Moritz Götze Encounters Rourke Art Museum

On Oct. 20, The Rourke Art Museum in Moorhead will be displaying an exhibit showing off the work of German pop artist Moritz Götze.

Götze’s work has been on display in museums and art galleries all across Germany and much of Europe, but the Deutsche Kunst (German Art) exhibit marks his first foray into North American audiences.

The centerpiece of the show will be the artist’s take on German-American artist Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze’s painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” However, this version has been done as large-scale enamel with a decidedly ironic, modern twist. For instance, a man in the foreground of the piece can be seen scrutinizing a laptop during the titular event.

The centerpiece, much like the rest of the pieces in the exhibit, features the artist’s bright and broad pop art design. Tania Blanich, executive director of the Rourke Art Museum explained her thoughts on the artist in the exhibition’s press release.

“At first glance, his work seems to fall squarely in the Pop art tradition, with its bright, cheerful colors. But delving deeper, one finds an intriguing array of artistic, historical and social commentary, from current politics to Prussian history to Manet’s Dejeuner Sur L’Herbe,” enthused Tania Blanich, Executive Director of the Rourke.

“We’re thrilled to showcase an artist of Moritz’s stature. It’s particularly exciting to juxtapose his work with that of the pop artists included in our permanent collection, including Lichtenstein, Rosenquist and Warhol.”

The exhibition begins on Oct. 20 and will run until Jan. 20, 2013. Curator and art historian Dr. Jörk Rothamel as well as the artist will also be holding a talk at 2 p.m. on Oct. 21. Throughout the exhibition’s run, the museum will also be hosting a number of informal lectures concerning the art as well as special tours from art historians.

Some details about Götze and his career were also included in the press release.

“About the Artist:  Moritz Götze was born in Halle an der Saale, in the former East Germany, in 1964.  His first artistic medium was screen printing, which proved useful in producing concert posters for his punk rock band. Screen printing wasn’t his only link to Pop Art. His father, Wasja Götze, was one of the few pop artists from East Germany. Moritz Göetze’s artistic practice expanded to include painting, drawing and enamels. Coming of age as an artist in East Germany, Götze had to wait for the Berlin Wall to fall in 1989 before gaining international recognition. Around the millennium, he began to focus on political themes, often tying historical topics to the present. His work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout Europe.”