2010, June 20th - July 19th
Exhibition of Wolfgang Brenner and Sarantis Gagas

more pictures of the opening

The Foundation World Art Delft (WAD) in the Netherlands invited in 2005 for the first time Wolfgang Brenner and Sarantis Gagas to participate into an art symposium and an exhibition.  Before we ever met each other personally I already have seen their artworks. A mutual colleague of us, Joyce Bloem, showed me some photographs of their paintings. Thatʼs why I invited them to be part of the first WAD symposium ʽReconstruction of the Newʼ in 2005, where 12 artists from all over the world worked together at our location in Delft. They lived in trailers and worked together in one big studio, guided by architecture, cinema, poetry and music.
Since that time they are our so called WAD Artists. For the last 5 years we follow their developments securely and have become friends. I appreciate them as a real professional artist.

Wolfgang Brenner: the poet.
I had the opportunity to watch him how he works. First creating his own studio between all other working artists. A simple table easel and chair becomes his studio, like it was there all the time. Starting with sketches in small sketch-books. Listening to his own music on the headphone. Working hard but very quiet. He knows exactly what he wants to do. Using different material like wood, old notebooks, old doors and gives them a new purpose. For me Brenner is an artist whoʼs not afraid to walk a new path, to take make new steps. He is looking for new materials and skills to express him. The result of his work is always a surprise. I am always surprised how many emotions, poetry and expressions he can put in the color white. He is a big inspiration for other artists.

Sarantis Gagas: the philosopher.
Since we work together I know Sarantis as an artist who like to makes a concept before he starts with his artwork. He uses different materials but the last years he works a lot with glass, a transparent medium which he uses to translate his ideas. Sarantis looks for his forms a way close to the earth. Sometimes hidden behind glass or raster, sometimes digging in the earth. Let himself be inspired by big ancient Greek philosophers, subject like social issues, he shows a sense of social commitment. He is a great observer. Sitting, looking, say never too much. The way he developing his ideas and worked it out is sometimes funny. The philosopher Sarantis Gagas walks and works outside, in his overalls like a real craftsman.

Paula Kouwenhoven

Curator and Director

World Art Delft