The Heinrich W. Risken Foundation shows a retrospective of the artist Kanjo Také September 13 to October 31, 2024 under the title "Beyond Abstraction" Versmold in Westphalia .
30 selected works by the German-Japanese artist in the Hartmannshof , a manor built in 1822 and extensively restored at the foot of the Teutoburg Forest.
As a hiker between cultural worlds, Kanjo Také, who lives and works in Düsseldorf, is experimenting with new techniques, combines photography with painting, collage technology and video art.
Working show by the German-Japanese artist Kanjo Také
Five different working groups give an insight into Také's way of working:
- Staged photography, which is conceptually thought out and executed
- Photo collage that combines photography with painting
- Photo painting in which the photo is changed by painting
- Digital painting, the painting of the 21st century, and
- Painting, pure painting - this includes his current series "Water Lilies" .

image rights: Kanjo Také
The combination of different artistic forms of expression corresponds to the worldview Takés.
If the realization goes, the invisible is there! ",,
is one of his quotes.
It is not the reproduction of material reality that is its topic, but visualizing inner forces and spiritual energies. Here, deeply human issues are parallelized by linking Asian and European formal language ”,
writes the art historian Dr. Annette Georgi and continues:
His work lives from an openness that apparently overcomes the barriers of cultures as well as that of the mind. A level behind the visible reality becomes clear and releases that kind of meaningful imagination that also shows us reality with new eyes. ”
The artist explains his way of working as follows:
The ideas flow out of me, want to be born, thoughts want to be made visible. "
He adds that the dialogue between consciousness and subconscious matters.
In terms of content, it is about his big topic: the "transformation" - in painting as in nature. This is particularly impressive in his series "Water Lilies" (German water lilies). The Dragon Fly (German Libelle) is a symbol of the transformation for Také: "Yesterday another larva, and today a magical being." What interests him is the visible and invisible world, the world "that we see and yet do not see".
Kanjo Také also shows us that nature means struggle. For the dragonflies, the graceful hunting drivers, this means: area defense, search for food, reproduction - and - be careful: frogs! - The fight for survival. No wonder that the prehistoric insect at Také Grimmig looks - see his work "Water Lily - Dragon Fly" .

picture rights: Kanjo Také
Concert reading for the evening
At 7:30 p.m. the picture show passes into a concert reading entitled "About the love of life - concert reading in songs and poems" .
Anne Kleiere (soprano), Jens Hamer (piano) and Friedel Viegener (punch ) report on the beauty of the earth, about love between humans and the silent touch to the creator. Songs like "You are the Ruh" by Franz Schubert, "Mondnacht" by Robert Schumann to "Tomorrow!" by Richard Strauss.
Poems such as "Encourage" by Friedrich Hölderlin, "to the friends" by Theodor Storm, by Rainer Maria Rilke "Die Stille" and "Love Song" come to hear. Quotes from contemporary philosophy, biology and sociology complete the topic "How do we resonate with the world?".
- Anne Kare - soprano and recitation
- Jens Hamer - piano and recitation
- Friedel Viegener - Knocking and Recitation
An acoustic world unfolds in front of the large -scale works by the artist Kanjo Také. The audience expects a varied evening that inspired and releases associations.
About the foundation
The Heinrich W. Risken Foundation is involved in the areas of fine arts, home care and nature conservation. Particular attention is also paid to species protection. The foundation carries out its own projects that aim to sensitize the population to the importance of art and nature conservation.
Of central importance for the foundation is the close connection between maintaining and securing the cultural and natural heritage. These tasks include not only the archival preservation and access to works of art, but also the extensive care of natural habitats and the active preservation of biological diversity through targeted species protection.
Kanjo Také
The internationally renowned artist Kanjo Také has already participated twice with great success in the light -not to projection biennial in Bad Rothenfelde, which was curated by Manfred Schneckenburger.
The innovation and creativity that Kanjo Také incorporates into his projects in his unique approach as hikers between cultural worlds and artistic media mirrors opposed. The combination of traditional style elements with modern techniques is impressive in its works.
Subtle details give his paintings a fascinating texture and depth that immediately captivate the viewer. Také's artistic vision is characterized by a deep appreciation for nature and a strong commitment to environmental protection, which is also in his work against mirrors t.
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Anne Kare
The singer and vocal educator Anne Klarze concerted both at home and abroad. She is currently touring the pianist Jens Hamer and presents varied programs such as "About Love for Life" and "Funter and Feast of Ear" .
These programs combine various art forms such as recitation, painting, singing and music into a fascinating overall experience.

Owner and managing director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor and passionate blogger in the field of art, design and creativity since 2011. Successful conclusion in web design as part of a university degree (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expression painting and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through many years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.