Tree of Life on Syros

The inaugural exhibition of Jenny up the Hill on Syros, Tree of Life, brings together the work of four contemporary painters. They come from different parts of the world, but they share an interest in elementary, natural motifs which, transformed in paint, become reflections on life and mortality and on questions of roots and belonging.

‘Today it is nature that is being crucified,’ Lucas Reiner remarked, when asked about his Stations of the Cross series. Each piece of the series depicts a tree in a distinct, solitary pose, be crooked, slender or resilient. It is hard not to think about human appearances while looking at the trees.

Over the centuries, artists have found a starting point in nature from which to create their art. Whereas, in the nineteenth century, painters inspired by nature were almost automatically landscape painters, in contemporary art there are many ways in which an eye for nature, or a foot in it, or a magnifying glass on it, is expressed. The four artists in the exhibition  have a connection with nature that has taken various forms over the years, be it a focus on the dynamics of perception, on spiritual meaning, on a connecting to older sources of wisdom, or on environmental issues.

Through their work the artists evoke different ways of being rooted, or aligning with the environment. The shapes that life takes cannot be separated from what is around.

The works are celebrations of paint, color, balanced form and they show the difference that art can make, even in times that as a whole seem dark and adrift.

Participating artists: Béatrice Dreux (Vienna), Marc Mulders (Baest, the Netherlands), Lucas Reiner (Los Angeles/Porto) and Maria Vyrra (Athens). Curated by Jurriaan Benschop at Jenny up the Hill in Ermoupoli, Syros. On view till 6 July 2025.

Book ‘Why Paintings Work’

Why Paintings Work book cover

In ‘Why Paintings Work’ Jurriaan Benschop navigates the diverse landscape of contemporary painting. He introduces the work of dozens of painters and asks: Why do these paintings work? In what ways do they speak to the viewer? He considers both the visible aspects of painting, such as the depicted motif and the application of paint, and the concepts, beliefs and motivations that underlie the canvas.

‘Why Paintings Work’ is not just about how we look at paintings, but also about finding a language that suits the art and viewing experience of today. Throughout the book different themes come up, while looking at the work of contemporary painters, such as nature, the body, touch, movement, identity, memory and spirituality.

Among the artists featured in this book are: Nikos Aslanidis, David Benforado, Louise Bonnet, Glenn Brown, Maria Capelo, Peter Doig, Béatrice Dreux, Helmut Federle, Beverly Fishman, Elisabeth Frieberg, Victoria Gitman, Veronika Hilger, Martha Jungwirth, Andreas Ragnar Kassapis, Kristi Kongi, Mark Lammert, Rezi van Lankveld, Michael Markwick, Kerry James Marshall, Lara de Moor, Matthew Metzger, Marc Mulders, Kaido Ole, Jorge Queiroz, Fiona Rae, Daniel Richter, Jessica Stockholder, Marc Trujillo, Anna Tuori, Matthias Weischer, Paula Zarina-Zemane and Gerlind Zeilner.

The book contains 284 pages with more than 100 illustrations in color, paperback 14 x 20 cm, in English. Published May 2023 by Garret Publications, Helsinki. Bookshops order through Idea books in Amsterdam *** ISBN 9789527222171 *** Individuals can ORDER A COPY through this website by filling out the order form HERE Delivery time in Europe is about one week, outside Europe two weeks approximately.

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Worldwide online order through Walter König (Germany, Austria), Art Data (United Kingdom) or through the website you are currently visiting.

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