SETAREH is delighted to present the solo exhibition _1000 Mountains and Rivers are Nothing _by German Pop artist Achim Duchow.

Following the successful solo exhibition Achim Duchow, 2016 in Düsseldorf and the latest Rebel Revolution Rhineland exhibition in Berlin, we are now delving into a special era of his oeuvre. We present works produced in connection with numerous of his memorable journeys. They inspired the artist's creative process and add special facets to his unique way of expression in this period. The works in the exhibition reflect Achim Duchow's impressions of Asia, and specifically Japan, where he spent extended periods between 1979-1993. This dense of productivity will be glimpsed through the selection of paintings, photographs, mixed media and sculptural works which will be on display. The exhibition is presented in parallel to the presentation of the newly published Catalogue Raisonné Achim Duchow: Blindes Vertrauen. Werkverzeichnis 1971-1993 which provides an overview of Achim Duchow's oeuvre.

Achim Duchow (born 1948 in Otterndorf, DE - 1993 in Düsseldorf, DE moved with his family to Düsseldorf in 1951, and first came into contact with their bustling art scene through his teacher Heinz Mack. From 1971 he studied at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg, where he was developed under professors Sigmar Polke, KP Brehmer, and Ulrich Rückriem. Duchow's relationship with Sigmar Polke was particularly impactful on his subjects and techniques. Polke and Duchow inspired each other, became close friends and regularly collaborated on numerous works. Their conversation became particularly rich at Gaspelshof in Willich, near Düsseldorf. This old farm, which was inhabited by Sigmar Polke and his entourage, developed into an „artists' commune - now considered legendary - for artists, intellectuals and free spirits.

Duchow's oeuvre is extensive. The vast catalogue of paintings is characterized by a dead pan irony and art historical sarcasm which is played out in densely composed mass-ups of popular cultural references. However, as identifiable as the montaged and layered canvases are, he constituently pursued other styles. Thus, during several trips to Japan, he devoted himself increasingly to photography. He embarked on his first trip to Japan (1979-1982) with the important support of a DAAD scholarship. While in the Far East, Duchow was less interested in classical motifs such as cherry blossoms, koi and calligraphy of the island nation. Instead, he was fascinated by Japan far removed from all these clichés. The underworld of Japan, including its protagonists, captivated him. In particular, Duchow was fascinated by three of the country's alternative social groups: the Yakuza (Japanese mafia), Bosozoku (motorbike rockers), and the subculture of Punk, New Wave, Punk, Rock n' Roll. The Yakuza proudly refer to themselves as the worthless of society. Duchow documented this underworld of Japan, often capturing their everyday scenes in candid snapshots.

Marked by an enthusiasm for the outsider, Duchows paintings, sculptures and photographs from this time review a remarkable post-war sensibility to the contemporary situation he found himself in. This exhibition surveys this distinctive take of one freedom seeking individual encountering like-minded outcasts in a foreign land. Rich with the colors of the East through his signature montage configurations, these works portray a society evolving beyond tradition and track the emerging global landscape which we now live in.

Press release courtesy SETAREH.