René Stanger

Based in Karlsruhe, René Stanger was born in 1985 in Reutlingen, Germany. His artistic journey led him to study fine arts at the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe under the guidance of John Bock and Ernst Caramelle, enriching his creative foundation.

“I work artistically often associatively in confrontation with current issues: political, social, personal. The collages, as well as paintings and objects, usually cast spotlights on social incidents or relics. In my work, in addition to referential criticism with references to art historical themes, the question of a social reorganization is raised. As source material serves me “artifacts from various sources”.

René’s talent has graced numerous exhibitions, showcasing his unique artistry. From the “Open Studios” at the larger zero platform to the vibrant art festival “10 days / 10 rooms,” he has left his mark on the contemporary art scene.

His is exhibitions highlight his diverse and imaginative works, and his involvement in projects like the “GroßerNull” platform showcases his dedication to fostering art and creativity within the community.

#Ain’t_II_Ain’t (classic autonomous administrator). This work formally combines several techniques. In addition to the collage technique, a letterpress process is used here. This complementary visual layer creates a delightful interplay that can be seen as a tactile texture on the surface.

It is a very musical work. It does formally take up the classical topos of the painter with his muse. In terms of content, however, it also aims at the bidirectional situation of looking at and being looked at. No matter what the artist receives as a muse, it is ultimately a kind of self-questioning and self-observation, for which she/he needs a vehicle to be able to take a meta-level.

Gorgoneion proves to be a very energetic work for me. The title Gorgoneion refers to the head cut off by Perseus of the Gorgon Medusa. Whereby I understand this horror image here as a positive talisman. The third eye could stand for the emotional understanding that is inherent in every human being. It only has to be activated. Thus, the Gorgoneion watches over its owner and stimulates him/her to self-reflection. It can strengthen him positively. 

For me, Unfaceable represents a situation that everyone has found themselves in. Memories seem crystal clear and distinct. But after a certain time, they disappear. Even if they were so beautiful. I.e. they are no longer imaginable, become vague, shatter.

At the same time the question arises for me, how this could be representable in art. You have the feeling, but you can hardly imagine it anymore. So, in a broader sense, it’s about loss and the forgetting of beloved things that slowly fade away and sometimes only appear like a cracked mirror.

To represent something like this, the technique of collage is predestined for it.

Without Nude No Stairs formally refers to Marcel Duchamp’s work, “Nude Descending a Staircase”.

Whereby I see it as a statement for the further development of my understanding about it. Because when the nude becomes a dressed woman and it’s also the act of moving forward, there’s no need for stairs anymore to visualize a sequence. So it’s about dynamism and a contemporary way of moving confidently through today’s world.