The McCaig-Welles & Rosenthal Gallery presents an exhibition of new works by the artist Roman Klonek titled “Hobnobbing Zmirkies.” In the 1970s the Kloneks moved from Poland to Germany, where he quickly became addicted to comics and cartoons. In the 1990’s he studied Graphic Arts in Duesseldorf and earned his diploma with 12 huge woodcut printings that showed the inner-workings of the human brain. In 2001 he founded the Gallery Revolver with friends in Düsseldorf/Flingern, bought a printing press and started a never ending range of woodcut printings.

Roman Klonek likes to draw heros, mostly half animal/half human, in hair-raising situations.

You may ask: How could this have happened? For heavens sake, how will this move on?

You will see snapshots full of adventure, thrill and fateful encounters captured by one of the oldest graphic techniques. Woodcut printing is based on the principle of a stamp. The reduced forms remind you of the first days of comics and cartoons. The hybrids are forced to a tragicomical chord between tradition and subculture. In general: The basic principles of the woodcut printings are rough drafts of Roman’s drawing books. These books are sort of diaries, just with drawings instead of stories. The subjects are always inspired by his personal present. So one can say the images are autobiographically encrypted.

The exhibition will be on display through September 8th, 2008, so check it out while you can!

McCaig-Welles & Rosenthal Gallery
129 Roebling Street, Suite B
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Bonus footage: Here’s a recent SoyJoy commercial animated by Roman:

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.679516&w=425&h=350&fv=%26rel%3D0%26border%3D0%26]

[woodcuts by Roman Klonek]