Ludger Gerdes "Nochmal die alte Nummer"

‘Opening on 15th April is an installation by Ludger Gerdes(born in 1954) which typifies the ideas about art held by this artist from Germany. In 1983 the walls of the Fischer Gallery in Dusseldorf bore his credo 'Docere, delectare, movere' (Latin for instruct, select, move), but Gerdes has not been so literal since then. His installations still continue to possess a symbolism related to that in old paintings: he turns depictions into concrete objects and places them in a spatial context which has more in common with 20th century theatre than with classical painting. The central elements in his work are a mask and a lamp, as referring to art and science. Gerdes sees a separation in history between art, which is involved with illusion and deception (hence the mask), and rebirthing related to science, philosophy and reason, with their constant underlining of enlightenment and insight. The conjunction of mask and lamp provides the theme of this installation, but other references to ideas about art also appear in it, such as the pedestal and the swing which are likewise subjects of classical iconography.’ (‘Theatrical art. Illusion and deception’, Newsletter De Appel, 3 (1988) 1.)