The image of people remains a central motif of art. The works from the Deutsche Bank Collection selected for the 2012 calendar illustrate how differently artists can approach this subject. The spectrum is very broad, ranging from investigations of images from the media to photographic works influenced by painting to conceptual approaches, such as that taken by Roman Ondák, Deutsche Bank’s “Artist of the Year” 2012. Although it seems as thoughabstraction, conceptual art, performance, and new media characterize recent global art, figuration continues to play an important role. It interprets an increasingly complex world from an artistic perspective and transports political and biographical content.
It has often been claimed that figurative tendencies are no longer up to date because the concept of art has expanded. Today, however, it is no longer contradictory to use figurative representation to convey concepts and utopias. The topicality of a work is not determined by its formal means but by the spirit of the artist. The selection of works for this Deutsche Bank Calendar 2012 concentrates on artists from Germany and Europe, two of the five regions that serve as the basis for presenting the art in the Deutsche Bank Towers. Here at Deutsche Bank’s reopened Group Head Officein Frankfurt am Main, 1,800 drawings, collages, and photographs by 100 artists from more than 40 countries invite the viewer to embark on a voyage of discovery of global contemporary art.
Works on paper are especially suited to understanding an artist’s view of people and the world. Their “draft character” directly reflects the creative process. At the same time, they prompt the viewer to engage with important issues of our time, with cultural differences, and with different ways of life.
The discursive potential of contemporary works addressing current issues characterizes Deutsche Bank’s art program. Our motto, “passion to perform,” is always a passion for creative performance, because we are convinced that creativity is the source of innovation and progress. That‘s why with “Art works est. 1979” Deutsche Bank has been opening up the world of contemporary art for more than thirty years: with