Artio Magazine by artiogallery

ART IO

THE ART & CULTURE MAGAZINE

Director/Curator in Chief

Bisa Bennett

An accomplished and experienced artist herself, Bisa Bennett understands the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for artists to exhibit their work. As a curator and multimedia designer, she is also well-versed in creating engaging opportunities for viewers to experience art. “At our gallery, our vision is to serve as a dynamic and inclusive platform that fosters connections between artists and art enthusiasts, nurturing a vibrant and diverse artistic community,” she explains.

Cover Photo Artist: Marta Carceller

Instagram: artio.art.gallery

Email: exhibit@artiogallery.com

Heinz Marzohl Interview

The Importance of the Art Fair

12 Represented Artist

Carming Red Horse, / acrylic on wood / 75 x 100 cm

UNMISTAKABLE PAINTINGS BY HEINZ MARZOHL

HEINZ MARZOHL

Heinz

Marzohl’s paintings are unmistakable, they are instantly recognisable for their bold compositions, vivid colour palette and almost stippled surface. The artist’s paintings have a primal quality, wherein subjects, emotions and ideas are distilled into key symbolic elements. For example, in Yellow Boat in the Sea, Marzhol simplifies and deconstructs the boat, sea and sky into abstract forms. The result is a painting that captures the movement of a boat at sea, the energy of a wave and the warmth of a sunset sky. In The Bull of Saintes Maries, the artist depicts Saintes Maries in Provence by simplifying the architecture of 9th century Church of the Saintes Maries de la Mer. A blue bull dominates the foreground. In Running Camargue Horse, Marzhol captures the dynamic movement of a horse as large splashes of water spring from its hooves, against a swirling landscape. Marzhol is skilled at creating a powerful image by capturing the essence of an experience or an idea. “The way of creating a picture has changed again and again over the course of my 30-year career. What has remained [is] my conception of art. I don’t paint what I see, I paint my thoughts, my fantasies and my dreams. This can be something I have experienced, from which I then create something new and unprecedented with symbolic, archaic forms and touching colour tones. This is often a very long process with many sketches and drafts before I venture onto the canvas,” explains the artist.

The breacher man / acrylic oncanvas /

Marzohl’s paintings are characterised by a rich and vivid colour palette. With a background in lettering technology, digital printing and graphic design, the artist has a profound knowledge of typography, reprography, serigraphy, materials, and colour theory which informs his practice. He finds inspiration in the work of Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), a group of 20th century painters who sought to free art from expected conventions. The Blue Rider saw creativity as a way to express spiritual experience and took an innovative approach to colour and form. For The Blue Rider and Marzohl colour is a medium for emotional expression. Marzohl elaborates, “For me, colours are music for the eyes. Colours touch the soul and express feelings and moods. I have spent my whole life very intensively studying the effect of colours and studied all available books on colour theory. My paintings are based on this great knowledge. With a skilful selection of neighbouring colours, you can make the soul of a person vibrate and express joy or sadness.”

Boats in Sunset / acrylic on canvas / 75 x 100 cm

The sad pirate / acrylic on canvas / 75 x 100 cm

Marzohl’s paintings are unique for the highly personal way in which the artist renders his subjects. The artist explains, “With touching, subtle picture stories and a fascinating play with colours, I want to revive memories, inspirations and dreams in my paintings. Again and again with the deep desire to create a unique, iconic masterpiece.

The Bull of Saintes Maries, / acrylic oncanvas / 75 x 100 cm

Carming Red Horse / acrylic oncanvas / 75 x 100 cm

The Importance of the Art Fair “

The Role of Art Fairs in Shaping the Contemporary Art Market

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Art fairs have grown in number and significance considerably in recent years. Pearl Lam writing for Forbes reported that in 2005 there were 68 major art fairs, while in 2024 there are set to be at least 377 art fairs across the world. Art fairs are an essential part of the global art market. Notable fairs in the art world calendar include big hitters such as Art Basel, Frieze, The Armory Show, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair and Art Dubai as well as fairs for more modest pockets such as the Affordable Art Fair. According to The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2024, 29% of artwork sales in 2023 were made at in-person art fairs. While the economic value of art fairs is important to note, the significance of the art fair as an epicentre for international gallerists, collectors, curators and art lovers cannot be overestimated. For example, in 2023 it was documented that 79,000 people attended Art Basel Miami Beach. The Affordable Art Fair reports that more than 3.3 million people have visited the fair worldwide since its inception in 1999.

The phenomenon of the art fair is intrinsic to the contemporary art market. Below Artio explores some of the reasons why:

A Global View

Art fairs give visitors the opportunity to visit a global collection of galleries in one location, providing a truly international view of the contemporary art market. At an art fair, an artist’s work reaches beyond a local or national audience. Those artists exhibited are located within an international context and are exposed to a broad and diverse audience of other artists, gallerists, and collectors.

Visibility & Value

The art fair has a legitimising effect on the work of both established and emerging artists. Visibility at an art fair gives an artist credibility, which therefore impacts the market value of their artwork. For example, after discovering the work of Amoako Boafo on Instagram, gallerist Mariane Ibrahim dedicated a whole booth to the artist at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019. Baofo’s presentation was an instant sell-out, motivating high demand from collectors and museums alike. According to the BBC, the record price for Boafo’s work is currently £2.5m.

An art fair can also provide visibility for historically overlooked

artists. For example, artworks from 1945 to 1975 by Surrealist Alice Rahon were presented by Gallery Wendi Norris at Frieze Masters in 2021. This exhibition was part of a resurgence of interest in the artist’s practice that saw her work included in museum exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Tate Modern, London (2021-2022) and the Venice Biennale (2022) among others.

Current Trends

Art fairs are a barometer for measuring current trends in the art market. They are a framework for accessing work by new talent as well as established artists gaining new recognition. Programmes such as the Focus section at Frieze London showcase innovative emerging art scenes and ‘ones to watch.’ Focus presents galleries that are 12 years old or younger, creating a snapshot of what is new and upcoming. At Frieze Masters, Spotlight is a section that features

presentations of rare works by 20th-century artists. In 2022, Spotlight presented 26 influential yet underrepresented female artists thereby showcasing an important, often invisible chapter of art history.

Paying attention to which galleries and artists obtained sales can also be a way of measuring current market trends. For example, Artsy documented that in the 2023 edition of Frieze, two of the biggest reported sales were sculptures by late women artists: Louise Bourgeois’ Knife Work (1949) sold for $3 million, and Lousie Nevelson’s sculpture Model for Celebration II (1976) sold for $2 million.

Network

Art fairs provide a unique confluence of artists, gallerists, curators, collectors and art lovers. They provide a platform for networking, conversation and learning. As such, they impact the shape of the art world and the art market, they help to determine trends, visibility and value. While an economic endeavour, the best fairs are arguably those that provide moments of discovery, and that ultimately celebrate the enduring power of art.

In Retrospect / Acrylic on Canvas / 30 X 20 cm

CCatching Snowflakes, / Acrylic on Canvas / 30 X 25 cm

CHER PRUYS

Multi-award-winning artist Cher Pruys is celebrated for her hyperrealist paintings that capture people, places and everyday moments. Pruys’ painterly skill is exemplified in works such as Catching Snowflakes and In Retrospect which not only depict people with remarkable realism, but they also encapsulate the character and personality of a person. In Retrospect is a restive contemplative portrait, while Catching Snowflakes embodies a playful and youthful spirit. Pruys’ paintings are a masterclass in detail, texture, surface and illusionistic depth. The artist describes the purpose of her art, “To take my inner visions with my hands and create a work of art for you the viewer…That is the ultimate in self-expression.”

JOHN E WILLIAMS

But Mocks The Steady Running Of The Hours / oil on canvas / 140 X 140 cm

John E Williams has created a unique visual language inspired by his Celtic heritage. The artist’s oil paintings are characterised by lyrical imagery that alludes to symbolic or metaphysical narratives. Pieces such as Like The Freedom When You Fall and Songlines, contain within them interwoven patterns, abstracted figures, and fluid lines. Working on a circular canvas, the artist’s ornamental works have an elemental or celestial quality, reminiscent of an eye, sun, moon or even a portal. There is poetry and symmetry to these layered works. Williams explains, “For me, there is now far greater enjoyment in the challenges of painting what I think rather than what I see.”

To Ramona / oil on canvas / 140 X 140 cm

‘Dyf’s Seventh Veil’ / oil on canvas / 140 X 140 cm

LAUREN FORCELLA

Autumn Vineyard / oil on canvas / 76 x 100 cm

LaurenForcella spent her childhood in nature, developing a passion for the earth that led her to study geology and later work as a hydrogeologist. This deep affinity with the natural world is embedded in her monumental oil paintings that capture the beauty of nature. Works such as Aspen Trail and Autumn Vineyard encapsulate the sense of awe felt when faced with a sunsoaked hilltop or a dense and towering forest. Forcella is an incredible colourist, her paintings go beyond pure realism to capture the emotion of a place. Like the Fauve painters of the 19th century, she uses colour as an expressive material applying a vivid chromatic palette. Working in a style that can be described as ‘Impressionism alla prima’ the artist captures the changing light and ambience of mountains, fields, sunsets and seascapes.

Aspen Trail / oil on canvas / 100 x 76 cm

Blossoms / acrylic on canvas / 80 x 100 cm

MARI KEMPF

ForMari Kempf art is freedom. The artist sees art as a medium through which to explore her experiences beyond prescribed rules and conventions. Her practice is an expression of her own unique artistic and creative journey. Works such as Blossoms and Unterwasserwelten depict dynamic abstract compositions, geometric forms and expressive textured brush strokes. Kempf’s abstract language is diverse and distinct, it chronicles her emotional state and personal experience.

The artist explains, “The aspect that matters most to me is the process of creation itself. Often it starts with just one element that comes to mind which then triggers the whole journey of artistic expression whereby the result is a unique manifestation mirroring a specific emotional state in one moment of my life.”

Unterwasserwelten / acrylic on canvas / 80 x 100 cm

Fluttering Dreamscape / Mixed Media, / 20 x 20cm

MARIANNA

Marianna

paints from the heart, taking inspiration from her daily life as well as her personal and emotional journeys. Butterflies and flowers are a recurring theme in the artist’s work, symbolising change, growth, transformation and evolution. In Let the Light In the artist builds a sculptural surface using clouds of white paint and hand-painted relief butterflies. Flecks of gold and glimmers of blue emerge from the canvas. Fluttering Dreamscape is the second piece in the artist’s ‘Rebirth’ series, wherein the artist explores the human spirit through a series of dreamworlds inspired by the subconscious. In this piece, white butterflies dance across a landscape of richly coloured flowers. In a statement, Marianna describes her work as being “free from traditional structure and open to personal interpretation.”

Let the Light In / Mixed Media / 20 x 20 cm

MISHACLA

Colour is central to the work of artist Clarissa Pettanice, aka “Mishacla.” Utilising a bold and dynamic colour palette the artist uses colour to express emotion and connect with the viewer. She explains in a statement, “The colors are entrusted both with the task of breaking any wall that may be created between the work and the spectator, and with creating that emotional and liberating involvement that is needed.” Inspired by encounters between people and facial expressions, Mishacla distils emotions into simplified lines, vibrant brush strokes, and geometric forms. Nei tuoi occhi and L’addio embody the artist’s exploration of the human condition, her Pop aesthetic and her playful use of colour. Mishacla’s exuberant paintings are imbued with energy and emotion.

Nei tuoi occhi / acrylic on canvas / 80 X 90 cm

Myriam Dutra’s paintings map human interactions and everyday experiences. Pieces such as Intensa Quietude IV and Fim de Conversa have a cinematic quality, they capture scenes from everyday life, celebrating and memorialising the beauty of these moments. Dutra is a figurative painter deeply inspired by the Impressionist movement. This inspiration is evidenced in the artist’s use of a rich colour palette and her depiction of ‘plein air’ scenes. Dutra uses an incredible technique incorporating watercolour sticks, acrylics, pastels, gums, mineral paints, gold leaf and egg yolk tempera to document the beauty of everyday human experiences. The artist explains, “My painting cycles happen as an overflow of everyday life interactions and mix academic studies on human communication and consciousness with painting techniques.”

Fim de conversa / Watercolor and pastel on paper / 40 x 40 cm

MYRIAM DUTRA

Awakening / Oil Colour and fusain on Canvas / 120 x 100 cm

PINAR TURE GURSOY

PinaTure Gursoy’s paintings capture the beauty and strength of the female form. Pieces such as Awakening and Nude en Rouge demonstrate the artist’s formidable ability to represent both strength and vulnerability, softness and corporeality. Awakening depicts the twist and bend of female figures bracing themselves against a seemingly blinding light. The unique composition of Nude en Rouge suggests a figure contorted and confined. Ture Gursoy’s paintings trace inspiration from modernist masters such as Pablo Picasso in his Blue Period and Lucian Freud. The softness of the paint and the ambiguity of the figures also recall the work of contemporary painter Marlene Dumas. At the same time, Ture Gursoy has developed a visual language that is all her own. Her unique aesthetic imbues paint with deep emotion, casting her female figures in an enigmatic, surreal and mystical light.

Nude en Rouge / Oil Colour on Paper / 50 x 25 cm

Viktoria Villanyi, a Hungarian-born mixed-media artist and art historian, captures the power of nature’s primal elements—earth, water, sun, and energy—in her work. Inspired by humanity’s ancient connection to these forces, Viktoria’s semi-abstract, surreal pieces delve into our spiritual ties to the natural world and ancestral roots. With her background spanning art theory, Iberian and Latin American studies, and extensive travels, she draws from diverse cultural traditions, bringing depth and a cross-cultural resonance to her art. Her recent exhibitions in Madrid showcased paintings and 3D works that integrate metal, wood, and varied paint textures, merging organic forms with industrial materials. This blend of architectural geometry and raw materials reflects her unique vision of nature’s energies. By intertwining the past with contemporary themes, Viktoria’s art invites viewers to reconnect with timeless elemental forces and explore the spiritual dimensions of human experience.

Primal Scream / Grito

Primario_Mixed media on wood / 55 x 63 cm

to hidden treasures II / mixed media on canvas / 30 x 40 cm

VIKTORIA VILLANYI

Compass

“Beyond Borders” exhibition, hosted by ARTIO GALLERY at the European Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona, Spain. October 11-13th, 2024

THE ART & CULTURE MAGAZINE