Leo Gallery Shanghai | Martin Wehmer Solo Exhibition: Garden of the Hesperides

Leo Gallery is delighted to present the solo exhibition Garden of the Hesperides by Martin Wehmer, on view from September 13 to October 27, 2024. In Greek mythology, the Garden of the Hesperides is a mystical sanctuary where the golden apple tree flourish, emblematic of abundance, allure, and timeless beauty. Using the exuberant blossoms and branches of Huahua as a point of departure, Wehmer sets the stage for a dynamic interplay of substance, color, and form.

 

“Lange stand ich am Ufer und suchte mit meiner Seele das Land der Griechen.”

(“For a long time, I stood by the shore, my soul in search of the Greeks’ land.”)

 

As a German artist who has made China his home for nearly two decades, Wehmer seamlessly weaves his perceptions of Chinese life into his canvases. His cross-cultural subjects delve into the shifting cultural meanings of everyday objects across different contexts. Concepts and symbols, once rooted in a singular cultural narrative, are reimagined through the lens of cultural interplay, yielding fresh insights. Wehmer’s work not only serves as a personal dialogue with life but also as a meditation on cultural identity and transformation, poised between his native land and his adopted home.

 

Wehmer's signature impasto technique infuses his work with palpable materiality and vibrant energy. The paint, vigorously applied, creates a textured surface that seems to pulse and breathe, defying the stillness of the canvas. His sculptural brushwork forges a tactile and visual intersection, drawing viewers into an immersive sensory experience. Through this lush formal language, Wehmer magnifies, deconstructs, and reconfigures figures and objects, crafting an abstract existence that both narrates and transcends reality.

 

From his series on "Greek Gods" and "Everyday Objects" to his abstract works, this exhibition brings together a diverse range of Wehmer’s creative endeavors from the past decade. In Garden of the Hesperides, Wehmer gracefully invites viewers to step into a hidden realm of rare flora, where one can wander, pause, observe, and discover a golden apple uniquely their own.