Krieger/Warrior, 2016
RENAISSANCE:RE Series
Dot-matrix holographic print in glass, 19’’ x 20’’
Edition of 2 +1 artist copy
Combining drawing and computer generated sketches Bleyenberg’s portraits link together concepts in art and philosophy. His research into the relationship of optics to painting styles informs these works which seek to push the application of light as a pictorial tool. Describing his work as ‘light architecture’ Bleyenberg is best known for his large scale installations using diffractive holographic elements and dot-matrix hologram prints. He considers these holograms as projectors, casting light through space. He calls them ‘Agents of light’. While such holograms have no image depth the shifting colors produce a different dimension.
RENAISSANCE:RE is a series of holographic portraits which (re)establishes a connection to the Italian renaissance painters of the 15th century and the masters of early Dutch painting. Quite a number of these artists used optical aids. They employed mirrors, prisms and lenses to create their highly detailed and realistic paintings and drawings. Like today, attaching importance to the science and technique of their time lead these artists to new ways of artistic depiction.
Created with additional support from Tobias Wolter at G+B pronova in Germany
Michael Bleyenberg, Krieger/Warrior
Michael Bleyenberg trained and practiced as a painter before focusing on compositions with optics and light. He has exhibited extensively in Europe and was featured in MIT Museum’s Luminous Windows: Holograms for the 21st Century. Bleyenberg’s public art commissions include EYEFIRE holographic wall for the DFG (German Research Foundation), Bonn, Germany and New Burlington Flare diffractive light installation for New Burlington Place, London, England among others.