Voice-Calling-Echo-You: Sara Sizer / Bernd Lohaus

Gallery Sofie Van de Velde at New South presents "Voice-Calling-Echo-You", a duo- exhibition showcasing paintings by Sara Sizer and the sculptures of Bernd Lohaus. Both Sizer and Lohaus use materials that already have a story to tell, and employ forms as metaphors for human interaction. The azobé wood in Lohaus’s case, which was collected from the docks in Antwerp, reveals scars and discolouration by dint of its erstwhile deployment. In contrast, Sizer’s velvet fabric, wrinkled from storage, brings to mind notions of femininity, luxury, or even religious habit. Working with references and patina is common for both artists, who deliberately do not start ‘from scratch,’ but see their materials as partners in their practice.

Bernd Lohaus (1940-2010), was a seminal influence as an artist in Antwerp and far beyond within the context of social sculpture, Fluxus and Arte Povera. From 1966-1976, he also played a prominent role as a gallery owner, in conjunction with his partner, Anny De Decker, running their exhibition space ‘Wide White Space’.

Sara Sizer (b. 1957) is an American painter from Dallas, Texas. She has lived and worked in San Francisco, New York City and, for the last 20 years in Berlin, Germany. This is her fourth exhibition with Gallery Sofie Van de Velde.