« I come from realms of unimaginable power and light, and I will return to those realms. » — Terence McKenna

Lothar Hempel on “L A V A” :

« This is the first time I am exhibiting with Uwe Henneken, and I think that we have been chosen to exhibit alongside each other as we somehow represent two different directions/flavors of the Berlin art world. I hope that the effect of our work shown in the same space is that of an productive contrast.

I’m showing two sculptures, an older and a new one. The older sculpture is called “Fata Morgana”, which is the german expression for “mirage”. The new sculpture is called “Performance” and is made with the space of APPARTEMENT in mind. I especially like the piano and I thought it would be good to integrate it into a sculptural gesture. I hope that this highlights my idea that also my sculptures should be seen as instruments. I think they should be used and played with. A musician is playing the piano during the opening and that add another dimension to this construct.
L A V A is a title somehow loaded with archaic associations. I think here it might indicate a certain raw and emotional quality that Uwe’s and my work might deal with.
Artworks have a double faced quality as they travel between the public and the private worlds. So it is somehow special to show in someone’s home and one can only wish for certain unforeseen revelations. » Lothar Hempel

Uwe Henneken about “L A V A” :

« For APPARTEMENT, Lothar and I both had pieces at hand and it was obvious that he claimed the floor and I the walls, but I see a certain attraction between his and my work.
The four paintings I am going to show are from a new series I am currently working on. The series deals with figures in transformation, a flowering and re-rooting, where the inner world is connecting with the outside and vice versa.
I am very happy about the venue, because I like very much the informal and dwelled situation of the space, especially as an entrée for this new series. It has a certain intimacy and not the formal and blunt market connected energy of a white cube or gallery space.
The title L A V A is an archaic symbol full of associations. The heat of the inmost core, the liquor: pumping out, transforming, becoming form. Like the artist, that is going into another world, an inner world, coming out with a vison, giving it a form for the world to hear, read and see. » Uwe Henneken