Andreas Kocks

Andreas Kocks
"Current Events"
@ the Winston Wachter Fine Arts

When I saw Kocks work I immediately thought splatter, and then Jackson Pollock but just in a different light. Here Kocks uses what look to be inky graphite splashes of a thick paper material (heavy water color paper) which spills down the wall and surrounds the viewer in a playful and enjoyable manner. These cut-out splashes seem like they were thrown from a distance and if you don't get close enough to them one really thinks that they are splashes of paint on the wall. Apparently, everyone that went into the gallery thought the same thing, as they would pose for their pictures as if they were throwing buckets of paint. The cut-outs create a feeling of energy engulfing the the work which spreads to the viewers. This work also has a very architectural feeling to it once you get over the splashing and get close enough to see the thickness of the paper and the manner on how it was cut. He cuts into the heavy paper and places multiple cut-outs next to each other to resemble a feeling of dripping and/or energy. What I loved about his work is that the entire gallery feels full of energy. He goes beyond the architectural boundaries and onto the wall as to become one. These aren't 3-dimensional objects but as the viewer moves the paper cut-out shine in different way and the cut-outs take their own individual form.