W. Gies

W. Gies (born June 15, 1945 in Flammersfeld as Maria Wilhelm Friedrich Gies ) is a German visual artist.

life and work

Gies studied free painting and wall painting at the Cologne factory schools from 1965–1970 , the last two years of which as a master class student . In 1976 he had his first solo exhibition at Galerie Veith Turske in Cologne and received a grant from the city of Cologne. From 1982 onwards, Gies was represented by Galerie Knoedler Zurich until it closed in 1986, together with artists such as Moshe Gershuni , Franz Gertsch , Nancy Graves , Robert Motherwell , Arnulf Rainer , Kimber Smith and Frank Stella .

His work includes pictures, drawings, sculptures, and art in architecture . In 1989 he developed the “ Stommeln Synagogue ” project for Pulheim's then head of culture, Gerhard Dornseifer . In times when superlatives of art exhibitions outnumber each other in terms of size and crowds, his idea followed a different path: once a year, a place, a room, a work. The project will thus be a “pronounced contribution to the public debate about monument culture in Germany” ( Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , April 1, 2005).

In 1993 he received the award “The building of the year 1992” for the artistic design of the Edith Stein Church in Hamburg-Neuallermöhe. Further orders for architecture-related work followed in Brühl / Rhld., Frankfurt, Kortrijk, Westerland / Sylt and at the New Mariendom in Hamburg.

His works are in public collections such as Lenbachhaus Munich , Sprengel Museum Hannover , Ulmer Museum , Brooklyn Museum , NY; Museum Guggenheim , NY, and MUMOK , Vienna.

The abbreviation W. stands for Maria Wilhelm Friedrich and is often incorrectly given as Werner or Walter in publications.

Exhibitions / commissions (selection)

• 1976 Veith Turske Gallery, Cologne
• 1977 Moriaan's - Hertogenbosch
• Schlinkhoven Gallery, Berg. Gladbach
• 1981 Cologne Deutz, 13 Cologne artists
• 1982 Knoedler Gallery, Zurich
• 1983 Knoedler Gallery, Zurich, Gershuni, Gies, Rainer / Knoedler Zurich, One man show, art 14/83, Basel
• 1984 Sylvia Menzel Gallery, Berlin / Würthle Gallery Vienna, art cologne 84
• 1985 Galerie Würthle Vienna, 'Meerland' / Galerie Knoedler Zurich, 'Meerland'
• 1986 Gallery Turske & Turske, Zurich, Armando / Gies / Turske & Whitney, Los Angeles
• 1987 Galerie Pels-Leusden, Berlin, 'Location 1987' / Art Station St. Peter , Cologne
• 1988 Wilkens & Jakobs Gallery, Cologne
• 1989 Swetec Gallery, Düsseldorf / St. Peter Art Station, Cologne, 'Lichtung' / Maria Wilkens Gallery, Cologne
• 1990 artothek Cologne
• 1991 Galerie Academia, Salzburg / St. Trinitatis, Cologne
• 1992 TransArt Gallery, Cologne, 'Buddha still smiles'
• 1992/93 Conception and execution of the interior and the glass windows of the newly built Edith Stein Church in Hamburg-Neuallermöhe / stage design for “Your letter to the wedding” (Botho Strauss), Theater Basel
• 1993 Bielefelder Kunstverein
• 1995 Galerie Raab, Berlin / London, 'Northern Light', art cologne '95, W. Gies, pictures and drawings and American art since 1947
• 1998 City Gallery Neuwied, 'Strings'
• 1999 Galerie Stracke, Cologne, 'Lichtung' / redesign of the St. Anna apse, Frankfurt / M.
• 2000 'Epiphany - Art Actuel et Religion' Parkabdij Heverlee, Leuven
• 2002/03 Galerie Stracke, Cologne, 'Painting and Sculpture'
• 2002/04 redesign of the chancel in the Sint-Maartenskerk (14th century), Kortrijk / Belgium
• 2005/06 design of the cath. Church of St. Christophorus , Westerland on Sylt
• 2007 Winner of the artistic competition 'Altarraumgestaltung' for the Hamburg Mariendom (19th century)
• 2008 Altar and choir room design of the Hamburg Cathedral of Mary (19th century)

literature

• John Anthony Thwaites : W. Gies, exhibition review WDR 2, March 31, 1976
• SD Sauerbier: Time - Cologne - Deutz, 13 Cologne artists are exhibiting. Cultural Office of the City of Cologne (ed.), 1981 A supporting event on Western art
• Andreas construction land, Peter Conrad-Kronenberg: Exhibition catalog W. Gies in the Waldhof. Bielefelder Kunstverein, Museum Waldhof, 1993
• Galerie Veith Turske (ed.): W. Gies works 1973-1976. Exhibition catalog Cologne 1976
• SD Sauerbier among others: On the equality of dissimilar. A synopsis of seemingly disparate art at this point in time. Cultural Office of the City of Cologne (Ed.), Catalog Time - Cologne - Deutz 13 Cologne artists are exhibiting. Cologne 1981
• Knoedler Zurich (Ed.): W. Gies - one man show. Catalog for the exhibition at art 14'83, Basel
• Knoedler Zurich, Galerie Würthle (Ed.): Meerland. Catalog for ART COLOGNE 84 and the exhibition at Knoedler Zurich. Cologne / Zurich 1984, ISBN 3-906620-020 .
• Hans Georg Sack: W. Gies - pictures and works on paper. Galerie Sylvia Menzel (ed.), Catalog Berlin 1984
• Armin Zwei : Meerland - on some of W. Gies' works. Galerie Leger (ed.), Catalog W. Gies Meerland. Munich 1986
• Franz Joseph van der Grinten , Friedhelm Mennekes: Abstraction - Contemplation Dealing with a topic of contemporary art. Katholisches Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 1987, ISBN 3-460-32471-6 .
• Galerie Pels - Leusden (Ed.): Location 1987. Catalog for the Berlin 1987 exhibition
• Friedhelm Mennekes : Triptych. Insel Verlag, Frankfurt am Main / Leipzig 1995, ISBN 3-458-16746-3 .
• Gerhard Dornseifer: Does art make sense - beautiful appearance is your goal. City of Pulheim - The City Director - Culture Department (Ed.), Jannis Kounellis, Stommeln Synagogue. Pulheim 1991.
• Gerhard Dornseifer: The Stommeln Synagogue Destroyed and yet preserved. City of Pulheim-Gerhard Dornseifer, Angelika Schallenberg (Ed.), Art Projects / Synagoge Stommeln / Art Projects . Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern-Ruit 2000, ISBN 3-7757-0999-1 .
• Andreas building site: On the painterly work of W. Gies, Peter Conrads – Kronenberg: Color FENSTER Form. In: Bielefelder Kunstverein - Museum Waldhof (Ed.): Catalog W. Gies in the Waldhof. Bielefeld 1993
• Armin Mack et al: Konsequent, K. Winnekes / W. Gies et al: “Chocolate boxes are not my thing”. In: art and church. 4, 1994, ISSN  0023-5431
• Martin Wurzer – Berger among others: The Edith Stein Church in Hamburg Neu-Allermöhe. In: the cathedral. Volume 48, 1, 1995, ISSN  0027-299X
• Hajo Antpöhler: 3… ..by Gies, Andrea Firmenich : Attempts at an approach - questions about the most recent work by W. Gies. In: Städtische Galerie Neuwied (Ed.): Catalog W. Gies. Strings, Neuwied 1998.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Registry Office Flammersfeld: Certificate of Descent No. 93

Web links

• The building of the year
• Hamburg Edith Stein Church the organ
• Hamburg Edith Stein Church
• Hamburg Mariendom