Maria Zerres

Johannes Vogt Gallery is pleased to announce Maria Zerres' first solo show with the gallery, Woman. Zerres' new body of paintings captures the female figure in a strong palette of ultramarin-cobalt-mangan blues. The figures seem fast moving and energetic as well as contemplative and still at the same time. Woman, a central theme in the artist's oeuvre, has found a new and vibrant form in these works.

The Samurai’s Woman

(Die Frau des Samurai)

The Samurai and his wife came to visit a big estate. Ha Ha Ha laughed the estate’s landlord as the Samurai and his wife were about to leave. “I know what you have in mind,” he said. “You’re planning to disown me.” And - stroking the wife’s cheek bones - he whispers in her ear. “And you’re a mischievous one, I can tell.”

Just yesterday the Samurai and his wife discovered a letter in the mail that concluded with the paragraph: “If you have any questions or would like a complimentary market evaluation of your home, please give us a call. Complete discretion is guaranteed. Warm regards….”

The Samurai’s wife put a kettle on the stove, brewed some green tea and fixed up some biscuits. As the Samurai was sitting down and started to sip the nourishing hot tea he said: “Demand high prices, strong in the robust New York real estate market.” She smiled at him and said: “We are definitely not selling.” And that was the end of that.

Maria Zerres made a painting in 2000 titled “The Samurai’s Woman” (Die Frau des Samurai) and while it doesn’t depict the above story its strong colors of red, purple, turquoise, blue and black make one thing very clear: the Samurai’s wife can read and write – more than can be said about her husband, the Samurai. His abilities lie in the NANO field (he measures air particles) – that’s all for today.

To be continued: The Eye of the Samurai or: how to say the right thing even though you have no clue.

- Franz Dahlem, New York, 2007 / 2019

Maria Zerres was born in Linden, Westerwald, Germany in 1961. She has exhibited internationally, including but not limited to, Galerie Brigitte Schenk, Cologne, Germany; Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah UAE; Galerie Bruno Bischofberger, Zurich; Galerie Ulysses, Vienna; Texas Marfa Brite Building; Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Germany; Jablonka Galerie, Cologne; Galerie Daniel Buchholz, Cologne; Tony Shafrazi, New York; Ayn Foundation, New York; and the Venice Biennale, Italy.