Gesamtkunstwerk

• October 4, 2018 – January 6, 2019

Featuring Jesse Amado

Artist Statement
Simply, my installation reflects my varied experiences while in residency at Künsterhaus Bethanian as a Contemporary at Blue Star Berlin Resident artist. Entitled, Gesamtkunstwerk, a German term which describes a total work of art that synthesizes many different modes, things, ideas, images, and styles, very much like Berlin itself. From the cobblestones on the sidewalks, the clothes worn by the populace, the multiple walls adorned with graffiti, the top floor at the Ka De Ve department store laden with foodstuffs.

With the style of Dutch Renaissance paintings, called Gravitas, in mind; I proceeded to collect a tableau of objects and images to symbolize my Berlin experiences. A composition resulted and was displayed throughout the studio. I will proceed today (two years later) to capture the experiences gained from my direct observations and participation while in Berlin.

Thus, I present Gesamtkunstwerk.

Artist Bio
Known for art that is conceptually based and highly formal, Amado’s practice occupies the liminal space that hovers between life and art. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, he received his BA in English from the University of Texas at Austin and his BFA and MFA from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Amado resided in both Texas and New York City for many years but has now chosen to live in his hometown full time.

“When I settle into the practice of art, past, and current, the one conceit that persistently unfolds is the desire to investigate the arc of the transmutation. This reflects my keen interest in the zeitgeist and the inherent dynamic qualities it posses that address the trends and thoughts of particular periods of time. My work endorses the quality of change and how limitless and liberating it can be for an artist. It resists the formulaic and instead embraces the free association and process that reflects the Freudian play of the creative act. Utilizing forms, images, materials, fashions, and media of human industries; I’m able to produce commentaries on the ambiguities of modern and contemporary culture and the investments that are ultimately made by society.” – Jesse Amado

Amado’s art can be found in various private and public collections throughout Texas, the United States and internationally, including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington D.C.; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; Dallas Museum of Art, TX; Blanton Museum, Austin, TX; San Antonio Museum of Art, TX; Linda Pace Foundation, San Antonio, TX; and El Museo Del Barrio, New York, NY.