Paul Valentin | Epodium Gallery

8. September 2020

Air Into Solid: Solo show by epodium artist Paul Valentin

at Karl & Faber Fine Art Auctions

Air Into Solid

When Paul Valentin received the 2019 Art Prize of the Munich Academy of Fine Arts Foundation sponsored by Karl & Faber, he not only had the prize money to look forward to but also a solo exhibition in the auction house’s rooms in the heart of Munich.
The philosophical questions about the Nature of the World, about the Nothing and Truth are recurring themes in his works. They make clear the confusion these terms hold for a visual artist who is familiar with digital worlds and wants to understand the analog world to simulate it on the computer for animated films and other works.

An artist book accompanies the exhibition and was also made possible by the Karl & Faber Art Prize. Curated by Dr. Anne-Cécile Foulon in collaboration with the artist.
Paul Valentin: Air into Solid
12/09/20 – 25/09/20
Mon.-Fri. 10am – 6pm
at Karl & Faber Fine Art Auctions
Amiraplatz 3, 80333 München

Extended Opening: Sat 12/09/20 12pm – 5pm
Keynote: 11 am (Restricted attendance. Please be on time. The opening speech will also be transmitted via livestream on the Instagram and YouTube channel of Karl & Faber.)

Artist Talk: Why the World does not Exist
Fri 18/09/20 6pm

Artist talk with Paul Valentin and one of the most famous contemporary philosophers Prof. Dr. Markus Gabriel. Moderated by Dr. Anne-Cécile Foulon. In German.

Restricted attendance. To be added to the guest list for the opening speech and artist talk, please send a short email to info@karlundfaber.de
For more information: karlandfaber.com
Free livestream on
Instagram: karlandfaber
YouTube: Karl & Faber Kunstauktionen

The exhibition is part of VARIOUS OTHERS which initiates cooperative and international art projects in galleries, artist–run spaces and museums in Munich. While serving as a content-driven forum for contemporary art that takes place each year in September, our mission is to intensify exchange and dialogue between the art scene in Munich and international partners, guests and media.

15. Dezember 2019

Paul Valentin: „Nichts“ at Ausstellungsraum Teufelsberg (Berlin)

13. August 2019

Paul Valentin: „Nichts“ in Berlin

28 Oct – 03 Nov 2019
12 pm – 6 pm
Institut für Alles Mögliche, Ausstellungsraum Teufelsberg, Berlin (Grunewald)

Nichts (nɪçt͡s, german: nothing, emptiness) is an animated film about the history of „nothing“.

The fragmentary scenes of the fable-like narrative are presented in the form a philosophical report, which quotes different sources on the theme of the nothing.
In Nichts the anthropomorphic female hare Judy, explores this old idea of nothingness with the help of a message that she finds on a dictaphone thats shaped like a carrot. Her well-known character is from the Oscar-winning animated film „Zootopia“ from 2016. The story unfolds the the path of scientists and thinkers who have dealt with the question of what the nothing realy is and how to track it down – and also presents its very own perspective and answer.

The so-called transitory idea of „the nothing“ and how it‘s been discussed in philosophy and its exploration in phisics show us that we can attain truths about phenomena and ideas of which some would claime that it were futile to even speak about them.

2K Video / 25 Min / Dolby 5.1 / 2:1

22. Juli 2019

Paul Valentin: NICHTS ♦ 2019

Nichts ist eine Animations-Kurzfilm-Fabel über das Nichts.

Die fragmentarischen Szenen verbinden sich zu einem reportagenhaften Narrativ und lassen fiktive und echte Quellen zum Thema Nichts zu Wort kommen. In der Erzählung erkundet die Häsin Judy, deren Charakter dem oscarprämierten Animationsfilm „Zootopia“ (2016) entspringt, die Untiefen dieser alten Idee mit Hilfe einer Botschaft auf einem Recorder der ausseht wie eine Karotte. Der Film entfaltet die Geschichte über den Weg der WissenschaftlerInnen und DenkerInnen und legt zugleich auch eine eigene Perspektive vor. Die Faszination an dieser alten Idee „des Nichts“ ist, wie dessen Erforschung uns zeigen kann, dass wir Wahrheiten über Phänomene und Ideen erlangen können, von denen Manche sagen würden, dass es vergeblich ist auch nur darüber zu sprechen.

Von der Animation, dem virtuellen Set- und Lichtdesign, bis hin zum Charakter Rigging entstanden die geheimnisvollen Inseln in der Leere mit großer Liebe zum Detail.

Nichts (nɪçt͡s, german: nothing, emptiness) is an animated film about the history of „nothing“.

The fragmentary scenes of the fable-like narrative are presented in the form a philosophical report, which quotes different sources on the theme of the nothing.
In Nichts the anthropomorphic female hare Judy, explores this old idea of nothingness with the help of a message that she finds on a dictaphone thats shaped like a carrot. Her well-known character is from the Oscar-winning animated film „Zootopia“ from 2016. The story unfolds the the path of scientists and thinkers who have dealt with the question of what the nothing realy is and how to track it down – and also presents its very own perspective and answer.

The so-called transitory idea of „the nothing“ and how it‘s been discussed in philosophy and its exploration in phisics show us that we can attain truths about phenomena and ideas of which some would claime that it were futile to even speak about them.

2K Video / 25 Min / Dolby 5.1 / 2:1

Images © Paul Valentin

13. Juni 2019

The Uncanny Valley by Paul Valentin

Video HD / CGI Animation / Stereo / 12 min
Brooklyn Exchange Rates Biennial, New York City / October 2016

12. Juli 2018

GEDENKTAFEL – New work from epodium artist Paul Valentin

2018 Annual Exhibition of the Academy of Fine Arts
Saturday 14.07.2018 from 14h – 21h.
and 15.07.2018 – 22.07.2018 14 – 21h daily

The memorial plaque in the western staircase of the foyer of the Munich Academy of Fine Arts is not what it seems to be. The artist Paul Valentin has made a replica of it and has pulled it over the original like a second skin – what’s unseen is that he had changed the original lettering like an anagram into these new words:

„COULD THEY READ IN THE SECRECY OF THE SIGNS

AND OVERCOME THE FENCES OF THEIR GARDENS

BUT THEY DON’T SEE IT

AND SO THERE INNERMOST CHRONIST MAKES A MISTAKE“

Despite its prominent place, the historical plaque, which is established 1889, is not remembered by many students or annual visitors. Especially during the summer exhibition at the academy, it is, like many other artistic positions, easily overseen in the flood of presented works. The modest sculpture plays precisely with this problem of lacking attention.

The concept „Fals-Memory“ is the turning point of the work – It describes that incorrectly stored memories (such as the false encounter of Bugs Bunny at Disneyland) can hardly be erased from ones memory, even if one anknowledges that it never happened. It may also happen that the original text of the historical plaque is permanently overwritten in the collective memory of the visitors – Both physically during the annual exhibition, as well as mentally in the memory. The Replica takes the place of the original and „covers“ it in the truest sense. According to this verdict of cognitive research, Paul Valentin therefore stages his plaque as a memorial for attention – it should be a reminder that the great works of art, the changing experiences, which resonate with us inconspicuously, pass unseen without our attention.