Recent Works by Frank Herrmann

April 27 - May 25, 2007
Presented at the ArtWorks Gallery and the Dorothy W. and C. Lawson Reed, Jr. Gallery

Frank Herrmann, a recent Guggenheim award winner has two simultaneous exhibits on display at the Dorothy W. and C. Lawson Reed, Jr. Gallery and the ArtWorks Gallery. The exhibits highlight Herrmann's ongoing series of work based on the headhunting Asmat culture of Papa New Guinea. Gigantic in scale, and rich with layers of brightly colored acrylic paint, Herrmann's art is more than an investigation into an ancient tribe. His paintings begin to describe the essences of history and writing, and the originals of culture themselves.

Frank Herrmann's paintings surround speculative concepts about painting and art. These traditional peoples exist in a world of unforgiving seas, ferocious animals, uninhabitable jungles, and headhunting cannibals yet somehow they've persevered into modern times. To this day, the Asmat remain untouched by Western Civilization, and with no written language they have documented centuries in ornately carved wood. These libraries of intricate cut objects describe the spirits, stories, and times of the Asmat ancestry. The art of these people is their way of convening with the universe. Through Asmat symbols, stories, glyphs, and carvings, Herrmann gives explanation about culture foreign to western peoples.

Herrmann has manipulated their carvings and symbols into a visual vocabulary that is stunning to viewers. "[His paintings] are riddled with artifacts and relics, textual clues and textural maps, symbolic space and bold patterns," Contemporary Arts Center Curator Matt Distell explains when discussing the paintings. Herrmann's constant curiosity into the Asmat proves him an advocate for investigation and discussion about history. The work represents a strong chapter in contemporary art that deals with passion, memory, documentation, and necessity.

Asmat Influences: Recent Paintings by Frank Herrmann will be on display concurrently downtown at the ArtWorks Gallery and on the University of Cincinnati's campus at the Dorothy W. and C. Lawson Reed, Jr. Gallery and April 27 to May 25, 2007. Asmat Influences will open on Final Friday, April 27 at the ArtWorks Gallery and the exhibition will open April 26 at the Reed Gallery where the reception will follow a panel discussion about Herrmann's work.

About Frank Herrmann
Frank Herrmann is a Professor of Painting at the University of Cincinnati's College of DAAP. He received Bachelors of the Arts from Western Kentucky University in 1969 and a Masters of the Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati in 1972. Some major achievements for Herrmann have included solo exhibitions at the First Institute, Hong Kong, and the Henri Gallery, Washington D.C. His other major accomplishments include the Ohio Arts Council's Cimelice Castle Residency, FCCA Prague in the Czech Republic, and most recently notable the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship. Learn more about Frank Herrmann here.

About DAAP Galleries
DAAP Galleries is a unit of the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) of the University of Cincinnati.  Its mission is threefold:  1) the administration of three exhibition spaces, which include the Dorothy W. and C. Lawson Reed, Jr. Gallery, the Philip M. Meyers, Jr. Memorial Gallery, and University Galleries on Sycamore; 2) the administration of the University of Cincinnati Fine Arts Collection; and 3) the training of graduate and undergraduate students in the principles and procedures associated with gallery operations and collection management. DAAP Galleries pursues its mission through the presentation of exhibitions and related educational programs in each of its galleries; and by preserving, researching, interpreting, and exhibiting objects contained in the fine arts collection. Projects are developed to foster the educational mission of the University; to enrich the experience of students; to provide a forum for intellectual exchange of ideas among students, faculty, staff, and the general public; and to encourage collaborative efforts with other educational and cultural organizations. The galleries are intended to serve a broad and diverse audience drawn from students, faculty, and staff of the University as well as from the wider Cincinnati community. Learn more about DAAP Galleries here.

Read the full Press Release here

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Additional support provided by:
Special Thanks to Murray and Robin Sinclaire