Portable Air Transport (1969) by Panamarenko is an offset print measuring 40.5 x 50.5 cm, produced in an edition of 50. The image functions as both artwork and exhibition poster, capturing a young Panamarenko in a staged yet intimate moment amid an array of hand-crafted mechanical components, likely from his early aviation-related inventions. Wearing a military-style cap, he appears as a dedicated technician or eccentric inventor, reinforcing the fusion of imagination and engineering central to his practice. Text on the right side announces the exhibition at Wide White Space Gallery in Antwerp, presenting “the secret of specialists, the fine aircraft mechanics.” This piece encapsulates Panamarenko’s characteristic blend of performance, artistic persona, and technical exploration, emblematic of his idiosyncratic vision of flight and mobility.
Panamarenko (Belgium, 1940–2019) was a visionary artist and inventor celebrated for his fantastical flying machines, submarines, and vehicles. Blending art, science, and engineering, his works reflected a playful yet profound exploration of human ambition and technological possibilities. Iconic creations like Aeromodeller embody his imaginative approach to art and innovation.
Offset PrintOffset lithography is a printing technique where the inked image is first transferred (offset) from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. This method combines the lithographic process, which relies on the repulsion of water and oil, to keep non-printing areas ink-free by attracting a water-based film. Offset lithography was originally developed to reduce costs in reproducing artwork and is widely used for high-volume printing due to its efficiency and ability to produce sharp, consistent images.
Portable Air Transport (1969) by Panamarenko is an offset print measuring 40.5 x 50.5 cm, produced in an edition of 50. The image functions as both artwork and exhibition poster, capturing a young Panamarenko in a staged yet intimate moment amid an array of hand-crafted mechanical components, likely from his early aviation-related inventions. Wearing a military-style cap, he appears as a dedicated technician or eccentric inventor, reinforcing the fusion of imagination and engineering central to his practice. Text on the right side announces the exhibition at Wide White Space Gallery in Antwerp, presenting “the secret of specialists, the fine aircraft mechanics.” This piece encapsulates Panamarenko’s characteristic blend of performance, artistic persona, and technical exploration, emblematic of his idiosyncratic vision of flight and mobility.
Panamarenko (Belgium, 1940–2019) was a visionary artist and inventor celebrated for his fantastical flying machines, submarines, and vehicles. Blending art, science, and engineering, his works reflected a playful yet profound exploration of human ambition and technological possibilities. Iconic creations like Aeromodeller embody his imaginative approach to art and innovation.
Is there anything scarier than growing up? Adults have no imagination.
- Panamarenko
Renowned for modeling his work on aerodynamic engineering, Henri Van Herwegen - creating under the pseudonym of Panamarenko - is a mixed-media assemblagist whose work heavily features flying vehicles such as zeppelins, helicopters, and most notably aeroplanes; among his most acclaimed sculptures is his gallery-sized airship, Aeromodeller, and as is the case with other such works as Scotch Gambit, the machine’s flying capability is untested and as yet unknown – a purposely ironic nod to the Myth of Icarus. Panamarenko’s early career was heavily influenced by the Pop Art movement, as well as the works of Picasso and Beuys, but he soon developed an interest in human powered flights and began to create work pertaining to aviation and engineering as a metaphor for human exploration, hope and failure. (Artist website)
Contemporary art refers to avant-garde or innovative art created in the recent past or present day. The exact starting point of contemporary art varies depending on the institution, often tied to the founding year of museums or galleries that showcase the style. Contemporary art is characterized by its focus on current ideas, diverse media, and the exploration of new concepts and techniques.