CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP
As a hair stylist and makeup artist, Armin Morbach not only works regularly with stars, he has also been a judge on "Germany's Next Topmodel".
Under the title Morbach x Morbach, he is now exhibiting together with his husband Moritz at the Roschlaub Gallery at Mittelweg 21 in Hamburg. Here, Armin's photographs meet Moritz's artworks made of Lego bricks.
SPECIAL PERSPECTIVES
As husband and wife, Armin and Moritz Morbach share not only their lives, but also a love of art and aesthetics. Armin is editor-in-chief of the beauty and culture magazine Tush, a hair stylist, makeup artist, and, last but not least, a photographer. His husband Moritz, a trained vocational school teacher, is a freelance artist known for his boundlessly creative and multi-dimensional pictures, created from hundreds of Lego bricks. Now, the Roschlaub Gallery in Rotherbaum is exclusively showing works by both Morbachs in the joint exhibition "Perspectives."
“Armin and Moritz defy all conventions with their art – each develops their own unique world in their own individual way,” says Kirsten Roschlaub. “I’m absolutely delighted that the two were willing to present their work together in my gallery. As different as their photography and Lego art are, the Morbachs, as a creative couple, share the same vision of diversity and a keen eye for beauty and unique perspectives.” Thirteen of Armin Morbach’s works are on display as large-format prints on baryta paper, mounted behind museum glass. Moritz Morbach, who had a solo exhibition at Galerie Roschlaub a year ago, adds something entirely new to his Lego portfolio: bronze objects made from the popular building blocks. The exhibition runs until September 6.
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AND BY ARRANGEMENT
“THE DEVIL LIKES TO BE IN THE DETAILS”
EXHIBITION
The Hamburg-based artist couple Armin and Moritz Morbach are showing their work at the Roschlaub Gallery.
One creates art with a camera, the other makes art with Lego bricks – now they come together at the Roschlaub Gallery: In the double exhibition "Perspectives," stylist Armin Morbach (also known from the first season of "Germany's Next Top Model") and his husband Moritz Morbach present their work. A conversation about aesthetics and the appeal of the "not beautiful."
MOPO: Armin, you are a stylist, makeup artist, magazine editor and photographic artist
All professions involve aesthetics. What is "beautiful" to you? And does the "not beautiful" also hold an appeal for you?
Armin: For me, beauty is a multifaceted concept. It's about harmony, emotions, and the ability to evoke a reaction.
The non-beautiful, the deviation from the laws of harmony, definitely has its appeal because it often tells a deeper, rawer story and offers a different perspective on life. It is precisely from this latter aspect, the disharmonies of aesthetics, that I have frequently drawn inspiration over the past 35 years of my career. It is the tension between these extremes that constantly accompanies me.
MOPO: Moritz, you were a vocational school teacher and are now managing director of the company you run together with Armin. How is that for you?
Moritz: For me, beauty lies in the authenticity and uniqueness of an object or a situation. As a teacher, I learned to see the value in small, everyday things and in the transmission of knowledge. In art, I find beauty in simplicity and in the stories told by the materials I work with.
MOPO: How did you come to switch to art – and have been working with Lego bricks ever since?
Moritz: Switching to art was a way for me to express my creativity and find a balance to my teaching career. Lego bricks offer an endless variety of possibilities. Their structure and color palette allow me to represent complex concepts in a playful and accessible way. It's the childlike joy of building, combined with the challenge of creating something meaningful, that inspires me.
MOPO: What's it like to put on an exhibition together? Do things ever get heated?
Armin: A joint project like this is always an exciting challenge. Of course, there are discussions about its realization. I'm incredibly perfectionistic, and Moritz is at least as much.
But it is precisely these discussions that bring the project to life. We quickly reach compromises because we both want to get the best possible result from the exhibition.
Moritz: Absolutely, there's a lot of exchange and sometimes differing opinions – just like in any area of life. But that's precisely what makes the collaboration so productive. We complement each other.
Good, because we bring different perspectives and strengths.
The goal is always to create a coherent overall picture that reflects both our individual works and our shared vision. In doing so, one also risks the fact that the devil is often in the details. NR