At the art fair Berliner Kunstsalon 2009 Thomas Michel presents hydrographic works at the booth of Galerie Frenhofer in the Humboldt Umspannwerk Berlin at Prenzlauer Berg. In the foreground is shown the Hydrography “Landscape no. 89” from the picture series “Cyclus Cerealis”. The technique of Hydrography developed by Thomas Michel is a synthesis of drawing, painting and medial picture process. By sedimentation of ink pigments on film microscopically tiny pictures emerge that have approximately the size of a photographic negative. The original Hydrography is the starting point for the production of prints of any size and edition. Hydrographies also can be projected like slides or digitally and be can used for light installations.
The Berliner Kunstsalon has established itself as second largest fair of contemporary art in Berlin along with the Art Forum Berlin. The Humboldt Umspannwerk Berlin used for the art fair was designed in 1926 by german architect Hans Heinrich Müller and was used as transformer substation until the beginning of the nineties. The complex of buildings in Kopenhagener Strasse is considered as outstanding example of german industrial architecture of the early 20th century, and is listed as a historical building. On an exhibition space of 7500 sqm 71 exhibitors with approximately 250 single postitions were represented. The Kunstsalon attracted more than 16000 people interested in art in 2009, and was regarded as discovery fair where new concepts of emerging artists could be tried out far from the established positions on the art market and young galleries and project spaces could present themselves. The casual atmosphere at the booths in the industrial building revitalized for the fair was what made the particular charm of the Kunstsalon, and reminded of the early years of the boom of the Berlin art scene shortly after the fall of the Berlin wall. Traditionally the Kunstsalon opened one day before the Art Forum Berlin and the other satellite fairs, and provided party atmosphere among the guests in the german capital of contemporary art.
23.09.-27.09.2009