HEINER MEYER PAINTINGS – HIGH GLOSS AT THE HAAS & GSCHWANDTNER GALLERY
Heiner Meyer paintings in the “High Gloss” exhibition: At the HAAS & GSCHWANDTNER Gallery in Salzburg, the pop art artist is showing iconic works about luxury, design, and glamour – until September 28, 2020. High heels, fast cars, luxury bags, and design classics – German artist Heiner Meyer (*1953, Bielefeld) shows how strongly prestige objects shape our lives in his summer exhibition High Gloss. During the Salzburg Festival season, the HAAS & GSCHWANDTNER gallery is presenting a selection of Heiner Meyer's paintings and sculptures that deal with luxury, glamour, and social longing in an ironic and impressive way.
THE GLOSS OF THE SURFACE – HIGH GLOSS AS AN AESTHETIC CONCEPT
“High Gloss” refers not only to the reflective effect of surfaces, but also to the emotional impact of gloss. In his works, Heiner Meyer conveys this concept in an ambiguous way: multi-layered oil paints, high-gloss varnishes, and brilliant colors create visual depth and an iconic style. Inspired by designer Walter Maurer, Meyer uses shine as a vehicle for meaning – between outer appearance and inner reflection.
HEINER MEYER PAINTINGS – ICONS OF CONSUMER CULTURE
Meyer's works combine influences from pop art, hyperrealism, and classical still lifes. His paintings depict luxurious imagery: Kelly bags from Hermès, Porsches, and Hollywood stars are presented in a new light. The repetition of familiar symbols emphasizes their role in the collective memory. However, consumption is not simply glorified – Meyer plays with the ambivalence between desire, status, and irony.
THE SCULPTURE AS A MONUMENT TO DESIRE
The centerpiece of the exhibition is a larger-than-life Kelly Bag sculpture made of steel. Without a base and with a rough surface, it appears almost raw—a contrast to the highly stylized object. Its monumentalization questions our approach to luxury: Why does an everyday object become an icon? How do memories and media images influence our perception of value?
50 YEARS OF ART – AND STILL BRILLIANTLY RELEVANT
For almost five decades, Heiner Meyer has been exploring the iconization of objects and people. His latest works reflect the aesthetics of the fashion and beauty industry as well as timeless questions of seduction, superficiality, and meaning. The Heiner Meyer paintings in this exhibition invite us to recognize our own desires and projections in the mirror of luxury.
Content: Haas & Gschwandtner Gallery