Gallery MOMO presents the second solo exhibition by experimental mixed media painter Vivien Kohler, aptly titled “This Too Shall Come To Pass.”
At the core of his work, Kohler looks to articulate and capture the complexities of the human disposition and this current exhibition is an extension of this theme — particularly highlighting the journey to a sense of inner freedom and breaking away from earthly bonds to find hope.
Talking about his inspiration for the works presented, Kohler says he looked to Greco-Roman sculptures but tried to not be too specific in his referencing.
Vivien Kohler’s solo exhibition asks of you to find liberation within yourself
This Too Shall Come To Pass, presented by Gallery MOMO, is Vivien Kohler’s latest exhibition and signals a revival of hope after a turbulent season
Image: Gallery MOMO
Gallery MOMO presents the second solo exhibition by experimental mixed media painter Vivien Kohler, aptly titled “This Too Shall Come To Pass.”
At the core of his work, Kohler looks to articulate and capture the complexities of the human disposition and this current exhibition is an extension of this theme — particularly highlighting the journey to a sense of inner freedom and breaking away from earthly bonds to find hope.
Talking about his inspiration for the works presented, Kohler says he looked to Greco-Roman sculptures but tried to not be too specific in his referencing.
Image: Gallery MOMO
“I find being specific leads to alienation and in these works I try to dispel the notion that one has to be versed in the history of Greco-Roman philosophy or its aesthetics,” he said in a statement. “For me, that does not matter. So, I’ve taken that notion out of context, thereby allowing other kinds of persons to enter into that being, into that likeness and in this case, the black body. The power of these images lies in the heuristic and invitation for each person to see themselves within them.”
He also adds that the concept behind the artworks that appear to be flying or levitating is a metaphor for finding liberation within oneself.
Image: Gallery MOMO
Familiar in Kohler’s work is the use of found objects and discarded material, but interestingly, the artist decided to replicate the qualities of the found material this time around.
“The found objects are replicated with resin and Fibreglass. I decided to ‘arrest’ the natural process that found objects would naturally go through such as rust and decay, thus giving the works longevity,” he said.
“But the decision to replicate is not only for archival purposes, it is also in terms of the insights of my work, which is reality vs perception. There is reality, but then there’s also the perception of reality. We do not always live in both worlds. Most of the time we live in the perception of reality, especially in our current culture. So, the materiality of the work, the found objects allude to the reality of the truth and the painted parts are the perceptions.”
This Too Shall Come To Pass opened on August 6 at Gallery MOMO and will run until September 17.
• Born in 1976 in Cape Town, Kohler lives and works in Johannesburg and has exhibited in art fairs and group shows across the country and globally.
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