Vernissage of the exhibition "Woodcut-Tattoo"

Dear friends of the ROOT Gallery,

I cordially invite you to the vernissage of the exhibition "Woodcut-Tattoo" with woodcuts by Klaus Mertens.

The artist will be present and available for an artist talk.

As always, you can also take part in the vernissage online via ZOOM. You will need the following access data to join the meeting on the ZOOM.US website:

Meeting ID: 881 1649 4112
Identification code: 820709
Or click on the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88116494112?pwd=VEJrUXk4eEduRzFOTlhoT1IvMVdsdz09

Klaus Mertens was born in Bonn in 1950, grew up in Cologne and studied architecture at the TU Berlin from 1972, graduating with a degree in architecture in 1979. After a short time in the profession, he realised his childhood dream and began studying fine arts at the UdK in Berlin in 1984, graduating in 1991 as a master student of Georg Baselitz. Since then he has been a freelance artist.

Initially, his work focussed on printmaking with multiple series of often large-format figurative woodcuts, woodcut tattoos and portfolio works such as SocialPrints, lithographs, etc., which have been shown in numerous national and international exhibitions.

In 2007, he began a stay of several years in Ethiopia. Under the influence of African life and culture, materials and techniques that he had not previously used crystallised in Addis Ababa. He created sculptures, objects, photographs and performances.

This was followed in 2010 by a professorship at the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design (ASFAD) in Addis

Abeba and the establishment of a lithography workshop.

In 2010, Klaus Mertens set up a design workshop under the label ato klaus *, where he develops and produces everyday objects, primarily from recycled materials such as car tyres. These are sold at local markets and bazaars.

In 2016, Belgrade in Serbia will be the centre of his life and work for three years.

In 2019, he returned to Germany and reactivated his studio in Berlin.

* ato = ahmaric = lord

I look forward to inspiring encounters!

Ute Wöllmann