The tension between corporeality and digital abstraction is a focal point in Vivian Greven’s third solo exhibition at Kadel Willborn gallery, Venus Moon Square. Her paintings synthesize historical, social, and technological narratives concerning the body, identity, and human relationships. Drawing from classical representations of idealized bodies—such as marble sculptures of Venus, the Three Graces, and St. Theresa—Greven intertwines these established archetypes with the contemporary flood of digital imagery, constructing a dialogue between past and present.
Her artistic exploration centers on the creation of new bodily forms from historical precedents, delving into the interplay between interiority and exteriority. The exhibition’s title, derived from astrology, encapsulates this conceptual duality. Venus symbolizes beauty and outward relationships, while the moon signifies subjective physical perception, and the square represents the tension between these forces. Through her work, Vivian Greven examines the psychological and visual negotiation of hidden and visible narratives, articulating this dialogue through a layered depiction of body parts and a delicate modulation of light and shadow.
Vivian Greven’s paintings invite an intimate engagement, simulating the immersive experience of zooming into a digital screen. The corporeal illusion of her figures evokes a tangible plasticity, yet their presence simultaneously dissolves into abstraction through the translucency of her oil-glazing technique. By capturing the ephemeral nature of touch and transformation, she investigates how physical contact alters perception and being. Some works extend this complexity further through actual stitching on the canvas, reinforcing the notion of painting as a membrane between intellect and corporeality.
Touch emerges as a recurring theme, embodying both self-assurance and relational engagement with oneself and others. The paradox of visibility and inaccessibility pervades Greven’s work, as her figures appear intimately near yet remain unreachable. Magdalena Kröner describes these representations as chimera-like, manifesting an unattainable desire that finds echoes in both classical sculpture and contemporary digital aesthetics. By embracing this paradox, Greven’s paintings transcend traditional human representation, entering the realm of the posthuman. Through her work, she invites reflection on what defines human existence, offering a space where historical ideals, contemporary perceptions, and future possibilities converge.
Exhibition Details:
- Vivian Greven: Venus Moon Square
- 18 January – 29 March 2025
- Kadel Willborn / Düsseldorf / DE
Photography by Simon Vogel, Ivo Faber, courtesy of Kadel Willborn, shared with permission
