GALERIE KORNFELD presents Jürgen Draeger: Fassbinder's „Querelle“ Opening Fri, June !"#, $%&'( Duration June % # Jul) !"# Venue Galerie Kornfeld, Fasanens,rasse $, D-"!."& /erlin Matrose Brad Davis, 1982, Pastel on Handmade Paper, 65 x 48 cm Dear "ll, Galerie Korn%eld is pleased to present dra&ings b( t)e German artist and actor J+rgen Draeger. Deaeger, 'orn in Berlin in 19 -, &as a ma.or figure of t)e 196-/s to 199-/s German cinema, t)eater and art scene. T)e &or1s we ex)i'it are part of “Querelle-5(1lus6, a series from 1982 made during t)e s)ooting of t)e movie 2Querelle”, an adaptation b( Rainer Werner Fass'inder a%ter a novel b( Jean Genet, "%ter famous German movie director Rainer Werner Fass'inder sa& t)e &or1s from J+rgen Draeger/s series “:u!)t und Drogen6 he contacted t)e artist and as1ed him to accompan( t)e s)ooting of his movie 2Querelle” w)i!) was planned to be s)ot in a studio in Berlin. A studio for t)e artist was esta'lis)ed, w)ere )e depicts t)e team of t)e movie as it has rarel( been seen; t)e actors Brad Davies <t)e sailor Querelle), Franco Nero and Jeanne Moreau (Madame L(siane), of%4camera, but also technicians and, of course, t)e !)arismatic director Rainer Werner Fass'inder. In t)is series of dra&ings, we get to see not onl( a behind t)e scenes look at t)e production of t)is in%amous film, 'ut also moments of repose of t)ese memora'le actors and figures, of% camera. A%ter Fass'inder/s deat) in 1982, t)e film “Querelle Z(1lus6 was presented in 1982 and 198A all over German(, and more t)an 1--,--- people sa& it at t)e time. Fass'inder/s vi'rant vision of societ( in “Querelle“ focuses on a queer su'culture of people w)o have sexuall( li'erated t)emselves and renounced compulsor( heterosexualit(. Questions of love, deceit, identit( and drama raised in t)e movie as well as in Genet/s novel are hauntingl( vi'rant and echoed in J+rgen Draeger/s series of dra&ings. T)ese dra&ings are more t)an a historical document of t)e behind t)e scenes of „Querelle“ t)ey are translations of t)e behind t)e scenes into a new medium of pastel onto paper. In t)is &a(, Draeger/s series „Querelle Z(1lus2 is a t)ird artistic verson of t)e stor( of „3uerelle“. He depicts t)e %igues in )is dra&ings wit) a strong reference to t)e dra&ings b( Henri de Toulouse-?autrec t)roug) t)eir power%ul but not overdone qualit( and his decision to &or1 &it) an erotic mode of address. *+rgen Draeger/s interest has al&a(s been on people and portraiture, wit) a particular interest for t)e 2milieu6; speci%ic professions (policemen, actors= or su'cultural social groups. Beside paintings, J+rgen Draeger also wor1ed on series of dra&ings t)at include: “:u!)t und Drogen6 (198-=, t)e “Querelle-5(1lus6 <1982=, a series on t)e Roncalli Circus (198A=, on “Ein Kä%ig voller Narren6 <?a cage aux folles, 1986= and a colla'oration wit) Will( Brandt in 199-, commissioned b( t)e distinguis)ed German politician )imsel%. #"?E7@EKORNFELD 9asanenstr. 26 D41-G19 Berlin 0el H 9<-=A- 889 225 89- 9ax H 9<-=A- 889 225 899 galerie@galerie1ornfeld,!om Parallel to his activit( as a painter and draug)tsman, J+rgen Draeger was trained as an actor and wor1ed &it), amongst ot)ers, Rainer Werner Fass'inder. From t)e 196-/s to t)e 199-/s, J+gen Draeger/s per%ormances in German TV movies and series were %amous. He often wor1ed bet&een his man( practices, designing movie decor and posters, "t t)e beginning of his career, in a time w)en a'stract painting was experiencing a renaissance, J+rgen Draeger committed himsel% to figurative painting and dra&ing, he was success%ul despite t)e di%%erent approa!) t)at his wor1 took, s)owing his wor1s in man( ex)i'itions in Berlin. In 1981 he was nominated for t)e Grand Prix International d/"rt Dontemporain de Monte-Darlo for his series “:u!)t und Drogen6. During t)e 19G-/s and t)e 198-/s J+rgen Drager/s artistic wor1 was s)own in man( galleries in German(. "%ter nearl( t&o decades of relative silence, we are t)rilled to present his “Querelle-5(1lus6 as it functions 'ot) as a historical document of Fass'inder/s germinal %ilm and as power%ul dra&ings t)at do not hold ba!1 in representing t)e characters and personalities from t)e world around “Querelle”. As t)e questions raised in Fass'inder/s movie as well as in Genet/s novel are still pressing we believe t)at Draeger/s series is more t)an just a historical document but tou!)es upon t)emes t)at are still relevant toda(, :)ould you require furt)er in%ormation, please do not )esitate to get in tou!). 8e are )app( to provide printa'le images on request. Best regards, 0ilman Treus!) 0onta1, Dr. Tilman Treus!) treus!)Igaleriekorn%eld.com #"?E7@EKORNFELD Kunst)andel Gm'H & Co KG FasanenstraKe 26 1-G19 Berlin German(LL Phone + 9 3- 889 225 89-L Fax + 9 3- 889 225 899L galerie@galeriekorn%eld.com &&&.galeriekorn%eld.com )ttp;MM&&&,%acebook.com/GalerieKorn%eld #"?E7@EKORNFELD 9asanenstr. 26 D41-G19 Berlin 0el H 9<-=A- 889 225 89- 9ax H 9<-=A- 889 225 899 galerie@galerie1ornfeld,!om.