In an exclusive photoshoot session with the photographer, Christian Beier, we reveal a personal side of the gallery’s owner in photos taken at the Gallery premises. The Vultus Paintings by Mario Hanrique are featured in the pictures.
We also give you more insight into the woman behind the gallery, the gallery’s concepts and the artist selection process.
The Woman Behind The Gallery
Grace Denker, is a self-taught artist and passionate art collector. Through opening this gallery, she intends to promote, celebrate, and support art works from around the globe. Her own art evolves out of everyday objects to which she feels strong emotional ties. She then converts them into puzzles, in which she plays with the colours, parts and shapes to transform them into art. Most of her works involve acrylics or other mixed mediums. Through these artistic transformations, she hopes to provide each viewer an individual experience while also conveying the abstractism within life that often goes unnoticed. This is what she says on the significance of abstract art:
“as an abstract artist, you feel sort of free because you’re not under pressure to present a work of art that represents what it actually is. You are able to re-define how you see an object and how you feel about it. You are able to express an idea and how you feel about the subject matter by recreating and defining it in abstract forms… Through abstract art, you can connect with the observer in ways beyond the imagination. As an abstract art observer, you can experience an art work in a broader range of physical, emotional and spiritual spectrum and from different perspectives. It gives you an unrestricted space for art evaluation and interpretation”.
Though having a fully established career in the educational branch, Denker considers art to play a unique role in her professional and personal life. She sums up her philosophy of creating art with the statement:
“Art is my medium. Creating art is not my profession but without art, I can’t accomplish my profession. I need art to accomplish a lot in my life”.
Having studied Business, Economics with Accounting in the heart of London, UK, and having more than a decade's experience in managing a business, Denker sees herself more as the gallery director than as an active artist. In establishing a gallery, she made the decision to use her experience and expertise in the field of business management in building up a gallery which is committed to representing and promoting the works of national and international artists, and helping them realise their goals. Having an artistic side and being deeply connected with art, Denker tackles the responsibilities and tasks of being a gallery owner with ease. She says it gives her pleasure to see the works of artists she represents doing well in the art market.
She however plans on exhibiting her own art works seldomly, in-between exhibitions, and in a short space of time.
The Concept and Selection Process
When asked what sort of artists she would work with, Denker hints that artists do not need worry about being famous or well known to display at the gallery. She bases her selection process on specific criteria, the main criterion being the artist's message in his or her works. Also, the story he or she is trying to tell or not to tell, and how honest and relevant the message is, play a big role in the selection process. Other areas she reviews are the aesthetics, techniques, use of colours, composition as well as the quality of the work. She also revealed that sometimes the curriculum vitae of the artist would also play a role in the selection process, but not always.
Placing great importance on the experience, values and transformation art infuses in the society and in our lives, Denker is keen on art which does not appear to make sense to the naked eye, but which on closer study and observation, is of great importance and has a strong message.
The sub-name “Art.Craft.Living” indicates all forms of art which the gallery represents. The gallery focuses on showcasing contemporary and modern art works from around the world and stages exclusive art events in the heart of Hamburg-Hammerbrook.
The Gallery Building:
A central, warm, bright and welcoming space awaits guests at the GRACE DENKER GALLERY in the historical "INDUSTRIEHOF" building in Hammerbrookstraße 93, Hamburg. The unique construction of the building and its characteristic features are quite spectacular and adds to the experience in visiting the gallery.
The 260 square meter space is split into exhibition space and training rooms which are planned to be flexible enough to accommodate workshops, book readings, meetings, talks, various events and classes. On the right wing of the building, there is a fantastic Italian restaurant which is no doubt the best in the area and offers mouth-watering dishes at reasonable rates. It is possible to plan a visit to the gallery which ends up with a nice and cosy dinner at the restaurant.