Armin Boehm | LUST ANGST SCHMERZ EKSTASE | König Galerie (Nave) | 11.09.–27.10.2024

until 27.10. | #4437ARTatBerlin | König Galerie (Nave) presents from 11. September 2024 the Solo Exhibition LUST ANGST SCHMERZ EKSTASE of the artist Armin Boehm.

KÖNIG GALERIE is delighted to present LUST ANGST SCHMERZ EKSTASE, a solo exhibition by Armin Boehm in the nave of St Agnes. The exhibition marks Boehm’s debut at the gallery and features his latest series of paintings that explore the tangled web of human emotions, exploring desire, fear, pain and ecstasy through his distinctive, multi-layered approach. Created between 2023 and 2024, the works explore a wide range of subjects, from the Donald Trump assassination to Berlin’s Berghain nightclub. Boehm dissects and criticises the political and social landscape through a lens that is both satirical and reflective, positioning himself as a keen observer of our times.

In his paintings, which are accompanied by preparatory drawings that give an insight into his creative process, allegory and caricature intermingle in a rich tradition of social commentary. Vivid, hybrid characters and chaotic scenes are meticulously crafted to convey a sense of unease. This approach is reminiscent of medieval iconography, which used dramatic and often unsettling imagery to convey religious, moral and social messages. In addition, Boehm’s work draws on the exaggerated forms of satirical art of the early 20th century.

Armin Boehm, Lust Angst Schmerz Ekstase, 2024, Berlin, Photo by Roman März, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE

Enigmatic figures – who transform into machines, cartoons, animals and their unconscious selves – channel a time characterised by crisis, upheaval and the relentless flow of information. Boehm’s multi-layered technique juxtaposes different textures, colours and forms to create a complex tapestry of the zeitgeist. Collages with patches of fabric lend his works depth and a tactile quality. These elements act like a second skin and enhance the physicality and emotional resonance of the paintings. His canvases become a battlefield of clashing components that symbolise the fractured and multi-layered nature of postmodern life.

Masks, both literal and metaphorical, are a recurring motif that reflects the performative nature of identity and the layers of artificiality that define everyday interactions. On this hyper-real world stage, authenticity becomes performative – a concept that resonates in an era dominated by social media and political spectacle. Boehm’s hybrid characters embody this change and move in a world where the real and the simulated are increasingly indistinguishable.

Inspired by ‘Pigsty’, a film by Pier Paolo Pasolini from 1969, IL PORCILE, 2023/24, is set in a dystopian scene around a casino table where players from all over the world play a high-stakes political poker game. Their faces are fragmented, never fully recognisable. As they play, a half-naked female figure, wearing only a star-spangled bikini top, chews on the table’s carpet while two men slide gold coins between her legs. In the background, King Kong – as a metaphor for art that literally reveals the truth – breaks through the architecture to reveal a view of the New York City skyline. His body is adorned with scenes from the artist’s personal life. By mixing real and fictional figures in overlapping areas, Boehm reinterprets Pasolini’s critique of the establishment.

Armin Boehm, Lust Angst Schmerz Ekstase, 2024, Berlin, Photo by Roman März, Courtesy of the artist & KÖNIG GALERIE

In WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR, 2023/24, a giant two-faced puppeteer, reminiscent of Gepetto from Walt Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’ from 1940, pulls the strings of political figures while standing on a boat. His uncertain fate runs parallel to that of the boat, which is being sunk in the harbour by an ominous pink figure while a fisherman pours oil into the water. Like the story of Pinocchio, the painting serves as an existential metaphor for self-determination. A reclining reader, anticipating the painter, reflects on this idea and engages with Albert Camus’ “The Stranger” and the theory of the absurd.

LUST ANGST SCHMERZ EKSTASE is an unsparing exploration of the human experience and challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths in a world that seems to be constantly on the brink. Like a seismograph, Boehm records the shocks of social change with a sharp, critical eye. In a time characterised by wars, inflation and social stress, his images feel urgent and relevant. The subterranean atmospheres he creates tap into the collective unconscious, where repressed desires and fears are given free rein. They reflect a fractured world and openly question the conditions that shape our reality.

Image Cation: Armin Boehm, IL PORCILE (detail), 2024 © Courtesy of the artist and KÖNIG GALERIE

Exhibition Armin Boehm – König Galerie | Zeitgenössische Kunst in Berlin | Contemporary Art | Exhibitions Berlin Galleries – ART at Berlin