In times like these turning to nature it is a great way to calm the nerves a bit. At least for me. Here’s a woodcut I finished a few days ago showing a topographical view (or adaptation rather) of a small stretch of the Danube river, in the „young“ course of this waterway. There is mist along the shore, clinging to the trees and the embankment. Which gives the work its title: „Misty“.
It is part of the collection of woodcuts I am creating for Geberit.
And it kinda works. The sabbatical I mean. From Instagram. I am not really thinking about it and have managed to focus better on my upcoming exhibition in May. I have a strong concept now and need to work out how to present it. It will integrate the space, it will be radical, and is still a lot of work to complete until it opens in less than two months, but hey, everything else would be boring, right?
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little big Update (and Works on paper)
“LIfe Goals”, ink on paper, 29,7 x 21 cm (2021)
check availabiliy here
I have been asked recently why there is not more new work online this year. I guess a lot of people are assuming that as an artist there is not much to do these day but be in the studio and churn out new pieces.
Well. I doubt that is applicable to every artist. Definitely not to me. The whole lockdown situation with homeschooling is taking a major toll. And while I love nothing more than spending time with my young son, you don’t get any work done when trying to support your kid while school and politics are failing in doing a proper job in this crisis. I know, this is a bit too general as well, I am sure there are teachers out there giving everything to help their students. Not in our case though, sorry.
But that is only a part of the reason why I am not spending every workday in the studio. There is the issue of transitioning the gallery to my oldest son, Melvin. He is in tough spot as well, considering the difficult situation he is in with not being able to show art at the physical space in Hamburg. He now moved most of it to the online world, but I am currently building him new moveable walls so he can make exhibitions in the windows. He has an exciting plan for this, it is going to be good! However, being the carpenter and builder in our set up, I am working a lot in the wood-workshop now too (which I just optimized in the beginning of the year, it’s a beauty to work there now! It is not all bad ;))
Then there are a lot of (art) projects I am working on, for my partners at Geberit and the Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei for example, and also I have two bigger shows coming up this year, that need preparation. I still have to find a way to squeeze in my writing for the book, and yes, my farm in the countryside is another thing that needs a lot of attention this year, with some part of it in desperate need of repair and redevelopment. That house is very, very old.
I did not yet mention my podcast heliumTALK. But … well. That is an issue for a separate update, as I am not sure that it is really necessary any longer, with the digital overload of the times and new conversation platforms rising (such as Clubhouse for example). I need to think on that one a bit more.
I don’t need to get into the part of my life that is private, my family, my taking care of them and being the cook and handyman and loving father and such, and how I manage to get some hardcore fight workouts somewhere into this schedule, but let me just say this: I usually get up at 5. I dig into computer work right away with a cat and a coffee on my lap on the sofa, still in my pajamas. And after a looooong day I fall to sleep exactly five minutes after I go to bed, which can be anytime between 10:30 pm and way past midnight, depending on the workload …
The update about my art? I recently started one large work in my Hamburg studio. It is going to be big and it will take a few weeks to complete. And I also took out pens and paper again so I can do some drawings in between, because those are perfect for me to get into the zone when time is scarce.
If anything is available to acquire, it will be in the artwork section on heliumcowboy’s online portfolio here. Or just contact Melvin. I also updated this website with a lot of my current and earlier and vintage works on paper.
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay sane, stay radical and anti fascist and help those in need wherever it is possible for you. And keep in touch, I love hearing from you all.
Jörg aka Alex Diamond aka FvK ;)
Recent drawings
Happy New Year
“Harmony” | woodcut - wood, acrylic paint. 30 x 40 cm. 12/2020
Not much to say yet. Too early. But it is all good - looking forward to this brand new year, looking back grateful for how it all turned out despite a f***ed up 2020, and always staying positive.
Love you all, thanks for stopping by, for the endless support and appreciation of my work.
First show of the year opens already this January at Weingut Tesch - find out more here.
Some angry beasts at Feinkunst Krüger
I’ve created a small group of apparently angry beasts for the 15th edition of the annual super-exhibition “Don’t Wake Daddy” at Feinkunst Krüger Gallery in Hamburg. This is the biggest Low Brow-exhibition in Europe, and the artist line-up is full with insanely great talent:
Alexandra Lukaschewitz, Ana Juan, Aniela Sobieski, Andrey Klassen, Anthony Pontius, Brad Woodfin, Brian Serway, Caitlin McCormack, Claudia Six, Dewi Plass, Dolce Paganne, Elmar Lause, Erlend Tait, Ewa Pronczuk-Kuziak, Fred Stonehouse, Gregory Hergert, Hazel Ang, Heiko Müller, Jason Limon, John Casey, Kisung Koh, Marc Burckhardt, Marco Wagner, Marcus Schäfer, Mario Maplé, Miriam Zadil, Martin Nill, moki, Naive John, Pamela Tait, Paul Neberra, Susanne König, Stig Bergas and Tripper Dungan.
Honored to be part of this again! The exhibition is curated by Heiko Müller and Ralf Krüger.
Even though it is tricky times you should visit the gallery - it is open Thursday – Saturday 12 – 7 pm, and aditionally December 21 - 23 from 12 – 6 pm (or get in touch). You can also check out more information and images through the website of the gallery and download a pdf with the exhibited artwork here (7,3 mb PDF).
No flag
November 3, 2020
Allright, it’s time for another politically infused (or rather inflamed) painting, this one here is a brand new Flaum van Kreuzen that I have been working on and off for some weeks now, aptly titled
NO FLAG
and still unavailable at the moment, as I am not sure if I will continue working on it after the coming night. It might need more rage, but maybe it also needs a bit more healing powers, let’s see how it all goes down on this rough day. One good thing about my van Kreuzen-project is that there are no other goals for these works than the process of creation itself. If that makes sense.
Now dear people with their brains still attached to the values of humanity and democracy - go put an end to the shit show. The world deserves a break.
Who the fuck is Flaum van Kreuzen?
Or better: Why?
It is all here, at this link.
Inaugural group exhibition
ANDERSEN
SCHRADER
VAN KREUZEN
at heliumcowboy, September 5 - October 17, 2020
This video shows the new catalgue we published with heliumcowboy - the very first ever of the work of Flaum van Kreuzen. You can buy it online here.
Video from the exhbition (fast forward)
heliumcowboy goes fully abstract - with three heavyweights of the game, starring danish painter Morten Andersen, Hamburg based shooting star Paul Schrader and Jörg Heikhaus‘ latest side project Flaum van Kreuzen.
Three very different positions in one space, all strong, passionate, emotional and engaging in their very own way.
"HOPPY WATERS" | new print edition
Together with Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei I launch a special edition print on FRIDAY, August 7th, starting at 10 am. You can get it online, of course, but if in Hamburg - heliumcowboy is open Friday from 10 am - 6 pm.
ABOUT THE EDITION:
Special silk screen print edition celebrating friendship - and alcohol free craft beer. It is exclusively available as standalone print at the heliumcowboy online store and the gallery, or packed into an 18-bottles ü.NN-beer box at shop.kehrwieder.beer (or directly at the brewery). In connection with the beer, the print is reduced in price (10 € less). The proceeds from the complete print run will be shared between Kehrwieder & heliumcowboy because, you know, as friends more than business partners we support each other.
The artwork is an adaption of the label created by Alex Diamond for ü.NN, the celebrated and award winning alcohol free beer of the Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei in Hamburg.
It is called „Hoppy waters“ and was printed in an edition of 80. There are 6 additional prints available that are hand embellished by the artist (see below). You can purchase them online and at the gallery as well.
Print details:
Edition of 80
Paper size: 30 x 24 cm
3-color silkscreen print on Canson Edition
320 g/qm paper
Signed & numbered by the artist
Embossed with the artists’ seal
Hand-embellishing one of the prints of the edition for Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei by drawing over them. I did that with six of the additional prints, if you are looking for that extra special special edition …
Reflection.
This is a time to reflect and be active and think about the state of the world and how we can make change happen and stick and … I guess most of you are in a similar emotional place right now. I can’t tell you how often I have started to write a longer post and then didn’t post it after all because honestly I am not sure if this is the way I can show my support best, in adding more words on the Internet.
You know where I stand and that I will never keep my hands idle in times of terror and greed and racism and brutal injustice delivered by the hands of the elected such as the a*hole in the White House and his minions and anyone else supporting any of these or similar beliefs.
Fuck them. There is land to be farmed and a world to be build for the future of our kids so that they still have one worth living once we’re done with it.
Have a nice weekend if you are working the fields with me. The second image of this post is a painting for you by Flaum van Kreuzen aptly titled „The end of a Superpower“. It’s all in there.
Flaum van Kreuzen: THE END OF A SUPERPOWER, 2020Lino printing color, acrylic paint, spraypaint, oil pastels, marker, marker fluid, polychromos pens on wood. 65 x 60 cm.
On the other side of the storm
I have carved these waves for over ten years, inspired by the grandmasters of the japanese woodcut like Hiroshige or Hokusai. This year I return a bit to these more straightforward and clean works, in an even more reduced color palette (one in the backgound plus the wood).
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORM
Part 2 of a series of 4 woodcuts
Wood, acrylic paint, 40 x 30 x 3 cm (2020)
This is from a series of original artworks I am creating for my ongoing collaboration with Geberit.
Happy New Year and the final drawings ...
Number #100 ! The final piece …
Allright. So here we are, the year 2020 is pretty young, and so I think a Happy New Year is still in order! ❤️
Here’s a little update on last years’ project “The Daily Drawings of Alex Diamond”: I finished drawing number 100 in December 2019. I might continue with something similar in 2020, we’ll see, but this part of the project is closed now.
There's been a lot of requests lately, and most of them are gone now. This is humbling and beautiful, and in case you still want one - here is what is left (status while writing this post), and here you can find all 100 of them.
I will however produce the 2nd mini catalogue shortly (Nr. 1 was from drawing #001 – #050, Nr. 2 will be from #051 – #100). I took the liberty to frame them all and change the price a bit: they are 99 € (framed and with free catalogue Volume 1).
Still way too cheap if you ask me, except maybe for the number #100! If you want that - that’ll be 999 €.
Why? Well, because it is and alway will be the rarest one. 😉
Charley and The Farmer
Most likely the last two woodcuts of 2019. It has been a challenging year, an interesting year, good in so many ways but too busy in so many others. Well.
Here you go with “Charley” (right) and “The Farmer” (left), both 47 x 37 x 5 cm in size, and shown for the first time at the group exhibition “I bought my wifa a painting for Christmas but all she really wanted were Jewels and Pearls” at heliumcowboy (Dec 6, 2019 – Jan 31, 2020), featuring Winnie Truong (CA), Jaybo Monk (FR), Victor Castillo (Chile), Jens Rausch (DE), Rune Christensen (DK), Jon Todd (CA), Fabian Wolf (DE), Various & Gould (DE) and Rasmus Rinhack (DK).
New Series of work and final exhibitions 2019
Alex Diamond: Philomena (2019)
Woodcut and acrylic paint, 100 x 7 x 3 cm
Just presented the first three works of my new series at the exhibition “X Jahre Kunst in Hamburg” at the Affenfaust Galerie in Hamburg, next to the beautiful paintings of Jens Rausch.
Next exhibition is at the heliumcowboy gallery opening December 6, 2019, featuring work by Winnie Truong, Various & Gould, Rasmus Rinhack, Jaybo Monk, Fabian Wolf, Victor Castillo, Jens Rausch, Rune Christensen and Jon Todd.
Work in progress
Exhibition views “X Jahre Kunst in Hamburg” at Affenfaust Galerie Nov 2019
Philomena | new series of woodcuts (WIP)
A little update from my new series ... the special and new thing with this one is that I am working really colorful and that I am using my woodcutting technique to bring out different layers of colors in the work itself after I’ve painted over it .. well, it may not make sense in words, but then again most art doesn’t, so I hope these pictures help.
I am going to show the first few works of this series at "X Jahre Kunst in Hamburg"** Nov 14-17 at the Affenfaust Galerie in Hamburg (Vernissage Nov 14 at 7 pm).⠀⠀
** [ "X Jahre Kunst in Hamburg" is an annual group show of several Hamburg art galleries in the huge space of the Affenfaust Galerie . I will show with heliumcowboy alongside my dear friend Jens Rausch. Other galleries in the show:Feinkunst Krüger, Galerie Kai Erdmann, heliumcowboy, Galerie Oel-Früh, xpon-art, Oberfett, Evelyn Drewes I Galerie, Gudberg Nerger Gallery, Affenfaust Galerie ]
Study of a cowboy
Study - woodcut, acrylic paint (40 x 30 cm) © Alex Diamond / Jörg Heikhaus
A study of a Cowboy for a new direction of woodcuts/paintings I am working on. I am really happy with where this is going so far. Now it is time to start with the larger format and see where it takes me. ⠀
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Some people may wonder why my work varies a lot between series. There is a 100% similar handwriting, but still, I am exploring new ways a lot. ⠀
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Simple reason: curiosity. Bundled with my dedication and passion, it lets me search for different paths quite often. And at the end of the day, the only person my process has to satisfy is me.⠀
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I still hope you like it ;)
Latest works
I have finished some new work lately, it is great to be at the studio again.
If you are interested in these woodworks, please visit either heliumcowboy.com/store or get in touch with heliumcowboy.
Think of me only when you dance (2019)
Acrylic on wood / woodcut
50 x 30 cm
Come away with me (2019)
Acrylic on wood / woodcut
50 x 30 cm
Monkey eyes (2019)
Acrylic on wood / woodcut
40 x 30 cm
First "Daily Drawings"-Fanzine released
Here it is - the first volume of my Daily Drawings project. I want to print a fanzine every 50 drawings. They are limited, and you can pick them up at the heliumcowboy gallery or order them online here on this page.
"The Daily Drawings of Alex Diamond"
Volume I (drawings 1 - 50)
15 x 15 cm, 28 pages (120 g/m3 offset)
Edition of 250
signed