ArtOpen: Exhibition community Gesatzky, Rocha Lima, Albrecht, Reyes

Elder Rocha Lima:
The images presented here all refer to landscapes of the Cerrado and its inhabitants. The Cerrado is a savannah-like ecoregion that predominates in central Brazil. This biome has a rich variety of botanical formations. This formal diversity inspires the artists who live in this Brazilian region. The works by Rocha Lima presented here show two techniques: Pen drawing with Nan¬ King black ink and watercolor. One of the artist's aims is to highlight the beauty of the Cerrado, which is currently being affected by predatory agribusiness - mainly soybean monoculture and extensive livestock farming - deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture. With his work, the artist wants to make a contribution to the preservation of this ecosystem and convey his view to viewers. The artist was born in the former capital of the state of Goiás (Vita Boa de Goiás), studied architecture in Rio de Janeiro and was a university professor. He has now returned to his home town of Goiás and has set up an architecturally remarkable studio there.

Ralf Gesatzky:
I have been working as a freelance building researcher since 2013. My focus is particularly on the roof structures of listed churches. A detailed, true-to-life hand measurement combined with an elaborate search for the regularities and irregularities in the wooden roof structure are prerequisites for discovering one or two special features of the building's history. Dendrochronology is particularly important in this research, as it makes it possible to determine the age of timbers with astonishing accuracy. As a result, some of the oldest churches in Mecklenburg have been discovered and the building history of the churches has been decisively completed. The building age plans of some exemplary churches will be presented at the exhibition.

Gottreich Albrecht:
In addition to my precise architectural work for the structural designs/concepts/projects, freehand drawing in lead and color is a creative balance for me "to take a deep breath".
At home in the north of Mecklenburg for around 35 years, exploring and capturing the open and hidden secrets of the landscape in drawings has been an inexhaustibly stimulating form of environmental encounter for me throughout this time. The motifs "that want to be drawn" migrate to the sketchpad - and are particularly memorable.
The churches as spiritual and cultural crystallization points in the vastness often and gladly come into focus... Also traveling in cities and landscapes in Germany and on trips abroad in recent decades, e.g. to South. Western, Northern and Eastern Europe as well as to Tunisia, Cuba, Israel and South Africa - drawing pad, pencil and paint were always there as "individual travel companions"...