as a unique place to show and experience art. Today he spends most of his time creating his complex woodwork in Today he spends most of his time creating his complex woodwork in one of his studios - one he built from vintage wood inside the exhibition space, another one that lies in the remote countryside. He also runs the podcast „heliumTALK“.

IMAGES FROM ‘THE WORK IN PROGRESS’

HELLO MY DEAR - exhibition & re-opening of heliumcowboy

Can‘t wait to show you my new series of woodcuts/paintings I am working on right now to be finished for Hello my Dear, the Re-opening of the Heliumcowboy Artspace this Saturday (March 24, 7 pm).

Inspired by the music of Charlie Parker and Miles Davis and blending it with country and punk in my head (and on the record player at the studio) it is a sweet little in-between group of works that merges my past as a painter with my woodcutting techniques of today.

Feels really good to be working this way for now ... Well. Lot’s of words, best you come around this Saturday in Hamburg and take a look yourselves:

HELLO MY DEAR
Opening Saturday March 24, 19:00 – 23:00
more information | facebook event

Work in progress on my new series of work - THE FREEDOM PAINTINGS. To be launched Saturday, March 24, at heliumcowboy in Hamburg.

Finally A Cowboy

This was actually the last piece I've finished for my exhibition "Weapons Of Mass Seduction 2", my show together with Victor Castillo at heliumcowboy Nov 11 – Dec 16 in Hamburg.

"Finally A Cowboy" is a sculptural, painted woodcut that floats on the wall. It includes a bit of my biography ;) and seemed to be the perfect work to close* this eventful year in which I turned 50 and heliumcowboy 15 years old and I had the privilege to share so many beautiful moments with so many wonderful people over the course of the past 12 months.

To early for an annual review, I stop myself here and hope we find an opportunity to chat personally about all this at some other time. If you are in Hamburg, this could happen at the exhibition, which is open until Dec 15, or at the Finissage we'll host on the 16th (more info / FB event).

PS: If you are interested - you can check the availability of this work at the heliumcowboy artsy page.

PPS: this is the work I have been working on when the NDR was at my studio to film and interview me. Here's the vimeo-link to the feature if you haven't seen it yet.

* note: well it ain't the last piece I made in 2017, but still ...

WEAPONS OF MASS SEDUCTION 2 WITH VICTOR CASTILLO

Video from the opening of the exhibition "Weapons Of Mass Seduction 2" by Philip Simon / Silberblick.co

This winter, from November 11 – December 15, my friend and fellow artist Victor Castillo and me embark once again on the journey of a joint exhibition. A cooperation we begun in 2014 with the first edition of "Weapons Of Mass Seduction" - we feel our work fits very well together, in it we tell stories of similar reference and we do have the same taste in art, movies and music, which mirrors a lot in our pop-oriented creations. A perfect match, despite the very different techniques we use.

We always wanted to do a sequel to this 2014 show, and finally we managed to find the time and the support for a second edition. While our concept is not exclusively tied to the heliumcowboy gallery in Hamburg, it was the most obvious to do it here again. Which said - we are both open to show the third edition in a different city, country and gallery ...

Anyway. The Opening on Nov 11 was a blast! Here are a lot of gallery views from the exhibition. There will be a video and some images later from the opening, too. And all the exhibited artwork can be found on the gallery's artsy-page.

Oh and here's a video from the opening back in 2014 ....

Video from the exhibition Victor Castillo & Alex Diamond WEAPONS OF MASS SEDUCTION September 13-27, 2014, in Hamburg presented by heliumcowboy gallery / Film by Kool Motion Pictures / Tobias Sundermann / Music: Walkin' by NITRO17

(Too Much) Monkey Business

This is probably one of my more self-explanatory works. So no words of wisdom from me this time. You‘ll figure it all out yourselves! 🙏

One thing though: This work was created for the 25-year anniversary exhibition of the Galerie Wolfsen in Aalborg (Denmark), opening September 23. Kent Wolfsen and Rasmus Fischer picked me up for their fine gallery in January 2016, and I am super grateful for everything they did for me since.

Alex Diamond: (Too Much) Monkey Business (2017) Sculptural WoodcutWood, acrylic paint, 40 x 30 x 14 cm (15.7“ x 11.8“ x 5.5“)

The Bronco Buster revisited

The work "The Bronco Buster Revisited" quotes the most famous statue of the Old American West, the Bronco Buster by Frederic Remington, first cast in bronze in 1895 (one of the very first casts of many stands in the Oval Office, by the way). Of course I took my liberties with it. And placed it into a modern day environment instead of the plains of Kentucky. But despite the contemporary urban setting there is a lot of that Americana-feeling in this piece.

This work also took me to a new level of creating stage-like, sculptural woodcuts. Despite it being smaller sized in regards to the wall space (48 x 48 cm / 18.9 x 18.9 "), it comes 65 cm (25.6 ") out of the wall and can be viewed from all angles (front and sides), creating new perspectives when you move around. It is not a true three dimensional piece of course, I'd call it "fake 3-D", because it is completely made from the planks I usually use for my woodcuts and built a little bit like a wooden toy on a theatre stage.

Well, enough said. I hope these images do it justice, as usual it is rather difficult to show in photographs. Hope you can see it live at some point, it makes a lot more sense then.

For availability of this piece you can contact the heliumcowboy gallery directly via sales@heliumcowboy.com or visit their artsy-page.

PS: This work was first shown at the exhibition COWBOYLAND celebrating 15 years of the heliumcowboy artspace that opened on in summer 2017 with a wonderful opening event (watch the video here). At this very unique show, 55 artists from around the world exhibited one work each at the gallery in Hamburg.

Cowboyland!

Guys, we are getting closer to a very special event - in a bit more than a month I hope many of you will join me to celebrate 15 years of heliumcowboy artspace, the gallery I have founded in the year 2002 in a small space in Hamburg St.Pauli, a stone's throw away from the Millerntorstadium.

I have invited 57 artists for COWBOYLAND, our anniversary show opening July 15, that we will celebrate not only at the current gallery space in the Neustadt, but also in the backyard with a sweet summer party program, starting early in the afternoon at 3 pm!

I am so thrilled about the incredible line-up we got together for this, so happy that all these amazing artists confirmed to show with us on this special day:

4000 * 56K/Ole Utikal * ADAMEVA * Adrian Landon Brooks * Alex Diamond * Alekseij Mirnij * Alex Yanes * Andrea Wan * Antonio Santin * Beau Stanton * Ben Tolman * Ben Venom * Blami * Boris Hoppek * Casey McKee * Christophe Lambert * David Shillinglaw * Elmar Lause * Frank Rösner * Gary Taxali * Heiko Müller * Heiko Zahlmann * Jan Kaláb * Henning Kles * Jade Townsend * Jay Olé * Jaybo Monk * Jeff Soto * Jens Rausch * Jeremy Fish * Jim Avignon * Jo Fischer * Jon Burgerman * Jon Todd * Julia Benz * Mario Kleinschmidt * Mercedes Helnwein * melv12* Michel Lamoller * Mikael Takács * Milos Koptak * Miroir Noir * moki * Morten Andersen * Pandarosa * Rai Escalé * Rainer Boronowski * Rune Christensen * Ryan Monahan * Samuel Basset * Stefan Groenveld * The London Police * Victor Castillo * Volkano * Wasted Rita * Will Barras * Zezão

It has been quite a ride ... I will share some memories with you on heliumcobwoy.com over the next weeks, please check this link for the latest stories.

hugs & kisses ❤️ & thank you for 15 great years!

Facebook event: Cowboyland - the first 15 years of the heliumcowboy artspace
More info at heliumcowboy.com

New works and Retrospective Exhibition

Alex Diamond: Multi-layered, sculptural woodcut. Wood, acrylic paint, resin (2017). Ca. 30 x 33 x 9 cm (11.8” x 13” x 3.5”) (check availability) — Alex Diamond: Multi-layered, sculptural woodcut. Wood, acrylic paint, resin (2017). Ca. 30 x 33 x 9 cm (11.8” x 13” x 3.5”) (check availability)

Three of my brand new multi-layered woodcuts are currently on display in a huge exhibition in Hamburg. This show by Jenny Falckenberg Unique Art Concepts takes place in the museum-like settings of the backrooms of the Rebelle Pop-Up Boutique on Hamburg's finest shopping streets, Neuer Wall 72. It features work by Billi Methé, Franziska Stünkel, Christian Awe and Karl Göhrlich.

I have a very large space to present artwork from 2013 until today. It is some kind of unexpected (smaller) Retrospective of my art. If you are in Hamburg and you are interested in Alex Diamond, you should head over and check it out. I will be there again some time on Saturday, May 13 (last day of the show!). Drop me a mail if you want to have a tour: studio@alexdiamond.net

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10 am - 7 pm, Sat 10 am - 6 pm.

Exhibition ends Saturday May 13 - hope you can make it!

And please check the video below to get an idea for the exhibition.

Alex Diamond: ... we'll be whole Multi-layered, sculptural woodcut. Wood, acrylic paint, resin (2017). Ca. 30 x 33 x 9 cm (11.8” x 13” x 3.5”) (check availability) — Alex Diamond: ... we'll be whole
Multi-layered, sculptural woodcut. Wood, acrylic paint, resin (2017). Ca. 30 x 33 x 9 cm (11.8” x 13” x 3.5”) (check availability)

The World Is Yours Baby | Woodcut for Jonathan LeVine Gallery

Alex Diamond: The World Is Yours BabyMulti-layered, sculptural woodcut. Wood, acrylic paint. Ca. 90 x 65 x 12 cm (35,4” x 25,5” x 4,7”), January 2017 — Alex Diamond: The World Is Yours Baby
Multi-layered, sculptural woodcut. Wood, acrylic paint. Ca. 90 x 65 x 12 cm (35,4” x 25,5” x 4,7”), January 2017

This artwork was created for the inaugural exhibition of the new Jonathan Levine Gallery in Jersey City on February 18, 2017. It is a sculptural, 4-layer woodcut, painted and brushed/sponged with acrylic paint. It was produced in Hamburg at my studio between December 27, 2016 and January 18, 2017.

The artwork tells a story of modern day life, of nature and urbanity, where a cemented world becomes the background for various smaller stories of individual human (and not so human) beings, told with lots of imagination and spurs of absurdity in mind. With the bear and the forest as other key elements, this piece is also about trying to keep a world in balance that seems to become crazier every day.

„The World Is Yours, Baby“, the title of this work, is something you‘d tell someone close to you, to inspire that person to go out and explore, create and grow. But it can also be seen as a challenge or a warning to take on responsibility and be commited.

I stop myself here from going too far into the details of, for example, all those people in the work, even though each and one of them does mean a lot to me. I do not like to give too much insight in my thought process behind my artworks, because I want to leave room to your own story to find its way into the image. One of the reasons I love to work with layers is because they create depth and hidden places, thus building spaces in the artwork that can be taken over by everyones‘ imagination. I hope you enjoy this work as much as I did creating and building it.

***

If you are interested in acquiring this work, please contact sales@jonathanlevinegallery.com

The exhibition "Welcome To Jersey" opens February 18, 2017. It features an amazing line-up of artists, and I am very honored to be a part of this very special exhibition amongst Adam Wallacavage, AJ Fosik, Alessandro Gallo, Alexis Diaz, Andy Kehoe, Ashley Wood, Augustine Kofie, Beth Cavener, Camille Rose Garcia, Carlos Ramirez, Chloe Early, Cryptik, Dan Witz, Diego Gravinese, Eloy Morales, Erik Jones, EVOL, Gary Taxali, Haroshi, Hush, Jeff Soto, Jim Houser, Joel Rea, John Jacobsmeyer, Jorg Heikhaus/Alex Diamond, Josh Agle (Shag), Kazuki Takamatsu, Mab Graves, Martin Wittfooth, Mary Iverson, Matt Leines, Matthew Grabelsky, Michael Reeder, Miss Van, Nick Walker, Nychos, Phil Hale, Ron English, Shepard Fairey, Tara McPherson and Tristan Eaton.

SUPER(FAT)HEROES

These more "playful" works were created for DON‘T WAKE DADDY XI, the annual super-group -show at Galerie Feinkunst Krüger in Hamburg, curated by Heiko Müller and Ralf Krüger.

They are mounted to the wall using magnets, so they seem to „hover“ in the air like superheroes do. The distance from the wall can be varied depending on how many magnets you place between wall and artwork. The backsides of the works are painted blue & red to have a slightly different shadow.

Check for availability through sales@heliumcowboy.com

The Darwinist | new woodcut

Alex Diamond: The Darwinist (2016)woodcut, acrylic paint, 63 x 36,5 x 5,5 cm (24,8” x 14,4” x 2,2”) — Alex Diamond: The Darwinist (2016)
woodcut, acrylic paint, 63 x 36,5 x 5,5 cm (24,8” x 14,4” x 2,2”)

Let me introduce you to ‚The Darwinist‘, a strong-minded, slightly aggressive yet humble and thoughtful Wooden Being ... best spotted in the early mornings. when the air is crisp and clean. Living in the outdoors, far away from civilization but strongly connected to mankind.

First in a new line of sculptural woodcuts, this work can be mounted on a wall or placed free-standing. It consists of 2 parts that are easy to assemble - just slide the character into the base.

For the exhibition "MENSCHTIERWIR", curated by Elmar Lause at Affenfaust Galerie in Hamburg.
October 7 – November 11, 2016. Vernissage October 7, 8 PM.

First show and new artwork in 2016

Alex Diamond: Encounter at 4 am (2015)Multi-layered woodcut, acrylic paint, ca. 150 x 125 x 13 cm (59” x 49” x 12.5”) — Alex Diamond: Encounter at 4 am (2015)
Multi-layered woodcut, acrylic paint, ca. 150 x 125 x 13 cm (59” x 49” x 12.5”)

„Encounter at 4 am“ is a woodcut built from 6 layers in total, and it‘s the deepest I have created to date. It takes us far into a forest for what appears to be a rather unusual encounter between a hunter and some kind of mythical animal, resembling a man and his responsibilities in life. You could say that there are elements of inner conflict, of patience, hesitation, surprise and tension perceptible in the meeting of the two parties.

This encounter in the depth of the woods takes place in the very early hours, when the day still seems to be full of innocence and opportunity. Being an early bird myself, with my days often starting some time between 4 and 5 in the morning, I appreciate the solitude and tranquility of these moments before the world wakes up for its daily grind. It is a time you truly have to yourself. Thoughts spin slower and with more depth. Energy levels are fully charged but only used ... delicately. Creativity arises, ideas are born, but everything‘s still a bit dreamy in a softly distorted way. It is an excellent time for decision making, albeit in a rather lighthearted and slightly irrational way.

This woodcut will be first shown at the exhibition "PULS'16" at Gallery Wolfsen in Aalborg, opening January 9. (link: more info & Facebook event)

The Great Outdoors

A rather lighthearted series of three (individual) woodcuts, “The Great Outdoors” shows my deep respect for nature and wildlife as well as my desire to travel the countryside and enjoy nature’s wonders. Relaxing in in front of a crackling campfire with a few beers, a guitar and my family or my best friends is probably the closest I will ever get to so-called ‘Wellness’-activities.

These woodcuts are the outlook you have from the edge of a forest. However, these works are not just postcard images. The added warnings, albeit in an aesthetically freely interpreted version, are reminiscent of the various safety information signs in a National Park. Here, they are comments on current social behaviour … which I guess I won’t have to elaborate any further on. I am sure you’ll get the idea.

More detail images below.

These three works can be seen at "Don't Wake Daddy X". An international Group exhibition, curated bei Heiko Müller & Ralf Krüger, opening December 5 at Feinkunst Krüger Gallery in Hamburg.

Artists: Van Arno, atak, Anthony Ausgang, Dan Barry, Jana Brike, Chris Buzelli, John Casey, Victor Castillo, Paul Chatem, Brendan Danielsson, Danielle de Picciotto, Alex Diamond, Mark Elliott, Charles Glaubitz, Benjamin Güdel, Thorsten Hasenkamm, Gregory Hergert, Ryan Heshka, Femke Hiemstra, Charlie Immer, Gregory Jacobsen, Boje Arndt Kiesiel, Susanne König, Craig LaRotonda, Elmar Lause, Sean Lewis, Jon MacNair, moki, Sergio Mora, Heiko Müller, Thorsten Passfeld, Anthony Pontius, Bene Rohlmann, Wolfgang Sangmeister, Marcus Schäfer, Allison Sommers, Fred Stonehouse, Marco Wagner.

I owe you a love song / for everything I've done wrong

My most recent work: a self portrait, created on the occasion of the Elmar Lause curated group exhibition "Das eigene Ich", which opened May 16 at the new location of the Affenfaust Galerie in Hamburg St. Pauli.

44 artists were invited to present their (inner) selves in self portraits for this show (complete artist line-up and exhibition information below).

About the work

This self portrait, created between April 5 and May 9 2015, is a combination of a complex, sculptural woodwork, my trademark woodcutting technique and diverse painting and pigmenting styles. I also used resin in the structure, which not only is a new favorite in my materials palette, but also ads the necessary weight to the piece. The complexity of the work and how it was composed and created over a stretch of four weeks at my studio is an important part of my 'self' within the admittedly unusual portrait. Besides various rather personal narrative elements, followers of my work will not be surprised that there is a double team blowing the clarions, which is also a reference to the 'creation' of the Alex Diamond project over a decade ago.

This work, 170 x 130 x 10 cm large and slightly heavier than your average painting, is titled after a quote (taken out of its original context) from a Mike Patton/Tomahawk composition: 'I owe you a love song / for everything I've done wrong'. This is not necessarily simply an attempted excuse to those who still deserve one (or more) from me, but also a way of understanding the importance of making mistakes and figuring out ways of dealing with them. What could be better than writing a love song whenever you are taking the wrong turn? At the end of the day, when all goes dark, there will be no view. Only music.

This picture gallery below is a small documentation of the process involved creating the work:

'Das eigene Ich'
curated by Elmar Lause
Affenfaust Galerie
Paul-Roosen-Straße 43, Hamburg St.Pauli
www.affenfaust.de

Exhibition from May 16-June 4, 2016
featuring self portraits by these artists:

ALEX DIAMOND, ANYM, BASE 23, BENE ROHLMANN, BJÖRN HOLZWEG, BOJE ARNDT KIESIEL, CARINA CRENSHAW, COCO BERGHOLM, DANIEL FALLER, DANIEL V. EENDENBURG, DAVE THE CHIMP, ELMAR LAUSE, FABIAN WOLF, FLORIAN BREETZKE, FLYING FÖRTRESS, GOLDEN GREEN, HEIKO MÜLLER, HENNING KLES, JANA SCHUMACHER, JAYBO MONK, JOHAN SCHÄFER, JOHANNES MUNDINGER, JULIA BENZ, JULIAN GORTEN, JÖRN STAHLSCHMIDT, KI YOON KO, MAGDA KRAWCEWICZ, MARC BRONNER, MARCO WAGNER, MARCUS SCHÄFER, NONSKI, MYMO, NICOLAS FRÈMION, NIELS DE JONG, NILS KASISKE, NILS KNOTT, PATRICK FARZAR, PATRICK HENNE, PUSH, ROMAN KLONEK, SUSANNE KÖNIG, SYLVIE RINGER, ULI PFORR, VARIOUS AND GOULD, ZIPPER DIE RAKETE.

Exhibition view from the group show "Das eigene Ich" at the new location of the Affenfaust Galerie, Hamburg.

Next stop: SCOPE Art Fair Basel with heliumcowboy

From June 16 - 21 I will be in Basel, showing my woodcuts at the booth of heliumcowboy gallery at the SCOPE Art Fair. heliumcowboy is part of JUXTAPOZ PRESENTS, a curated feature program of selected galleries at the fair. If in Basel, make sure to check out Booth A17 for work by me, Julia Benz and Victor Castillo.

Obviously I will be personally present at the fair, so if you want to meet at the booth - feel free to get in touch.

more: vistor info at scope-art.com