Peter Hujar & Paul Thek @ Mai 36 Galerie in Zurich

Peter Hujar and Paul Thek met in 1956. Until Hujar's death, the two artists remained close friends - a strong connection on both a spiritual and artistic level, which influenced the artistic work of both artists.

The life and art of Peter Hujar (1934-1987) are closely connected to New York. He moved in the intellectual environment of avant-garde dance, music, art and drag performances. Originally coming from the field of commercial photography, Hujar became more interested in depicting real life from the early 1970s onwards and from then on photographed people, animals and plants, still life, landscape and city, with the portrait taking a central place in his work.

Paul Thek (1933-1988) was an American sculptor and painter. Besides the sculptures and installations for which he is best known, he also created paintings and drawings. In the early 1960s Thek travelled to Europe, where he created extraordinary environments that were shown in important international exhibitions. In them, elements from the fields of art, literature, theatre and religion were intertwined, broadening the concept of work at the time and questioning the perception of art and life. 

The group exhibition will be on view throughout March 14, 2020 at Mai 36 Galerie Raemistrasse 37, Zurich, CH. photographs courtesy of the gallery

PAUL THEK: Diver, A Retrospective

Paul Thek: Diver, a Retrospective is the first retrospective in the U.S. devoted to the legendary American artist Paul Thek (1933–1988). A sculptor, painter, and one of the earliest artists to create environments or installations, Thek was first recognized when he showed his sculpture in New York galleries in the 1960s. These early works, which he began making in 1964 and called “meat pieces,” resembled flesh and were encased in Plexiglas boxes that recall minimal sculptures. With his frequent use of highly perishable materials, Thek accepted the ephemeral nature of his works—and was aware, as writer Gary Indiana has noted, of “a sense of our own transience and that of everything around us.” With loans of work never before seen in the U.S., this exhibition is intended to introduce Thek to a broader American audience. On view at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles - May 22 to August 28 - website.