Session 1

Today, Berlin is a vibrant, cutting-edge international platform for dialogue, research, and exchange of contemporary art. Its history of German art encapsulates the capacity and tenacity of a community who have always sought to differentiate itself from the figurative works of neighboring nations. Beginning in the 18th century, when Germany was in conflict with its neighbors, there was a need to promote autonomy. In this context, artists had a duty to preserve their own culture without introducing elements from other contexts, or at least to personalize them.

Subsequently, the most important of these identity theories found their way into the core of the multiple artistic movements that have traversed Germany in the past centuries. The first among all the innovators of the figurative arts was undoubtedly Albrecht Durer, the most important exponent of the German Renaissance. It was precisely his woodcut prints that established his reputation and influence throughout Europe, making him the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance.

When it comes to German Romanticism, the first "romanticism" which developed in Europe between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th, it is important to mention the work of master Caspar David Friedrich. He was one of the greatest painters that ever existed. Respecting the romantic figurative investigation, Friedrich painted mainly landscapes marked by a strong Nordic character and a feeling of religious stillness. In these compositions, the human figure often appeared immersed in the deepest contemplation of the landscape.

Impressionism was imposed in Germany thanks to the work of some pioneering artists, and the artistic research of Max Liebermann. However, during the 20th century, German art went through many technological and cultural changes, including the two world wars, which led to the development of a wide range of artistic movements. In this rich cultural context, the impact of the work of artists such as Franz Marc, the greatest exponent of German Expressionism, Otto Dix, the most important artist of the Neue Sachlichkeit movement, and Max Ernst, pioneer of Surrealism and the Dadaist movement, stands out.

Galería Azur Berlin brings together the latest artistic trends through its “Sessions”. Artists from different generations who, in parallel with personality, choose to express themselves with autonomy and thus immerse themselves without speculation in the depths of language through forms, colors, matter, and especially the presence of the human figure, which opens the door to debate about the social role of art.

As a nod to German art history, each "Session" is based on the fusion of different techniques and languages, which are unified not only by styles or aesthetic approaches but also by ideological and philosophical stances from which they approach the visual language, expressing different poetic possibilities. The resources and means employed range from the most traditional, combined with industrial, recycled, and technological materials, united in harmony to enrich the possibilities of expression and communication between the work and the spectator.

Expanding the paths of plastic research, this fusion of different techniques and materials, resolved in the language of painting, drawing, sculpture, object, or installation, does not take diversity as a point of dissociation but as the search for achieving a greater expressive wealth of the same poetic thought.

Galeria Azur is pleased to present our latest exhibition, Sessions. These “Sessions” celebrate the integral role of art and music in Berlin's history and culture. From installations to performances, the exhibition will offer an immersive experience into the world of art and music, and explore the creative possibilities of their union.