By Jessica Rose
German painter Florian Fiebig says he is enthralled with the “social twilight zone” of public transportation.
In 2003 he would sit on subway trains in Germany and sketch the faces of passengers, inspired by the neutral expressions of everyday people.
Now Fiebig has transformed these caricatures into colourful and mysterious portraits that explore the veiled human emotions behind everyday life.
His figurative series, called Faces and Figures, is showcased at Artguise, a gallery on Bank St. from March 4 to 30.
Fiebig draws from his love of animation and oil painting to create characters that seem to jump from the canvas, expressing layers of emotion and mood.
“I am very interested in capturing movement. I like to show that in my paintings,” says Fiebig, stressing the importance of creating personality and depth in his characters.
Faces and Figures is one of 11 solo series that Artguise is sponsoring this year. The gallery prides itself on the intimate dynamic of doing a show for one artist at a time, says Brandon McVittie, co-owner of Artguise.
“We’re excited because this is his first Canadian show,” he adds.
Fiebig was born in Berlin, where he cultivated his love for art. After travelling to Canada in 1997 and creating a studio in Montreal, Fiebig hit what he calls the peak of his animation career: animating the character of Bruno in the acclaimed film the Triplets of Belleville.
The film broke new grounds for Canadian animation, garnering recognition at both the Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival.
“The Triplets of Belleville has expanded the horizons of Canadian animation for viewers who grew up with Disney films,” says Chris Robinson, artistic director for the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Though he says the bar for animated feature film in Canada is relatively low, the film’s story and animation is worthy of the attention it has received.
“The artist combines elements of both animation and his painting background,” says McVittie, who praises Faces and Figures as unique, compelling and often humorous.
“All of the arts, whether it is dancing or music, are connected,” says Fiebig. “This is the same with animation and painting,” he adds.
Fiebig’s creativity has led to work at both Dynomight Cartoons and Disney.
“Art work is how he makes his bread and butter,” says McVittie.
Fiebig’s work is a part of the Artguise mandate to make visual art approachable and affordable to members of the community, while opening them up to varying subject matters and flow, says McVittie.
Artguise opened in 1997 as a way to bring something to the Ottawa art community that had not existed before.
The gallery is both a retail store that caters to professional artists and a venue to present new and emerging artists.
“We look for bodies of work that are a little bit different,” says McVittie. He adds Fiebig’s work is appealing because it dares to be edgier and more flavourful than what viewers might be used to.
“We’re trying to expose people to what they might not have seen in a commercial gallery,” adds McVittie.
The series employs a wide range of emotion, from dramatic themes exuding raw energy to clever glimpses into the silent thoughts of strangers.
“So far the reaction has been tremendous,” says McVittie, who says he is very pleased with both the sales and the response.
“It has gone very well,” says Fiebig. He says that the chance to speak to students about his work and to inspire people has been more overwhelming then expected.
He is pleased that the sketches he drew two years ago in Germany have transformed into inspiration for others.
Fiebig’s artistic work has brought him all over the world, but he says Canada has always treated him well along the way.
“Who knows where my art will take me,” says Fiebig, who anticipates a long career ahead in capturing aspects of beauty, insight and the strength of human emotion.