Press Release

4 March 2008

Monolith to Dialogue by Rolf Lorenz

The Smithfield Gallery

Preview Wednesday 14 May until 9pm

Thursday 15 May – Saturday 17 May, 10am-6pm

Admission free

A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock, a monument. Erosion usually exposes the geological formations, which are most often made of very hard and solid metamorphic or sedimentary rock. The word derives from the Latin word monoliths from the Greek word ó θ (‘monoliths’), derived from ó (‘one’ or ‘single’) and íθ (‘stone’).

Monolith to Dialogue is a series of work by Rolf Lorenz depicting a personal journey embarked upon by the artist. 30 1.5m, mixed media (charcoal, pastels and wax) images will be on display during the exhibition, starting on 14 May 2008, including a series entitled ‘Five days - Five states of mind,’ based on the emotions felt by Lorenz over the five days of a week.

Rolf Lorenz was born in Singapore to a German interior designer and an Indian actress and dancer, so has had art in his blood from the beginning. His first outlet for his inherent talent was photography before briefly following his father into interior decoration and design. He has travelled extensively, living in England, California, Bali, South Africa, Paris and India and he draws on his experiences when producing his work.

Monolith to Dialogue is an incredibly powerful work, as Lorenz portrays himself at the turning point he feels he has reached in his life. He believes that “like mountains we are born as monoliths gradually becoming eroded by the passage of our life’s journey” and his use of charcoal as his preferred medium extends from that. “Charcoals come from the earth. I like this concept of using something organic, using my fingers to create what I want to express by rubbing and almost moulding a shape on paper.”

Monolith to Dialogue follows Lorenz’s 2007 exhibition Blind Faith, which was inspired by Mexico, the writings on John Milton and faith. The new work he feels is a return to the basics of the process of art.

A full colour catalogue accompanies the exhibition, with a foreword by the artist and the online galleries, Artphiló and Pink Chocolate who discovered and curated this work.

For more information on Rolf Lorenz, Monolith to Dialogue or either of the two galleries, please contact Shari Lovidge shari@pinkchocolate.com or Angeliki Mazaraki info@artphilogallery.com.